April 24, 2025, may very well be the day the Yes in God’s Back Yard movement took hold in our community. After years of discernment and planning, Greenwood Forest Baptist Church received official approval from the Cary Town Council to rezone their underutilized property for their pioneering Carr Center project, making way for 62 units of affordable housing on their campus.
In a powerful show of support, over 130 people of faith from at least 18 congregations showed up at the Council meeting to say “Yes to Affordable Housing in God’s Back Yard”. See the News and Observer article capturing the spirit of the evening.
The Council unanimously approved the rezoning, commenting that the project “represents the best of our community,” and is “a gem of a project, bringing churches and non-profits together to meet this pressing need in our community.” One Council Member even teared up with joy.
This has not been easy for Greenwood Forest. The initial neighborhood meeting on May 1, 2024, was filled with Not in My Back Yard (NIMBY) resistance. As Pastor Wes Spears-Newsome shared to the faith supporters, “Not that long ago, people didn't believe such a thing was possible in Cary, but your continued dedication and persistent presence has made a way.”
This project is just one example of what the faith community is doing across the country with the Yes in God’s Back Yard Movement. Habitat Wake is having preliminary conversations with several congregations about repurposing their underutilized property for affordable housing. Click here for an overview of this movement and how Habitat Wake supports it. We hope to announce soon the first Habitat project within the Yes in God’s Back Yard movement, where Habitat Wake is the developer!
Questions? Message Rick Beech if you would like to explore this ministry opportunity for your congregation.