Nelson Mullins partner Jay Shuman recently wrote a follow-up to his previous article, Sheltering the Body and Spirit: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Affordable Housing Initiatives, for the Affordable Housing Conference of Montgomery County’s 2025 Winter Journal. In this article, he continued his discussion of partnerships between private developers and faith-based organizations (FBOs) to help address the national housing shortage. 

Shuman delves into many keys to success in these partnerships, including careful deliberation in selecting a development partner, evaluating the assets and determining a mission-based strategy, and financial analysis of projected operations. 

"There are several different ways that a faith-based organization may leverage its unused or underdeveloped land to achieve its vision. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' strategy. Each project exists in its own unique circumstances and with its own demands, and will be influenced by the property, zoning regulations, the rental market, financial feasibility, and the organization’s own mission. Private developers should work closely with faith-based entities to evaluate the potential of their properties for housing projects and should consider the long-term sustainability of the project, ensuring it remains affordable and meets the community’s needs over time," says Shuman.

Click here to read the full article.