SAVANNAH, Ga. () — First Bryan Baptist Church has been at the heart of Yamacraw Village for generations, but residents and church leaders now face uncertainty as demolition plans move forward.

“I was amazed when I came here to find out how many members were actually born here, raised in Yamacraw, and watched the development from, you know, a pretty nice neighborhood to where we are now,” said Rev. Christopher Pittman, pastor of First Bryan Baptist Church.

With demolition on the table, Pittman says residents are worried about what may happen next.

“Their main worry is ending up homeless because if you don’t have the same type of housing, this is low-income housing, then relocation for people that were already in low-income housing would be quite difficult,” Pittman said.

The Housing Authority of Savannah (HAS) says those concerns are what its relocation plan is designed to address. Each family will be offered moving assistance, a relocation coordinator, and priority to return once new units are built.

HAS says it has revised its plan to prioritize the elderly and disabled, extend voucher timelines, and build as many subsidized units on site as are currently occupied.

But Pittman says the church itself could be at risk from demolition vibrations, and he worries that history may be lost in the process.

“We are actually developing a response to the 106-section portion of their demolition process because the church is built on stilts in a sense, not like wood stills, but wood and brick combined. And so, the vibrations of a demolition could be very detrimental to the church,” Pittman said.

HAS’s application is still under federal review. Pittman said the church will continue serving the community even amid changes.

“We’re always going to be a church that serves the community, serves the poor, looks out for the elderly, and, you know, we provide even educational services. The difference is, is they can walk to the church, and they can, you know, come in the morning and get food and get diapers for their babies, get sanitary things for the household,” he said.

The Housing Authority says the relocation will be a smooth transition. For now, residents and church leaders say the future of Yamacraw and its history remains uncertain.