Housing project illustrates separation of church, state

Monday, Nov. 4, 2002 | 10:57 a.m.

The Salvation Army Silvercrest low-income senior housing project, which opened last week, illustrates well what Thomas Jefferson called "the wall of separation" between church and state.

Officials of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department required the church-based organization to build a physical barrier between the 60-unit complex, funded by $4.2 million in federal taxpayer dollars, and the existing Salvation Army church on the adjacent property.

"At first they wanted us to build a stone wall, but after 18 months of negotiations they allowed us to put in a hedge," said Charles Desiderio, spokesman for the Salvation Army, which pumped $622,000 into the project.

"We understand it was just government being government by enforcing its regulations, but it really stretched the separation of church and state issue and cost us $200,000 out of our pocket in construction delays. We want the residents to have easier access to our church and its programs."

The project symbolizes the nationwide struggle by religious nonprofit groups to gain equal footing with secular nonprofits in the battle for federal dollars through President Bush's faith-based initiatives.

The Salvation Army, which on Friday dedicated the housing project at 2828 Cheyenne Ave., says the initiatives would remove some regulatory hurdles for its future community construction ventures.

"There is no such thing as separation of church and state -- it's not in the Constitution," Desiderio said. " 'In God We Trust' is printed on our money," and every president who was sworn into office did so with his hand on the Bible, he noted.

"As long as we do not discriminate against anyone as residents in our projects -- and we don't -- we should not have obstacles that do not exist for secular nonprofit organizations," he said.

Alan Lichtenstein, an attorney for the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said that while the Constitution does not require separation of church and state, the Supreme Court has upheld it on many occasions.

"The issue is that federal taxpayer money not be used for religious purposes and not be used to discriminate against others," Lichtenstein said.

"The proposed faith-based initiatives would cause a blurring of these lines. Concerns are that federal money would bleed into religious activity and that money available for housing could be used for things like Bible-reading class. That is not what most Americans want, and it certainly is not constitutional."

Desiderio says it never has been the Salvation Army's plan to do anything with Silvercrest but create low-income housing in a community where it is badly needed. He says the Salvation Army has proven its intentions with the other 36 Silvercrest complexes it has built in the Western states.

In fact, the Salvation Army formed Silvercrest as a secular nonprofit group to qualify for HUD money -- an expensive step the secular nonprofits do not have to take, and one that would be omitted under the faith-based initiatives.

The local project took eight years from drawing board to fruition, the last three years in the construction phase, which was delayed by the wall issue and by other issues with HUD, including whether there was a need for amenities such as covered parking. The Salvation Army said it convinced HUD that in the desert's constant 100-plus-degree summer weather, there was such a need.

Through most of the process, the Salvation Army had to deal with the regional HUD office in San Francisco. Since then, a Las Vegas regional office has opened, which Salvation Army officials say has sped up the later stages of the project.

HUD officials did not return repeated calls this week about the project.

Volunteers of America of Alexandria, Va., a spiritual nonprofit organization, used HUD money to build two Southern Nevada senior low-income housing complexes featuring 135 units and did not face the same federal scrutiny as the Salvation Army, spokesman Carl Ericson, said.

"Our operational processes are a little different than those of the Salvation Army," Ericson said, noting that his organization does not build houses of worship and thus can tap a range of funding sources.

"HUD just awarded its new federal grants and we received $32.7 million. We also received a $700,000 faith-based initiative grant. We will use that grant money to train organizations, including religious nonprofit groups, in management (of projects) and how to apply for grants."

Ericson, whose organization operates the Desert Oasis Apartments for seniors near Bonanza Avenue and Pecos Road in Las Vegas and another senior complex in Boulder City, said that his organization is concerned that church and state remain separate when it comes to federally funded housing projects.

"We support the bipartisan Senate compromise bill (on faith-based initiatives) because that will maintain certain standards that will help religious nonprofits obtain government money to build housing but also assure that the federal money does not support religious activities," he said.

Ericson says religious organizations can use their own privately raised funds to offer various religious programs "to enhance the lives" of seniors who live in the apartments that are built with federal funds.

The Silvercrest units are available to those age 62 and older who qualify under low-income guidelines. Applications are available through the Salvation Army by calling 870-4430.

Those who qualify will get a furnished, 575-square-foot one-room apartment with an electronic emergency services request button, ceiling fans, blinds, Internet hookup and other amenities. Rent will be based on monthly income.