HAND Members, Partners Deliver Two 100% Affordable Housing Communities in Ward 7
On August 28, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray, and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) broke ground on two 100% affordable housing communities, Providence Place and the Strand Residences, which will deliver 179 affordable units in the Deanwood neighborhood of Ward 7 through the New Communities Initiative (NCI).
“After years of delays on these projects, Mayor Bowser charged us with making sure that we delivered for the residents of Ward 7, ” said Interim Deputy Mayor Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio. “Thanks to the commitment and hard work of District agencies, the community and our development partners, we are realizing the future for this historic Deanwood community.”
Providence Place is a 93-unit community with a mix of family-size apartments located at 601 50thStreet, NE on the campus of the historic Progressive National Baptist Convention headquarters. The Strand Residences, located at 5119 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE, next to the historic local landmark, the Strand Theater, will include 86 one- and two-bedroom affordable apartments and first floor retail space for a neighborhood non-profit and a community-based retailer.
Both properties include units prioritized for residents from Lincoln Heights and Richardson Dwellings – 35 units at Providence Place and 28 at the Strand Residences reserved for households at less than 30% median family income (MFI), or approximately $35,150 for a family of four. The remaining units at both properties, 116 units total, will be made available to other households earning up to 60% MFI, or approximately $70,320 for a family of four.
Providence Place and Strand Residences were made possible through a collaboration of District government agencies including DMPED, the DC Housing Finance Agency, and the DC Housing Authority. Development partners for Providence Place include Urban Matters and Atlantic|Pacific Communities with the Progressive National Baptist Convention. Developers for the Strand Residences are NHP Foundation, The Warrenton Group, and the Washington Metropolitan CDC. Congratulations to all involved!
District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency Issuer Credit Rating Raised To ‘A+’
The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency’s (DCHFA) issuer credit rating was raised to “A+” with a “stable” outlook, according to Standard and Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings.
“The stable outlook reflects our view of a combination of DCHFA’s high profitability and equity ratios relative to those of peers, and its relatively new but experienced management and strategic initiatives,” wrote Aulii T. Limtiaco, S&P Credit Analyst.
Under the leadership of Todd A. Lee since 2016, DCHFA has undergone several changes to include the launch of new programs like the Housing Investment Platform (HIP), the DC Mortgage Assistance Program (DC MAP) and the Reverse Mortgage Insurance & Tax Payment Program (ReMIT), the addition of a Chief Operating Officer to the staff, and a rebranding among other innovations to improve the Agency’s day-to-day functions. Lee’s leadership, there has been over $1 billion invested in the creation and preservation of affordable multifamily rental and workforce housing units in addition to supporting homeownership all over the city.
DCHFA is celebrating its 40th year of service to District residents in 2019. The Agency aims to provide the most effective, innovative and efficient solutions to affordable housing in the District. The Agency aims to continue investing in affordable housing and neighborhood development as a way to provide pathways for D.C. residents to transform their lives for many years to come.
DC Housing Finance Agency Awarded NABJ Salute to Excellence Award
Yolanda McCutchen, Director of Public Relations for the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) and HAND member, received her first National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence Award earlier this month. At the NABJ Annual Convention , McCutchen was awarded the “Public Relations/Marketing Campaign- Government” award for DCHFA’s media campaign on the agency closing its first HUD Level I Risk Share Deal.
Woodmont Crossing, a 176-unit preservation project in Ward 8, was DCHFA’s first risk share deal after the agency because a HUD Risk Share Lender in 2017. McCutchen’s press outreach helped spread the word that DCHFA offers this loan product to affordable housing developers and showcased the only deal of its kind in the agency’s portfolio. Articles about the project appeared in The Washington Post, The Washington Informer, Multi Housing News, Commercial Real Estate Direct, MultifamilyBiz, and Real Estate Business Online.
DCHFA is a long term member of HAND and the agency’s Senior Vice President of Multifamily Lending & Neighborhood Investments Christopher Donald is a member of HAND’s Board of Directors. As one of the District’s leading financiers of affordable housing and only risk share lender, DCHFA’s mission is to advance the District of Columbia’s housing priorities by investing in affordable housing and neighborhood development, which provides pathways for D.C. residents to transform their lives. The agency accomplishes its mission by delivering the most efficient and effective sources of capital available in the market to finance rental housing and to create homeownership opportunities.
Save Money, Make Your Affordable Housing More Efficient with Help from the DC Sustainable Energy Utility
The DCSEU has no-cost technical assistance, financial incentives, and training opportunities available for DC affordable housing developers, building owners, and property managers:
- The DCSEU’s Income-Qualified Efficiency Fund recently opened its application process for FY 2020. If you own or operate a multifamily property, shelter, or clinic that serves low- to moderate-income District residents and are making upgrades to your building, find out more about financial incentives available from the DCSEU for your projects.
- The DCSEU has rebates available when you upgrade to more energy-efficient equipment in your building. Find out more about rebates available for lighting and HVAC equipment.
- DC-based Contractors and maintenance staff can join the DCSEU for a free class on Energy Efficiency Best Practices for Contractors on September 4th and 5th. The class will cover HVAC and lighting, focusing on critical topics such as heating, cooling, water heating, lighting fixtures, controls, and more. Contact the DCSEU at 202-479-2222 or incomequalified@dcseu.com to find out more and sign up.
For more information on how the DCSEU can help you, call 202-479-2222 or e-mail incomequalified@dcseu.com.
