Palestine Development Initiative:
Housing

Four opportunities have so far been identified for positive investment in church-based affordable housing projects in the West Bank. Supporting any of these projects promotes sustainable economic development by providing income for those involved in the construction process and affordable homes for Palestinians under pressure.

St. Andrew's Housing Society in Ramallah is a 33-unit housing development sponsored by St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (in Ramallah) and designed to preserve a Christian remnant in Palestine. The families will own, not rent, the homes. Construction of the exterior and interior partitions of the facility is complete. Only the interior remains unfinished.  St. Andrew's has already received grants totaling $350,000. To complete the project St. Andrews must raise an additional $66,667 (which will be matched on a 2-for-1 basis by a pledge from the Arab Bank). There are opportunities for presbyteries or local congregations to develop long-term partnerships with St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. 

The Taybeh Orthodox Housing Project in Taybeh (northeast of Ramallah) aims to build 15 duplexes (30 homes) to house Orthodox Christian Palestinian families. Construction began on the first six duplexes on August 1, 2005. Three have been roofed and are now complete skeleton structures. The final cost of each home is $50,000 ($100,000 per duplex). Taybeh encourages churches to partner and sponsor one home (every $50,000 raised can be used to complete a home). $90,000 has been raised since 1999, and an additional $48,000 is necessary to complete the skeletons of the remaining three duplexes. Additional funding of approximately $1.4 million is needed to complete the entire project. Taybeh is an entirely Christian community and may be interested in mission partnership with communities, congregations or presbyteries in the United States. 

The Mount of Olives Housing Project outside of Jerusalem is sponsored by Lutheran World Federation, in partnership with Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. The development will be constructed on land owned by LWF; Christian tenants will rent their apartments at a subsidized rate. Construction has not yet begun. LWF hopes to raise at least $2 million in grants from United States–based churches and organizations. The remaining funds will be raised in the European Union and through loans to be repaid with rental income.

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) has a program aimed at the repair and rehabilitation of deteriorating homes owned and occupied by Christian families in older sections of Bethlehem and its environs.  Seven percent of any gifts to this project will cover HCEF's overhead costs.  In 2006, 91 homes were rehabilitated, at an average cost of just under $4,000. 

An Extra Commitment Opportunity (ECO) account has been established to support these three projects. Donors may designate which of the four projects their gifts will support.

Affordable Housing for Palestinians
Goal: $500,000
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