As the demand for affordable housing increases in South Florida, developers are looking to church property

With much of South Florida built out, developers are turning to a new avenue for housing: developing church property.

An idea catching fire in Fort Lauderdale is at the Sanctuary Presbyterian Church on North Federal Highway, which has filed an application to build a 12-story, 340-unit residential building, with up to a third set aside for affordable housing.

The church has a large front lawn, and the new building would surround the current church, which sits on the Middle River. Sanctuary Church is working with a developer who has several hurdles to clear with the city.

"The idea is to make this something successful," said Pastor Dwayne Black, who has been with the church since 2011 and has seen many changes.

The church was built in the 1960s and had 1,000 members back then. Pastor Black said the current congregation is about 100 people, and much of the 8-acre property is now used by non-profits and schools.

"The idea is to bring in more non-profits — together we can create more and more things," he said. Pastor Black believes the new residential building will help create a vibrant, revitalized community when finished.

"A lot of churches were built in the '60s; there was big parking. But cities have doubled in population and congregations are shrinking, so developers see opportunities," said Whitney Dutton, head of residential realty with Native Realty.

Dutton showed a community off State Road 84 in Fort Lauderdale, where a local church sold off 5 acres, and a developer is building dozens of single-family homes. "This was a 5-acre parcel. Who has that in East Fort Lauderdale except a church?" Dutton asked.

Pastor Black said they have shown the plan to residents in the area, and it has been supported.

However, Cliff Higley, who lives on the dead-end street next to Sanctuary Church, moved to the area because of the solitude. He fears a 12-story building is too large a footprint for the neighborhood, one of the oldest in Fort Lauderdale. He said residents asked the developer if it was possible to build fewer floors, perhaps in line with other new residential buildings in the vicinity. He says he was told anything smaller than 12 floors would not be profitable.

Pastor Black said if they get city approval, he hopes the new residential building will be open in 2029.