Affordable Housing Initiative

For more than 40 years, the Mission has sought to preserve the affordable housing stock on the Mississippi Coast through its low-income rehabilitation program and advocacy efforts. After Hurricane Katrina, affordable housing emerged as an even more urgent concern on the Mississippi Gulf Coast because of the enormous loss of housing stock all along the Coast. Back Bay Mission volunteers and many others from across the nation worked feverishly to restore salvaged property, and the Mission positioned itself to go a step further by establishing a new affordable housing initiative.

A non-profit subsidiary of Back Bay Mission (Gulf Coast Housing Initiative, Inc.) was formed to carry this expanded commitment moving forward.  In 2009 Back Bay Mission broke ground on its first full-scale housing development, Bethel Estates, a 32 unit single family homeownership development in Pass Christian, MS. After completing all infrastructure construction and 2 model homes the housing market and the overall economy took a turn for the worst. Unable to sell homes in the tight credit market Back Bay Mission sought other developers to build out the development as a rental property. On September 30, 2011 the transfer of Bethel Estates was finalized and construction is currently underway to build the remaining 30 single family homes as rental units. Back Bay is pleased to have initiated the development that will provide quality affordable housing to low-to-moderate income households in a community devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Moving forward, Back Bay Mission will continue to address the ongoing need for safe, decent, and affordable housing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, working collaboratively with its non-profit subsidiary Gulf Coast Housing Initiative, Inc. (GCHI).   Two new housing programs are planned in the short term, an acquisition- rehabilitation program and new construction to provide permanent supportive housing to homeless veterans. Look for updates on these new and exciting Affordable Housing Initiatives in the coming months.           

Everett Lewis Associate for Housing Initiatives