Reverend Sarah Strosahl-Kagi from Royersford Baptist Church (left) and Reverend Dr. Mary Ann Mertz from St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oxford were part of the panel discussion at the 4th Annual Summit on Affordable Housing.
Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe recently partnered with Allies for Housing in Chester County to host the 4th Annual Summit on Affordable Housing. The event brought together elected officials, municipal leaders, faith-based organizations, housing advocates, and individuals with lived experience to advance the conversation on housing solutions.
This year’s theme, “YIGBY: Yes In God’s Back Yard,” highlighted the pivotal role that communities of faith are playing in addressing Chester County’s housing needs. YIGBY is an emerging model that fosters partnerships among faith-based organizations, municipalities, and elected officials to reimagine and repurpose underutilized religious properties for affordable housing development.
Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell remarked, “Addressing our affordable housing challenges can feel daunting, but when more people get involved, solutions emerge. For example, if each of the county’s 73 municipalities committed to creating just four affordable housing units annually, we would add nearly 300 units every year.
“We need strong partnerships—among municipalities, faith-based organizations, developers, and investors—to generate creative solutions. This summit has been a catalyst for those collaborations.”
The summit featured a panel discussion that included the Reverend Sarah Strosahl-Kagi from Royersford Baptist Church, Reverend Dr. Mary Ann Mertz from St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oxford, Kyla Weisman Bayer from Mission First Housing Group, and Tom Leonard from Habitat for Humanity of Chester County.
Founded in 2022, Allies for Housing is dedicated to expanding housing inventory through networking, education, and advocacy. “One of our primary goals is to increase the number of rental units available to households earning 60 percent or less of the Area Median Income, equivalent to $50,000 for an individual or $71,640 for a family of four in Chester County,” said Keith Burress of Allies for Housing.
“This challenge extends far beyond Chester County—it’s recognized as a critical national issue,” Burress added. “By developing new models and forging broader partnerships, we can create more affordable, safe housing options and move closer to that goal of housing for all our residents.”
