Central United Methodist Church: From Dreams to Reality: Faith Service, and Affordable Housing
- VEREP
- Aug 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 4
A Vision Realized Through Partnership, Community Engagement, and Mixed‑Use Redevelopment
Central United Methodist Church in Arlington embarked on a nearly two-decade journey of prayer, discernment, and community visioning that transformed its historic property into a hub for ministry and affordable housing.
Through partnerships with True Ground Housing Partners and Kinhaven School, the project created 144 affordable housing units while providing modernized worship and ministry space to serve the Ballston community.
This project exemplifies how faith communities can align their mission with local housing needs through vision, perseverance, and partnership.
A Journey Rooted in Faith and Community
The leadership of Central United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia, took a prayer walk in 2007 that launched a transformative journey of faith spanning nearly two decades and resulted in a non-profit partnership that created 144 affordable housing units above space for the ministries of the church alongside Kinhaven School.
Central UMC's challenges were both physical and spiritual. The church building, standing since 1923 on the corner of Fairfax Drive and Stafford Street, was gathering a growing list of expensive repairs that outpaced their financial resources. Simultaneously, the church was discovering its calling to serve Arlington's unhoused and insecurely housed population. Through the advocacy of a church member who knew homeless individuals who had died from exposure to the cold, the congregation began to recognize that "the work of the church had to be outside the walls of the building."
Early Discernment and Community Service
The decision-making process began with a prayer walk suggested by Bishop Storey in March 2007, which revealed the needs in their immediate community. This spiritual discernment led to practical action when the congregation partnered with A-SPAN (Arlington Street People's Assistance Network, now PathForward) to begin serving breakfast to homeless individuals every Friday morning starting in 2008.
Exploring Redevelopment Options
Around the same time, a developer approached the Pastor with an offer to sell development air rights and rebuild with a ground-floor church and residential units above. A building committee was formed in July 2007 to begin exploring this possibility. In April 2013, the entire congregation participated in a visioning session where everyone's ideas were written on Post-it notes, creating a "wall bloomed yellow with our hopes and dreams."
Changing Plans and Partnerships
The project evolved through multiple phases and partnerships. Initially, the church planned to create their own 501c3 to own and operate affordable housing using a developer who would build the facility but have no ownership stake. After unsuccessful attempts to secure low-income housing tax credits in 2017 and 2018, they re-evaluated their options and chose to instead partner with the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH), now called True Ground Housing Partners. APAH was able to successfully make some strategic changes to the building plans and secure the needed financing to move forward with the project.
Capital Campaign and Construction
The final financing package required the congregation to contribute $4 million from their 2017 "From Dreams to Reality" capital campaign as an income source for the capital stack. Construction began after project financing closed on December 9, 2021. The old building was demolished, and the new structure now includes one level of underground parking, two stories for the church and Kinhaven School, and apartment units on floors three through eight.
New Facilities and Affordable Housing
The completed building blends mission and ministry. The church owns a 26,699 square-foot commercial condominium featuring a sanctuary with live streaming technology, classrooms, music suite, commercial kitchen, and fellowship hall. True Ground owns the residential portion of the building, which includes 144 affordable housing units for residents between 30%-60% AMI, with a mix of one-bedroom (108 units), two-bedroom (24 units), and three-bedroom apartments (12 units). The building also houses an expanded Kinhaven School.
Timeline of Key Milestones
March 2007: Prayer walk with Bishop Peter Storey
August 2007: Building Committee begins to form
April 2013: Congregation Survey & Space Study
May 14, 2017: Dreams to Reality Capital Campaign Commitment Sunday
2017 & 2018: LIHTC Financing Applications Unsuccessful
June 2020: APAH (now True Ground) selected as new developer
December 9, 2021: Financing closed leading to groundbreaking
March 31, 2024: Central UMC Grand Re-Opening
April 15, 2024: Grand Opening of Unity Homes at Ballston Apartments
Faith and Persistence Through Challenges
Throughout the nearly two-decade journey, the congregation maintained their spiritual foundation through prayer and discernment. From “90 Days in Prayer” to prayer stations where members wrote prayers embedded in the sanctuary walls, faith was central to each decision. Even during construction delays and financing challenges, they experienced "small (and some not so small) unexpected blessings and moments of grace" that carried the project forward.
Mission in Action Today
The church now hosts a free community café on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Some familiar faces from their former Friday breakfast now visit, and one individual who attended the breakfasts is now a resident upstairs at Unity Homes.
Lessons for Other Congregations
Central UMC's story shows that grounding major projects in prayer and community discernment, while remaining flexible and open to new partnerships, can lead to transformative results.
For more information, visit the Central United Methodist Church, Ballston Building Project
Are you discerning how your property could serve both your congregation and your community? VEREP can help you explore new possibilities grounded in mission and prayer. Contact VEREP today to start the conversation.
