By Nancy SarnoffMarch 31, 2017 Updated: April 1, 2017 6:09pm
11
Harold Kidder opposes the Bethany United Methodist Church's proposal to build a 101-unit apartment complex for seniors. He bought his home across the street from the church 40 years ago assuming it would be a good, quiet neighbor. Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff / © 2017 Houston Chronicle
Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff
IMAGE 1 OF 9 Harold Kidder opposes the Bethany United Methodist Church's proposal to build a 101-unit apartment complex for seniors. He bought his home across the street from the church 40 years ago assuming it would be a ... more
Bethany United Methodist Church has persevered in a leafy neighborhood near the Astrodome for 65 years, though its membership today would fill less than a third of its 1,000-seat sanctuary if everybody showed up.
Pastor Dan Jones, a Wharton-educated MBA, speaks of a "transitioning model" as church attendance continues to decline nationally. It is imperative to expand beyond the traditional "one hour a week" to remain relevant, he says.
But Jones' most ambitious step in that direction - a proposal to build a four-story apartment building for seniors on site - has unleashed yet another contentious homeowner uprising in a city that has seen several in recent years. The target of ire this time, rather than developers or the government, is a religious organization that enjoys tax advantages and other preferences not otherwise available in the free market.
Read Full Article »