Why this Forum?

Available housing today is far outpaced by demand, driving rents and mortgages through the roof.

What can be done? According to Chuck Mahron in his book Escaping the Housing Trap, the answer is manifold. There’s more than just one way to escape.

Chad will describe one way: Building more units to take pressure off the market and to move our most vulnerable neighbors into safe, affordable shelters, homes they can call their own.

Seating is Limited

$15.00 in advance | $20.00 at Door

Row House Members Plus One Free with Reservation

About Chad + Chestnut Housing

Chad brings nearly 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to his role as the first Executive Director of Chestnut Housing. In addition to executive leadership roles and board service for a variety of organizations, he has been a pastor, an art teacher, and the director of a multi-million dollar grant program to support the preservation of historic church buildings.

Chad lives just outside the city on a six acre farm with his wife Jess and their two kids.

Over ten years ago, some friends at East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church wondered, “Should we just buy a house?” They had been serving neighbors in the city of Lancaster for years, and this step seemed big. It also seemed like a start at creating housing access for folks who struggled to get a leg up.

Today, Chestnut Housing is a non-profit with a vision to create 100 homes (mostly high quality rental units) by 2028. They’re on target, and Chad will give us the latest stats.

For instance in 2022 they raised over $400,000 and an additional $1.1 million in public funding committed to their Milburn Apartments project.

More importantly, Chad will bring us stories of God’s image bearers who are no longer daily threatened by homelessness. They are experiencing the safety and peace we all wish for our own households.