Join the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance on September 17 to honor the 2020 Regional Housing Leaders and celebrate its 15th Anniversary! Working at the intersection of housing policy, advocacy and systems change over 15 years, NVAHA is the regional voice for housing in NoVA. Join housing colleagues, our sponsors, friends and honorees from across the region for this event that celebrates leadership, and the impact of partnerships and regionalism for more just, equitable communities.

Register here for this free, online event.

Public Allies is a social justice organization committed to changing the face and practice of leadership by recruiting and training talented young leaders, with a passion for social impact, to create meaningful change in our community. Allies are diverse, equity-centered, innovative problem solvers, dedicated to mobilizing community assets to develop solutions to local challenges. In partnership with nonprofit partners, the organization delivers its nationally recognized, values-driven, results-led apprenticeship to advance our mission to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. Public Allies Washington, D.C. is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. 

What do Allies Do?
Allies work on capacity-building projects that are likely to have an impact beyond their terms. This can include but is not limited to: recruiting volunteers, building partnerships, expanding outreach, and launching new programs.

What do Allies Learn?
The leadership development program challenges and supports Allies to become leaders who connect across social boundaries, facilitate collaborative action, recognize and mobilize community assets, commit to continuous learning and self development, and are accountable for creating impact. Allies gain a deep knowledge of their community and important skills from local community leaders, practitioners, educators, and residents. They also learn from the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of their fellow Allies.

For more details, check out these FAQs or visit the website.

Calling all DC Property Owners & Managers! Under the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018, your property will be required to obtain third-party verification every 3 years for benchmarking data submitted to the District Department of Energy Environment (DOEE). Given this is a new requirement, DOEE is partnering with the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) to offer a one-time no-cost data verification for your 2019 benchmarking data.

With the upcoming Building Energy Performance Standards, having accurate and verified benchmarking data is crucial, as this data will be used to set the performance standard that this property will be required to meet starting in 2021. In future years, data verification will need to be conducted by a third-party licensed professional, so we highly recommend taking advantage of this no-cost offering.

If you are interested in having your 2019 benchmarking data verified by DOEE or the DCSEU for free, please fill out this interest form. In the interim, you can start gathering information that you will need in order to have your benchmarking data verified (i.e. 2019 utility bills and property use details) and start submitting an application here. 

If you have any additional questions about this new requirement or this no-cost offering, please email DOEE directly at info.benchmark@dc.gov.

Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is pleased to announce that the District of Columbia Preservation Fund awarded LIIF $3 million. LIIF will leverage this grant with LIIF capital to provide flexible, low-cost financing for the preservation of affordable housing in D.C. for low income families, who are at risk of displacement as rising rents push out longtime tenants. This financing will not just preserve homes, it will also improve property conditions and guarantee long-term affordability.

The Fund provides quick access to short-term bridge, acquisition, and pre-development financing for eligible for-profit and nonprofit borrowers to purchase and rehabilitate occupied buildings with more than five units. At least 50 percent of units must be currently affordable to households earning up to 80 percent of the median family income. The Affordable Housing Preservation Fund activities are being funded in partnership with the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

“Access to DC Preservation Fund financing will allow LIIF to help developers acquire more properties, guaranteeing long-term access to affordable housing, improved property management, and better housing conditions.” says Holly Denniston-Chase, Deputy Director, Mid-Atlantic Region. “LIIF recognizes the important investment the District of Columbia, and especially the DHCD, is making by growing the District of Columbia Preservation Fund.”

Key loan features include:

• Loan sizes up to $5 million.
• Below-market interest rates.
• Up to 125% loan to value.
• Loan terms up to four years.
• Ongoing technical assistance, especially in conjunction with creating competitive supportive housing plan

For more information on financing for housing preservation, contact Holly Denniston-Chase, LIIF’s Deputy Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, hchase@liifund.org or 202.677.4286. You can also view more details here.