Pennsylvania diocese to build affordable housing for clergy on church sites

The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania announced a new initiative to construct affordable housing for clergy on underutilized church properties across the five-county Philadelphia metro region. The diocese identified at least three sites—one diocesan property and two adjacent to active churches, with one in Philadelphia and two in suburbs—where housing units will be built and offered as rentals to diocesan clergy and priests called to serve at churches without rectories. Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez described the vision as a "neighborhood for priests," resembling a seminary setting with shared worship space, designed to help newly relocated clergy feel less isolated and build community. The housing will accommodate single people, couples, and families of various sizes. The initiative is part of the diocese's broader Transformation Initiative, which identified 2.5 million square feet of underutilized diocesan space and 26 church properties where housing redevelopment could be viable. The diocese authorized $4 million from its 2021 sale of the Wapiti retreat property in Maryland to fund the effort, with each housing site incorporating a central chapel for Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and other services. Gutiérrez expects initial plans to be finalized within months, with groundbreaking anticipated for late 2027 or early 2028.

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Source: Episcopal News Service — https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/09/25/pennsylvania-diocese-plans-to-build-affordable-clergy-housing-on-underused-sites/