LCMS National Housing Support Corp. awarded $150,000 grant for St. Louis City renewal

For Immediate Release

Contact: Vicki Biggs 314-996-1236/ 314-556-3829 (cell)

Wells Fargo UrbanLIFT grant will support ongoing redevelopment efforts in St. Louis’ College Hill neighborhood

ST. LOUIS, March 5, 2014—LCMS National Housing Support Corp. (NHSC) d/b/a Lutheran Housing Support has been awarded a $150,000 Wells Fargo UrbanLIFT grant for the corporation’s ongoing revitalization efforts in St. Louis’ historic College Hill neighborhood.

The grant will be used to purchase nine properties in College Hill, four miles north of downtown St. Louis, and perform demolition and site restoration. The properties will be acquired at market rates, and NHSC will oversee the demolition of existing structures and restoration of the lots to a buildable state, making available new home sites for families of modest means.

All nine properties are located within NHSC’s planned Nazareth Homes 20-unit development, which broke ground last March. Two homes have already been built; one serves as a model and the second is sold. The restored lots will become sites for new homes within the Nazareth Homes development.

“We celebrate this wonderful news!” said Nicole Ridley, NHSC’s chief executive. “The funds will complement our ongoing development and revitalization efforts in College Hill, and will ultimately help further stabilize the neighborhood. We are blessed to have wonderful partners such as Wells Fargo and thankful to all who are supporting our work to make College Hill a healthier, safer, and once again vibrant neighborhood.”

UrbanLIFT, a community grant program funded by Wells Fargo and administered by NeighborWorks America®, is designed to provide support to local nonprofits for neighborhood revitalization projects.

“These grants will help advance community stabilization in cities, like St. Louis, that were significantly impacted by the housing downturn,” said Laraine Davis, community development officer for Wells Fargo in St. Louis. “In St. Louis, the dollars are in addition to the $50,000 Wells Fargo donated last year to help support the Nazareth Homes project. We look forward to seeing NHSC put this grant to work in creating a safer and sustainable neighborhood.”

In College Hill, one of St. Louis’ most impoverished neighborhoods, Nazareth Homes will provide affordable home-ownership opportunities.

To learn more about College Hill and LCMS National Housing Support Corporation, visit www.nationalhousingsupport.org.

About LCMS National Lutheran Housing Support Corporation
LCMS National Lutheran Housing Support Corp., d/b/a Lutheran Housing Support is a separately incorporated nonprofit that expands the housing ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The agency connects LCMS congregations, districts, LCMS Recognized Service Organizations and their community partners with expertise and financial resources to help revitalize neighborhoods and provide affordable housing. NHSC has partnered with congregations and civic and business leaders to revitalize the Spring Creek Nehemiah area in New York City, the Ezra Housing project in Chicago, the College Hill neighborhood in St. Louis and the Lutheran Community Outreach Center in Fort Wayne, Ind. To learn more, visit www.nationalhousingsupport.org.

About The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a biblical, confessional, witness-oriented Christian denomination with 2.3 million members in 6,200 congregations. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church strives to make known the love of Jesus Christ around the world. Learn more at www.lcms.org. Follow the LCMS @thelcms.

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