From Grammy-winning gospel to community transformation, Bishop Walker’s $80M project marks a new chapter in ministry
Brooklyn, NY
Gospel legend and pastor Bishop Hezekiah Walker has reached a major milestone in his ministry beyond music with the opening of HezHouse Apartments, a 10-story, $80 million affordable housing development in East New York, Brooklyn.
Residents began moving in this spring, and the project is now complete, with 236 families set to call the building home. Walker shared the news with gratitude, saying, “Thank you Lord for your favor.”
A Vision Six Years in the Making
HezHouse Apartments sits on the border of East New York and Brownsville at 2435 Pacific Street. The development includes studios, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units designed to serve low-income residents who have struggled to find stable housing in New York City.
What sets the project apart is its focus on supportive housing. Of the 236 units, 142 are dedicated to individuals and families dealing with serious mental disorders or substance use disorders, with 93 of those designated as affordable.
The project broke ground in early 2024, but the vision goes back over a decade. In 2011, Walker and Love Fellowship Tabernacle planned to build a 2,000-seat church on the property. After prayer, Walker said God told him, “Don’t build a church”. Instead, he pursued affordable housing.
Ministry Beyond the Pulpit
For Walker, HezHouse is about legacy and tangible impact.
“I really want to leave a legacy above and beyond music,” Walker said. “I want to be able to say to people and show people that Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir was not just out here singing for money and popularity, we were singing to invest in our community.”
The development was made possible through partnerships with Love Fellowship Tabernacle, the Hezekiah Walker Community Development Corporation, Brooklyn Community Housing & Services, TT Development Group, and Alembic Community Development. Walker retained ownership of the land through a 99-year lease, ensuring the community retains long-term benefit.
Plans for the commercial space are still in development, with Walker leaning toward creating an adult daycare for seniors.
A Shift in Church and Community
Walker sees the project as a call for the church to evolve.
“We talk about community, but we don’t do community,” he said. “The church must evolve. We can no longer sit.”
HezHouse represents a shift from traditional church expansion to direct community investment. As Walker put it, “What better way to be the hands and feet of Jesus than to help ensure our neighbors have an affordable, safe and comfortable environment that they can call home”.
The grand opening celebration is set for August 1, 2026. For Bishop Walker, it’s proof that ministry can look like housing, hope, and a place to call home.
Proclaim Media Blog covers stories of faith in action across music, ministry, and community impact.
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