Venable of counsel Sue Golden was quoted in a February 15, 2013 Law360 article on church-to-condo challenges in New York City. In an effort to solve funding problems, several churches and synagogues across the city have proposed income producing rental units on their property. While some have been successful, there deals are complex and require the approval of the city and the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).
Aside from the difficulties posed by the city and the LPC, Golden noted the internal procedures of each religion, saying, “Every religion seems to have its own approval process [for altering its property], depending on its particular structure.” According to Golden, another complex area to navigate involves property taxes which churches are exempt from but residential properties are not. “Churches are typically a permitted use in residential districts, but churches can be built anywhere, so the fact that there is a church there doesn't necessarily mean that residential use is permitted,” added Golden.
Aside from the difficulties posed by the city and the LPC, Golden noted the internal procedures of each religion, saying, “Every religion seems to have its own approval process [for altering its property], depending on its particular structure.” According to Golden, another complex area to navigate involves property taxes which churches are exempt from but residential properties are not. “Churches are typically a permitted use in residential districts, but churches can be built anywhere, so the fact that there is a church there doesn't necessarily mean that residential use is permitted,” added Golden.