237 Apartments on a 13-Acre Church Campus: San Jose’s Cathedral of Faith Plans Homes for Seniors and Vulnerable Residents

• Cathedral of Faith at 2315 Canoas Garden Avenue in San Jose planned 237 apartments in two buildings on its 13.4-acre parcel.
• The homes would house 78 seniors and 159 unhoused people, adults with disabilities and young people leaving foster care.
• The developer is Sand Hill Property Company; costs were estimated at about $800,000 per unit.
• City and state subsidies were planned, with extra funds from the SHP Christian Foundation.

A large San Jose church is planning hundreds of homes on its campus. San José Spotlight, in a report by Tran Nguyen, said Cathedral of Faith’s housing plan was heading to the City Council for final approval.

The church, at 2315 Canoas Garden Avenue in central San Jose, sits on a 13.4-acre parcel. The plan is 237 apartments in two buildings: homes for 78 seniors, and for 159 people who are unhoused, adults with disabilities or young people ageing out of foster care. The developer is Sand Hill Property Company, and the estimated cost was about $800,000 per unit. The plan was due before the council in January, with construction aimed to start in 2023.

City and state subsidies were planned, and the SHP Christian Foundation, founded by Peter and Susanna Pau, committed additional funds. The report also noted that St John Vianney Church in East San Jose had converted a convent into 16 homes for teachers.

Pastor Ken Foreman said the church was excited to help and described affordable housing as the next step. Mayor Sam Liccardo, who promoted the idea of ‘Yes in God’s backyard’, said: “The important thing is to have the land. That’s the scarce thing.”

In expensive cities, land is the hardest part of building affordable homes, and large church campuses can hold a great deal of housing without the church leaving. At about $800,000 per unit, the San Jose project also shows how costly housing can be to build in high-cost areas, which is why subsidies and donors matter. Jamaican churches with large campuses in Kingston, St Andrew and other growing areas hold a similar scarce asset. With partners, part of that land could house seniors, young people leaving state care or others in need, subject to planning approval and a clear long-term management plan.

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