August 2017 DHCD Connection Newsletter

District of Columbia sent this bulletin at 08/16/2017 10:00 AM EDT

Department of Housing and Community Development Connection

Letter from the DHCD Director

Greetings Washingtonians,

I am pleased to announce that in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), DHCD successfully completed a work plan to improve the agency’s administration of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fund and its 2017 Timeliness Test.

When Mayor Bowser took office, she charged me with improving DHCD’s relationship with HUD as well as the administration of DHCD’s CDBG program. We put together a strong team led by Vonda Orders, chief program officer, and Lesley Edmond, housing compliance officer, who worked hard over the last two years to make significant progress toward spending, drawing down and committing CDBG funds in a timely manner to meet the CDBG timeliness test.

Since initiating its CDBG Workout Plan in November 2015 the District has drawn over $67.4 million in CDBG funds. These funds have been used to improve the lives of District residents in numerous ways including:

home purchase assistance to more than 225 first-time homebuyers in 2016;
sustainability improvements for public housing units in the District;
grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) that provided small business technical assistance to low-income entrepreneurs and artists, façade improvements along some of the District’s poorest commercial corridors, and homeownership and Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) counseling to low-income homeowners and tenants;
acquisition and disposition of vacant and blighted property;
investment through land subsidies and low-interest funding for affordable housing redevelopment; and
supporting sister agencies efforts such as alley cleaning (AlleyPooloza), improving streetscapes, and other small infrastructure projects across the city.

DHCD is leveraging its federal resources to ensure that our city has inclusive prosperity in all eight wards.

Polly Donaldson, DHCD Director

Follow me on Twitter @maryrandolph

Housing Spotlight

Phillip Brooks, vice president of Maycroft's tenants association, said at July 25 groundbreaking how he will be pleased to move into the "beautiful" building after renovations are complete.

Columbia Heights Groundbreaking Celebrates Housing Preserved, New Services Coming

It takes time for an affordable housing project to cross the finish line, but the hardest part might be getting the financing to start.

After years of securing several public and private financing sources, nonprofit developer Jubilee Housing and tenants of the Maycroft Apartments are ready to start the rehabilitation of their building that will help them preserve 64 units of affordable housing in Columbia Heights.

“This is my home,” said Philip Brooks, vice president of the tenant’s association, who opened the ceremony that featured dignitaries from the public, nonprofit and private sector. “I’m coming back here.”

The building, which was designated a historic site by the District’s Historic Preservation Review Board, will offer Brooks and other residents a range of services from early childhood education, a family resource center and food market once renovations are completed.

DHCD, which provided more than $11 million in gap financing for the project from local and federal resources, participated in the July 25 groundbreaking ceremony to start the rehabilitation project. “It’s not just about housing,” said DHCD Director Polly Donaldson. “It’s about community. It’s about services.”

New HPAP Limits Help First-Time Homebuyer

Jessica Franklin wanted more for her family and grew tired of renting. She joined a homebuyer’s club that set her on a path to become a first-time homeowner. Last month, she accomplished her goal.

Franklin, a Ward 8 resident who lived in the Bellevue neighborhood, bought a three bedroom, two and one-half bathroom townhome at the River East at Grandview Condominium development in the 1200 block of Talbert Street SE.

The homebuyer’s club helped her receive more than $81,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance through DHCD’s Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) .

In December 2016, Mayor Bowser announced enhancements to HPAP by increasing the maximum loan amount from $50,000 to $80,000.

TOPA + HPTF = Preserving Affordability

Tenants have two important tools that can help them preserve affordable housing: TOPA and the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF). Recently, three tenant groups were able to leverage their TOPA rights to secure more than $5.7 million in HPTF financing for acquisition and repairs:

Mi Casa Inc., a local nonprofit housing developer, secured $1.3 million in HPTF financing to help tenants with the acquisition and preservation of 10 affordable housing units at 53 Missouri Avenue NW.
Hampstead Kingston Partners L.P., a partnership between Hampstead Companies and Urban Matters Development Partners LLC, received $2.9 million in HPTF financing for the acquisition and preservation of the Kingston Apartments, a 23-unit apartment building at 614 Longfellow Street NW. (See the press release on Mi Casa and Hempstead.)
HOPE Cooperative Association received $1.5 million in HPTF financing for the acquisition and preservation of its 13-unit apartment building at 1445 Spring Road NW.

Small Business Booster

The Wacif tour ended at the Mess Hall, where three entrepreneurs are part of Wacif's Ascend Capital Accelerator, which is funded by DHCD

Wacif Tour Shows How DHCD Funding Helps Small Businesses

Did you know some local businesses may have gotten their start thanks to funding that DHCD provides to nonprofit organizations? One such entity, the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) held its annual Community Investment Tour on August 2 to showcase the entrepreneurs it has helped.

The tour began on the H Street NE corridor, where Wacif has partnered with DHCD and other District agencies to provide financial and professional resources to business owners, including Po Boy Jim at 709 H Street NE. The last stop highlighted DC’s burgeoning food economy. At Mess Hall, in the Edgewood neighborhood at 703 Edgewood Street NE, dozens of entrepreneurs make, bake, and brew some of the District’s newest sensations. Three of those entrepreneurs—Junius Cold Brew, ChefJess and TRUE Syrups & Garnishes—are part of Wacif's Ascend Capital Accelerator. In Ascend—an eight week pilot program funded by DHCD—24 entrepreneurs focus on building strong foundations of business knowledge and social capital to better position them for financial capital and growth.

We like attention! We kept waving our DHCD signs before the camera and had a steady stream of Congress Heights residents seeking information on DHCD resources during the Fox5 Zip Trip.

