New Birth Missionary Baptist Church launches Black Ground with 304-unit housing project

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church launched Black Ground on June 23, 2026, with a groundbreaking for New Birth Village, a 304-unit mixed housing development on church-owned land in DeKalb County, Georgia. Church leaders say the project is the first major investment in a six-pillar economic empowerment plan aimed at homeownership, financial stability, and generational wealth.

Why it matters: - New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is turning a faith-based economic vision into a real estate project that could expand access to affordable housing in metro Atlanta. - The New Birth Village development is the first major investment under Black Ground, the church’s broader push for ownership, opportunity, and economic freedom. - Church leaders framed the project as a step toward converting symbolic freedom into housing, stability, and long-term wealth-building.

What happened: - New Birth Missionary Baptist Church launched Black Ground and broke ground on New Birth Village on June 23, 2026, during Juneteenth weekend. - The groundbreaking and blessing ceremony took place in Stonecrest, Georgia, on approximately 33.1 acres of church-owned land in DeKalb County. - New Birth Village will include 304 mixed housing units. - The ceremony included elected officials, faith leaders, banking partners, developers, community residents, and media. - A procession moved from the church sanctuary to the site, led by Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal H. Bryant, Dr. Karri Bryant, and the New Birth Board of Directors. - The event included a live African drum line and the church choir staged at the site.

The details: - New Birth says more than 3,000 people have already expressed interest in buying homes before construction begins. - Techie Homes, a Black-owned Atlanta-based company, will build the homes. - Dr. Leighton Hull oversees the project as Real Estate Committee Chair. - Dr. Michael V. Roberts serves as Chair of the New Birth Community Development Corporation Board. - Vanessa Williams Nash of The Williams Nash Agency is the Owner’s Representative and Lead Development Consultant. - Booker Washington is listed for construction under Techie Homes. - Black Ground includes five pillars: affordable housing, financial literacy, education, food security, and voting rights. - The initiative is designed to advance ownership, opportunity, and economic freedom. - New Birth Village is described as the first pillar of a six-pillar Black economic freedom platform. - The church identified itself as a leading faith-based institution focused on spiritual transformation and community empowerment. - The church website listed for the project is New Birth Village. - More information about Black Ground is available at the Black Ground event page.

Between the lines: - The project blends housing development with economic and civic goals, signaling that the church wants real estate to serve as a platform for broader community power. - The Juneteenth timing gives the launch added symbolic weight, tying the housing effort to themes of freedom, resilience, and Black self-determination. - The early interest figure suggests demand may already be present before construction starts, which could help momentum but does not guarantee delivery.

What's next: - New Birth Village will move from groundbreaking into construction under Techie Homes. - Church leaders are positioning Black Ground as a multi-pillar platform, suggesting additional initiatives beyond housing could follow. - The project team will continue under the oversight of the church leadership and development partners named at the ceremony.

The bottom line: - New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is using a 304-unit housing project to launch a wider economic freedom agenda, with homeownership and wealth-building at the center.