Residents at Jenkintown town-hall say they were not adequately notified and fear displacement; church, manager and board promise follow-up

At a public town-hall about a possible project involving Salem Baptist Church’s property, several residents said they learned of the meeting only by email and described weeks of anxiety about whether their homes might be sold. "Your home might be getting sold. We have an entire weekend after the holiday of freaking out and trying to figure out, are we about to lose our home?" Brandy Ware, a resident, said.

Pastor Mitchell and school leaders responded that no sale or transaction has taken place and that the session was the first public conversation. "This is literally the first conversation that has happened relative to the future of the sale," Pastor Mitchell said, and he repeatedly pledged that the church would prioritize current residents in any scenario the congregation considers.

Residents pressed for concrete protections. Nicole Miller, a high-school counselor and parent, asked what "grandfathered in" would mean for students and what transportation arrangements would be provided; the board and pastor said specific terms were not yet defined. "Grandfathered in until they graduate? What does transportation look like?" Miller asked. Officials said details such as length of grandfathering and transportation logistics remain to be worked out.

Keisha Murrick, introduced as the regional property supervisor for management company Human Good, said she received the same notice residents did and offered to be a liaison: "I will keep everyone abreast. I will have meetings with you guys." The church also pledged to meet directly with tenants to explain options and next steps.

Other commenters warned about tax and affordability impacts. A longtime resident said they could not afford any more taxes and feared being taxed out of their home; another neighbor asked how field relocation and grading would affect backyards. Church and district leaders said those details will require engineers and architects and reiterated that funding will determine scope.

The meeting closed with the district saying it will hold another engagement in late February or early March and will circulate a survey to gather broader community input. Officials asked residents to sign contact sheets and to mark an asterisk if they needed follow-up, and they committed to personal outreach to those whose questions were not answered during the two-minute public-comment slots.

What’s next: Church and district leaders pledged direct meetings with tenants and additional public sessions; specific relocation protections, the duration of any grandfathering and transportation arrangements were "not specified" at the meeting.