PINE HILLS, FL — An Orange County church is moving ahead with plans for nearly 300 affordable housing units on land it owns behind its Pine Hills campus. Fellowship Baptist Church of Pine Hills wants to build the apartments on 10 acres of unused property, with the project estimated at $75 million and tied to a county program designed for religious institutions.
The proposal comes as housing costs remain a pressure point for many local households. Church leaders say the apartments would give members of the congregation and nearby residents more options, while Orange County leaders say the development would add needed affordable units for workers, seniors and families in the area.
What The Plan Says
Fellowship Baptist Church’s proposal falls under Orange County’s Affordable Housing for Religious Institutional Lands Program. The county created the program to make approvals easier for churches that want to build affordable housing on land they are not using.
Florida’s “Yes in God’s Backyard” law opened the door for counties to allow affordable housing on church property even when the land is not zoned residential. Orange County’s version goes further than the state minimum by requiring that all units meet the county’s affordability standards. County leaders have approved the project and are now working to finalize funding.
How It Fits The Past
Pastor Alandus Sims said his father, Arthur Sims, bought the land for the church in 1992 with a community mission in mind. Sims said the project reflects that long-running purpose and described affordable housing as part of his father’s legacy of service and equality…