Churches want to build affordable housing. Why are cities stopping them?

Churches, synagogues, and mosques own millions of acres of land across the US, but are usually barred from building any housing on their property. Over the last few years, that’s started to change, and on Friday, congressional lawmakers are introducing a bill to exempt houses of worship from restrictive local zoning laws so they can build affordable homes.

The bipartisan Faith in Housing Act would override local housing rules, relying on Congress’s authority over interstate commerce and a federal statute that prevents local governments from unfairly limiting how religious groups can use their land. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Chuck Edwards (R-NC), would require any new housing built to serve low-income families on average, though individual units could be priced f