BUILD’s affordable housing success

If not for BUILD’s initiative to seek an Affordable Housing Fund in 2007, there would have been no “New program tackles shortage in Lexington” article on the March 15 front page. Abundant thanks to reporter Beth Musgrave for the detailed, informative, educational piece.

But an important fact was not included: The story of Building United Interfaith Lexington through Direct Action — 27 congregations working together since 2003 to address serious community problems.

During those long, frustrating years of advocating, debating, seeking yet more support from our allies; hearing yet another “no” at our annual Nehemiah Action Assembly; spending hours in council chambers hoping to hear some good news, our collective compassion and love for all our neighbors in need of a safe, affordable home did not discourage us from doing justice and doing the work that God commands us to do.

What a celebration for our community when we finally received Mayor Jim Gray’s commitment to develop a plan and champion the passage of this fund at our 2014 Action Assembly. How gratifying it was to hear a unanimous yes from our city council just a few months later that an Affordable Housing Fund would be established.

Now, Lexington is beginning to look more like a city of God.

This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 8:33 PM with the headline "BUILD’s affordable housing success."