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The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod board of directors officially established the corporation now known as Lutheran Housing Support in 2003. But the church’s pioneering leadership in neighborhood renewal and affordable housing for working families actually began years earlier with the historic Nehemiah Plans in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Memphis, Tenn.
Excerpt from the LCMS Board of Directors minutes of Nov. 20-22, 2003, meeting in Miami, Fla.
These Nehemiah Plans are local, faith-based housing initiatives and have helped stabilize communities and strengthen churches by providing decent, affordable housing for low-to- moderate income working families.
The Nehemiah Plan in Brooklyn, N.Y., was one of the first housing initiatives of its kind and has been recognized nationally for its success and has served as a model for other similar initiatives. In addition to the Nehemiah Plans, with funds that it received back from the Nehemiah Plans, the LCMS has established a Low Income Housing Loan Fund to provide further assistance for housing ministries. However, the Low Income Housing Loan Fund is now under $1 million and contains no dollars for technical assistance for local congregations seeking to become involved in housing ministry efforts in their own communities, which technical assistance is greatly needed in order to have a successful housing initiative. For the LCMS to continue its leadership role in the support of successful housing ministry, it must actively secure additional resources found in a variety of sources in order to be able to provide the needed financial and technical assistance.
The Board for Human Care Ministries has determined that it is desirable to form a new corporation, to be known as LCMS National Housing Support Corporation, the primary function of which will be to seek and secure funding from government, private, and corporate sources to assist LCMS congregations, districts, and social ministry organizations to develop housing ministries in their neighborhoods. LCMS National Housing Support Corporation will act as an intermediary for securing and administering funds and complying with conditions imposed by the various funding sources. The formation of LCMS National Housing Support Corporation is essential to furthering housing ministry because private resources are not solely adequate to aid LCMS churches in accessing the technical assistance and capital funds required to act as a primary partner to effect change in distressed neighborhoods. Without access to such assistance and funds, deteriorating neighborhood conditions will continue to slowly drain resources from LCMS congregations in such neighborhoods.
National Housing Support Corporation to Combat Poverty, Community Decay
On Sept. 21, 2004, the LCMS National Housing Support Corporation organized exclusively for charitable and education purposes and organized to combat poverty and community deterioration, met for the first time as a board.
Meeting highlights included:
Purpose of the Corporation: Under Article III in the Articles of Incorporation, the Corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and education purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Specifically, the Corporation is organized to combat poverty and community deterioration.
Who the Corporation supports: The Corporation may provide support to neighborhood and community development programs and organizations maintained by or associated with congregations that are members of the Synod, districts that are part of the Synod, or organizations granted Recognized Service Organization status by the Synod. The Corporation may provide financial support to such programs and organizations in the form of grants, loans and guarantees. The Corporation may provide assistance and advice to such programs and organizations with respect to obtaining financing from other sources, whether public or private. The Corporation may provide technical staff and other technical assistance to such programs and organizations. The Corporation may obtain financing from private and governmental sources for the purpose of carrying out the foregoing activities including, but not limited to, obtaining grants, loans and loan guarantees. The Corporation may solicit and receive gifts, contributions, bequests, devises and grants of property from individuals, foundations, partnerships, associations, organizations, corporations, legal entities and governmental agencies and units. The Corporation may borrow funds and obligate itself to repay funds borrowed.
What the Corporation is allowed to do: The Corporation is authorized to do everything necessary or beneficial in the proper management and administration of the affairs of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, the holding, administration, purchase, lease, sale, management, conveyance, investment, payment, mortgage, exchange and receipt of property on its own behalf or as trustee, custodian or otherwise. The Corporation can request to be included in The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod’s inclusion in the federal income tax group exemption ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service, which will allow the Corporation to accept tax deducible contributions.
What is relationship of Corporation to Synod BOD and BHCM: The bylaws of the LCMS National Housing Support Corporation, which have been approved and adopted by The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod Board of Directors and the Board for Human Care Ministries (BHCM) Board of Directors, define the relationship. The bylaws list the sole member as The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. The Board of Directors of the Member has given power and delegated oversight responsibilities to the Board for Human Care Ministries.
Board membership: Mandated by Articles of Incorporation, the initial Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Director of the Board for Human Care Ministries of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, who shall serve ex-officio, and the four individuals, each of whom shall serve until the expiration date of his or her term or until his or her successor is duly elected and takes office. In addition to the voting Directors, the Treasurer of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and one member of the BHCM Board from time to time, shall also serve as Directors, with voice but not vote. The BHCM voted to have Mrs. Peggy Beyer as the one member of the BHCM Board represent the BHCM.
New LCMS Housing Corporation to Help Local Housing Ministries
Congregations struggling to develop housing ministries have an ally: the new LCMS National Housing Support Corporation, designed to open doors to previously unavailable grants and technical assistance.
The Board for Human Care Ministries proposed the new nonprofit, national charitable organization to assist LCMS congregations, districts and social ministry organizations with housing and community development.
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LCMS Housing Corporation Begins First Fiscal Year, Marie Kienker Named Executive Director
July 1 marks the start of the first fiscal year of operation for the LCMS National Housing Support Corporation (NHSC), the charitable and education organization established by the LCMS Board for Human Care Ministries to assist LCMS congregations, districts, social ministry organizations, and other partners in developing capacity for local housing initiatives.
In February, the NHSC board of directors named housing and community development veteran Marie Kienker as the corporation’s executive director. Previously, Kienker served as deputy director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, the Synod’s mercy and humanitarian arm, and as manager of LCMS Housing Ministries.
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