Ladera Community Church partners with Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco to build affordable homes in Portola Valley

Ladera Community Church is partnering with Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco  to build two affordable homes on the church’s land in Portola Valley.

The project is inspired by California’s Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act, widely known as the “Yes in God’s Backyard” law, which allows faith institutions to build 100% affordable housing on their property. The law enables affordable housing projects to move forward without the lengthy rezoning and discretionary approval processes that often delay housing development.

The two 3 bedroom-2 bath homes will be available to families earning 70% to 80% of the area median income (AMI). Habitat Greater San Francisco will ground-lease the site from the church.

“We all benefit when the people who work here and contribute to our community every day have the opportunity to live here,” said Portola Valley Town Manager Darcy Smith. “Portola Valley needs more affordable housing options, and we’re grateful to Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco and the church congregation for helping lead the way.”

In 2020, Ladera Community Church formed an Affordable Housing Task Force to explore how its property could help address the region’s housing shortage and ultimately partnered with Habitat Greater San Francisco to develop the project.

“At Ladera Community Church, many of our members feel a deep responsibility to help address the housing crisis affecting our community,” said Tim Clark, a member of the church’s Affordable Housing Task Force. “We’re excited to move this project forward and to welcome new families to Portola Valley.”

The partnership may serve as a model for other faith communities looking to use their land to help address California’s housing shortage.