- Sanctuary Presbyterian Church on North Federal Highway is linked to a 340-unit tower plan
- Up to a third of the homes, about 113, would be affordable
- Completion is expected in 2029
- Another Fort Lauderdale church sold 5 acres off State Road 84 for single-family homes
Churches in South Florida are becoming key players in the region’s housing market, CBS News Miami reported in March 2026.
In Fort Lauderdale, Sanctuary Presbyterian Church on North Federal Highway is part of a plan for a 12-storey building with 340 homes, up to a third of them, or about 113 units, set aside as affordable. The project is expected to be completed in 2029. Pastor Dwayne Black said: “The idea is to make this something successful,” adding: “The idea is to bring in more non-profits — together we can create more and more things.”
Elsewhere in Fort Lauderdale, a church off State Road 84 sold 5 acres for a development of single-family homes. Whitney Dutton of Native Realty said: “This was a 5-acre parcel. Who has that in East Fort Lauderdale except a church?”
Dutton explained why developers are looking at churches: “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.” The report also included concerns from a local resident about the deal.
South Florida is home to one of the largest Jamaican and Caribbean communities in the United States, and many congregations there own sites bought decades ago when land was cheaper. Those parking lots and side lots are now among the few large parcels left in built-up areas.
Jamaican churches face a similar situation in parts of Kingston, St Catherine and St James, where old church compounds sit among new apartment blocks. Before responding to a developer, congregations should have the land valued, decide how much of it they truly need, and consider whether a lease or joint venture would serve them better than a sale. Diaspora members in Florida who have seen these deals up close can be a useful source of advice.
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