WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe joined community partners this month for the fourth annual Summit on Affordable Housing, spotlighting new strategies to expand housing access across the county.
A Focus on “YIGBY” Partnerships
This year’s summit adopted the theme “YIGBY: Yes In God’s Back Yard” to emphasize how faith-based organizations can help address the shortage of affordable housing. The YIGBY model encourages partnerships among churches, municipalities, and civic leaders to redevelop underused religious properties into homes for working families and low-income residents.
Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell highlighted the potential for coordinated action, noting that if each of the county’s 73 municipalities developed just four affordable units annually, the county could add nearly 300 new units each 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,” Maxwell said.
Community and Expert Voices
The program included a panel discussion featuring Reverend Sarah Strosahl-Kagi of Royersford Baptist Church, Reverend Dr. Mary Ann Mertz of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oxford, Kyla Weisman Bayer of Mission First Housing Group, and Tom Leonard of Habitat for Humanity of Chester County. Each shared perspectives on how congregations and nonprofits are reimagining community assets to meet urgent housing needs.
Allies for Housing: Expanding Inventory
Allies for Housing, which co-hosted the event, was founded in 2022 to advance education, networking, and advocacy around affordable housing. The organization’s focus is on increasing rental units for households earning 60 percent or less of the county’s Area Median Income—roughly $50,000 for an individual or $71,640 for a family of four.
Keith Burress of Allies for Housing emphasized the urgency of the issue. “This challenge extends far beyond Chester County—it’s recognized as a critical national issue,” he said. “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.”
Looking Ahead
With support from county leaders, community organizations, and faith partners, the summit underscored that addressing Chester County’s housing shortage will require coordinated, sustained action. By repurposing existing spaces and fostering public-private collaboration, advocates believe the region can steadily expand access to affordable housing while strengthening community ties.
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