Court Rejects Establishment Clause Challenge To Housing Financing

In Glassman v. Arlington County, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35745 (ED VA, April 12, 2010), a Virginia federal district court rejected an Establishment Clause challenge to county financing arrangements with the First Baptist Church of Clarendon (FBCC) for construction of an affordable housing complex. Plaintiff had alleged, among other claims, that FBCC had been overpaid for property it sold as part of the development plan, and that the housing units would have a "religious overtone" because they would be on church land and would share a lobby and entrance with the church itself. (See prior related posting.)