It Was Quite a Trip! DHCD Zipped with Fox 5 in Congress Heights

DHCD had a strong presence at one of the largest Zip Trips that Fox 5 News had this year, July 28 in Congress Heights (Ward 8). Every Friday during the summer, Fox 5 broadcasts Zip Trip live on its morning news show from different communities within the Washington, DC metropolitan area. A key feature of Zip Trip is providing exhibit space for nearby community organizations and businesses, so DHCD was able to share information on our resources with District residents. As a result, DHCD’s team of 10 staffers distributed over 100 bags with program material. Go here and view video clips like the Trivia Time and Taste of Congress Heights.

August 2017 Edition

We Are Hiring a Housing Preservation Officer

DHCD is hiring its first Preservation Officer in the District. The job is an outgrowth of six recommendations from the Housing Preservation Strike Force. Applications are now being accepted.

New Report Charts
IZ's Growth

The growth of the Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) program and its importance in producing more affordable housing is documented in our new Fiscal Year 2016 report. Among the report's findings: a 54 percent increase in the number of IZ units produced in FY 2016 over FY 2015. Also, over 1,000 units have been created since the program's inception. To learn more about IZ, contact the IZ Office at (202) 442-7221 or iz.adu@dc.gov.

Hooray for HPAP and EAHP! Almost $2M Loaned to 37 Households in July

Our Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) and Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) have helped thousands of residents become first-time homeowners. Recent enhancements to HPAP give residents even more purchasing power and there's beefed up EAHP funding in Mayor Bowser's Fiscal Year 2018 budget. Congratulations to the 37 households that received over $1.9 million in down payment and closing cost assistance in July.

Your Income May Qualify You for DHCD Programs

To qualify for DHCD affordable housing programs, households need to meet income and other criteria. The updated income limits, as well as rent and purchase price limits, for programs like home purchase assistance and IZ were recently posted on our website. They are useful in determining your eligibility for DHCD programs.

Summer Break for HPTF Board

The Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) advisory board, chaired by Susanne Slater, DC Habitat for Humanity president/CEO, meets monthly to discuss the progress of the HPTF. Due to summer schedules, meetings will resume in September.

Our Video Story

Have you checked out our new video? It tells a great visual story of how we are helping District residents by producing and preserving affordable housing, and revitalizing neighborhoods, in the District.

Other News of Note

Helping Youth Interns Learn Valuable Career Skills

DHCD recently hosted five youth interns for six weeks as part of the District’s Marion Barry Summer Youth Program (SYEP), a locally funded initiative administered by the Department of Employment Services (DOES).

SYEP provides District youth with enriching and constructive summer work experiences through subsidized placements in the private and government sectors. Our five students were: (1) Giavanna Turner, studying neuroscience at Temple University; (2) Denzel Mackall, who is pursuing career in theater and acting; (3) Tiree Harris, studying computer science at Catawba College; (4) Kirk Brooks studying business management at Virginia State; and (5) Charleah Collington, studying English and psychology at Voorhees College. They were assigned to various DHCD divisions and participated in activities to help develop career skills, such as mock interviews, teambuilding and financial management instruction. They also went on field trips to affordable housing projects and DHCD-funded programs. On their last day, the students said goodbye in a creative skit and were celebrated by DHCD employees during an ice cream social.

“By far, this was one of the best groups we have had to date,” said Angela Nottingham, DHCD’s training and development manager. "We wish them well and know they will be successful in their future endeavors.”

(In photo, interns and DHCD Deputy Director Allison Ladd (right) meet with Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner (third from right).)

Sharing with Real Estate Developers How We Finance Housing Projects

DHCD recently met with two real estate developer groups to increase their awareness of our funding sources. On August 1, DHCD attended "2017 Access to Capital Symposium: Investing in DC" hosted by the African American Real Estate Professionals of DC (AAREP). After Director Donaldson welcomed attendees, Chris Dickersin-Prokopp and Karanja Slaughter provided an overview of our affordable development financing and property acquisition and disposition programs. On August 8, Donaldson met with real estate professional “masterminds,” a group of senior level real estate brokers and developers. She explained how the District is investing more per capita than any other city, thanks to Mayor Bowser’s $100 commitment to the HPTF and how DHCD is exceeding its goal of getting projects out the door. IZ and TOPA were also of high interest to the group.

Giving MOCRS and MORA More Info on DHCD Programs

The team at the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) are key “foot soldiers” of the District government. They are heavily involved in keeping residents in the know about agency services. In our desire to help the MOCRS serve residents, we held a half-day training on our programs. Rev. Thomas Bowen, director of the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs, also participated. Special thanks to DHCD Chief of Staff Latrena M. Owens for coordinating the MOCR training activity.

Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Events

Make sure you sign up for DHCD event alerts to register for these upcoming workshops: Except for #4, they all will take place between 12 noon and 2 pm. Schedules are subject to change. You also can contact dhcd.events@dc.gov to sign up.

Sept. 12: Quarterly Tenant Stakeholder Meeting
Sept. 14: Quarterly Housing Provider Stakeholder Meeting
Sept. 20: IZ and ADU 101 for Property Managers and Sales Agents
Sept. 21: Rent Adjustments
Sept. 27: Nuts & Bolts of Residential Condominium Registration
TBD: Rent Control Overview
TBD: Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act for Tenants

Here Are the Latest Affordable Housing Stats

The Bowser administration is producing and preserving more affordable housing than ever before in the District's history. See the latest statistics from the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development's dashboard (see graphic), as well as a pipeline report of DHCD-specific projects.