The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), seeks to redevelop an approximately 1.45acre parcel located at 965 Florida Avenue, NW, in the Shaw/Cardozo neighborhood of Ward 1, designated as Lot 1102 in Square 2873. The Site is located near the southwestern edge of the Howard University campus, and currently serves as an unused parking lot, and contains one small abandoned building on its southwest corner. The RFP must be submitted by Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 3 PM. Any questions regarding the RFP should be directed to the Project Manager, Corey Lee at corey.lee@dc.gov. For more information, please visit the DMPED page.

Youth residing in HAND member properties are eligible for our Annual Children’s Art Contest with a chance to win a $250 cash prize! In addition, the winner’s Community Program will receive a cash prize of $250 for administering the contest and eight runners-up will each receive a $25 gift certificate. The contest is open to children who attend elementary school (ages 5-12). Artwork should reflect this year’s theme, “Homes Across the Region.” HAND members are working to transform communities throughout Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland, so we’re look forward to seeing your artwork representing your home, as well as the state or city where you live! Community Program staff should mail the top five (5) entries from each property to: Heather Raspberry, Executive Director, HAND, PO Box 48386, Washington, D.C. 20002. The deadline to submit an entry is March 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM. Late entries will not be accepted. Download the Annual Children’s Art Contest and guidelines here.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has released “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice 2006-2011,”a report that examines some of the obstacles encountered by the District of Columbia in order to comply with federal laws prohibiting discriminatory practices in housing. As a recipient of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the District of Columbia must identify and analyze the barriers to fair housing choice and devise solutions. Follow this link for more information on the report.

The City of Alexandria has released its draft Housing Master Plan for public review and comment. The Housing Master Plan is intended to guide future preservation and enhancement of affordable housing opportunities, community diversity, and economic sustainability in Alexandria. In developing the Plan, the City held a series of 15 public meetings; a bus tour of the City’s affordable housing stock; and an allocation exercise that gave residents and other stakeholders the opportunity to consider future housing needs and locations. The draft Plan is available at alexandriava.gov/HousingPlan  . Persons wishing to ask questions or provide comment on the draft Plan are encouraged to attend one of two town hall meetings planned for late January in the east and west ends of the City. These meetings are scheduled for January 24 at Samuel Tucker Elementary School (435 Ferdinand Day Drive), and February 11 at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School, (1501 Cameron Street). Both meetings will be held from 7 to 9 p.m.