Pasadena Church Faces Affordable Housing Obstacle: Report

PASADENA, CA — Pasadena’s New Life Holiness Church wants to build affordable housing, but it faces a significant hurdle: the city's zoning laws.

Under Pasadena's current zoning laws, New Life Holiness is zoned only for commercial purposes and can only provide temporary housing in its parking lot for up to 60 days, according to the Pasadena Star News. The church cannot charge rent or any other fees and is prohibited from any residential development on its property.

It's a problem faced by churches statewide, and California lawmakers tried to pass a bill last year that would allow churches to build affordable housing projects, but that effort stalled, the Star News reported.

For New Life Holiness Church, there's a sliver of hope that a change can happen at the local level, with Councilman Andy Wilson being an advocate of the church's efforts, according to the paper.

Visit the Pasadena Star News for the rest of its story on New Life Holiness Church’s mission to build affordable housing.