HAND Member, Partners Close on Largest Affordable Senior Housing Project in Prince George’s County
Congratulations are in order! HAND member UrbanMatters Development Partners, Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reid Temple CDC and Atlantic|Pacific Communities recently closed on the Woodlands at Reid Temple. As the largest affordable senior housing project in Prince George’s County, the community will host 252 units specifically for seniors. Congrats to all involved in this development!
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HAND | DC Comprehensive Plan
Photo credit: Ted Eytan, https://www.flickr.com/photos/taedc/47651052842/in/album-72157680084862758/
September 12, 2019
BACKGROUND
Updating the language in the existing Comprehensive Plan to support new housing and prevent displacement is critical if we are to create a city that provides enough housing for an inclusive District of Columbia. The 2006 Comprehensive Plan focused too much on preserving the status quo rather than planning for a growing population and the need for more housing that is affordable to middle and lower-income residents. Opponents of new housing have used the 2006 Comprehensive Plan to delay thousands of new homes, and hundreds of new affordable homes — increasing rather than reducing displacement of long-time residents.
That’s why we have partnered with other organizations to craft and submit numerous amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. 
On July 10, 2019, the DC Council took a preliminary vote on the Comprehensive Plan bill proposed by Chairman Phil Mendelson. The final votes are scheduled for September 17.
While the Chairman adopted a significant number of our amendments, and the Office of Planning’s amendments, the Chairman’s revised bill still needs to better address our city’s greatest needs.
- The bill should be more specific about how affordable housing and preventing displacement will be prioritized in the Planned Unit Development (PUD) approval process.
- One major amendment prioritizes making “physical and visual character” more important than any of our other values like preventing displacement and building more affordable housing. This language would have an exclusionary impact, and must be amended.
Take Action
We are joining with our allies in the Housing Priorities Coalition and asking the DC Council to adopt two amendments to the Comprehensive Plan Bill, B23-1:
Amendment 1: Proposed by Councilmember Nadeau, add to the end of 224.9 that the following should be considered as high-priority public benefits in the evaluation of residential Planned Unit Developments:
- The production of new affordable housing units above and beyond existing legal requirements, and/or a net increase in the number of affordable units that exist on-site,
- The preservation of housing units made affordable through subsidy, covenant, or rent control, or replacement of such units at the same affordability level and a similar household size,
- The minimizing of unnecessary off-site relocation through the construction of new units before the demolition of existing occupied units, and
- The right of existing residents of a redevelopment site to return to new on-site units at affordability levels similar to or greater than existing units.
Amendment 2: To section 227.2, remove this section entirely or replace it with the following amendment proposed by DC Office of Planning:
227.2. Each land use category identifies representative zoning districts and states that other zoning districts may apply. A zoning district may be appropriate to be mapped, either through the Planned Unit Development or zoning map amendment process, if it is not inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, including the Future Land Use and Generalized Policy maps, the text of the Plan and the intent of the land use category. Under Zoning Regulations, a proposed Planned Unit Development should not “result in unacceptable project impacts on the surrounding area.”
This removes or replaces current language:
227.2. Each land use category identifies representative zoning districts and states that other zoning districts may apply. The Zoning Commission, in selecting a zone district, such as through a Planned Unit Development or Zoning Map Amendment, shall determine if it:
* Is not inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan;
* Meets the intent of the Future Land Use Map land use category;
* Is generally compatible with the character and scale of the Future Land Use Map land use category when considering the site in total; and
* Is generally compatible with the physical and visual character of the surrounding neighborhood.
Email communications@handhousing.org by 9:00am Monday September 16th, with your name or organization if you would like to sign the letter below:
| Dear Councilmembers:
As a “change” association working across the private, public and nonprofit sectors, the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) is committed to leveraging the power of our diverse collective comprised of nonprofit and for-profit developers, property managers, service providers, financial institutions, government agencies, architects, syndicators, law firms, foundations, universities, and others, to address our region’s affordable housing challenges and ensure that all have an opportunity to thrive. However, we know all too well that the housing affordability crisis is growing and we are NOT doing enough to ensure that people of all incomes can thrive in our jurisdictions. This is why we are writing to support two important amendments to the DC Comprehensive Plan bill (B23-1). Our largest challenge is ensuring housing affordability for residents at all income levels, but the last update to the Comprehensive Plan in 2006 did not properly plan for a growing population and the need for more affordable housing. Further, opponents of new housing have used the 2006 Comprehensive Plan to stall the development of thousands of new homes, and hundreds of new affordable homes — increasing rather than reducing displacement of long-time residents. While we’ve made much progress in the draft update to the Comprehensive Plan, we need more clarity to ensure we are prioritizing affordable housing. We must also amend a provision added in July that would freeze the status quo, prioritizing “physical and visual character” over more homes and more affordable homes when Planned Unit Developments are being considered. This text is all too similar to exclusionary language that has historically perpetuated housing segregation. To make these adjustments, we stand with the Housing Priorities Coalition in asking the Council to adopt two amendments to the Comprehensive Plan Framework Element bill, B23-1: Amendment 1: To Section 224.9 proposed by Councilmember Nadeau, add to the end of 224.9 that the following should be considered as high-priority public benefits in the evaluation of residential Planned Unit Developments:
Amendment 2: To section 227.2, remove or replace with the following amendment proposed by DC Office of Planning: 227.2. Each land use category identifies representative zoning districts and states that other zoning districts may apply. A zoning district may be appropriate to be mapped, either through the Planned Unit Development or zoning map amendment process, if it is not inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, including the Future Land Use and Generalized Policy maps, the text of the Plan and the intent of the land use category. Under Zoning Regulations, a proposed Planned Unit Development should not “result in unacceptable project impacts on the surrounding area.” Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to your leadership on this issue. Sincerely,
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