It’s not a stretch to say some people have been praying for affordable housing in Montgomery County, Maryland. Now those prayers may be answered.

A proposed zoning change plan called Facilitating Affordable Inclusive Transformational Housing, or FAITH, involves local faith congregations.

Montgomery County Council Vice President Kate Stewart said the idea is part of a national movement called “God in my backyard.” The zoning plan will “make it easier for houses of worship to use property that they have now to build affordable housing,” Stewart said.

The idea aligns with the mission of some local faith communities, Stewart said, and for others it’s an opportunity to “supplement their income, since they have lost membership over the years.”

Stewart said there’s an affordable housing crisis in Montgomery County, and this is part of a larger strategy to address the problem.

Under the zoning change, any proposed housing units would still need approval by the county. Stewart said the idea has wide support in the county council.

Final approval could come by late March 2024.