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History
DCHA was awarded a $29.9 million HOPE VI grant in 1999 for the revitalization of Frederick Douglass and Stanton Dwellings,
two public housing developments with a combined 650 units, located on parcels across the street from one another, in the heart of Anacostia and Congress Heights, East of the Anacostia River.
Built as temporary housing for World War II workers, Frederick Douglass had been deemed uninhabitable in 1998 and left vacant. Stanton Dwellings, with its poor site design and history of neglect, offered substandard housing in a community that ranked among the lowest in the District on economic indicators such as income and home ownership.
The site is located on land previously owned by
Tobias Henson, a former slave, who, after purchasing his freedom and that of his family, purchased and developed a 24-acre tract called The Ridge. After making additional land purchases, Mr. Henson became the principal landholder in the community. Henson Ridge is named in his honor.
The Development partners include Frederick Douglass and Stanton Community Redevelopment, LLC, a joint venture of Mid City Urban and the Integral Group, The resident owned and operated CDC, Just You Wait N See, the District of Columbia Government’s Department of Housing and Community Development and Department of Public Works, the D.C. Housing Finance Agency and HUD. The $29.9 million HOPE VI grant was leveraged to provide a total of $100 million in development funding.
Project Summary
The redevelopment plan calls for the a new, 600-unit community with all new infrastructure (streets, sidewalks and alleys), a new community center, new parks and open spaces as well as significant investment in neighborhood schools, including the building of a new elementary school. The development includes 320 home ownership units targeted to households with a range of incomes. The 280 rental homes will serve a mix of public housing and moderate-income families. The housing mix includes 42 senior bungalows, 28 stacked-flat apartments and 530 townhouses.
Project Highlights
Home Ownership
The 320 units set aside for home ownership address a substantial lack of affordable home ownership opportunities in the neighborhood and will serve as a stabilizing force for the community once redevelopment is complete, representing the largest HOPE VI-related home ownership program in the country.
Seventy units are reserved for returning public housing residents, who will be provided with support throughout the transition to home ownership, 140 units are targeted at moderate income families earning $20,000 to $35,000, and 110 are market-rate units targeted for families earning $35,000 to $75,000. All of the 280 rental units will be affordable with a mix of incomes.
Just You Wait N' See Community Development Corporation:
The resident leadership of the Frederick Douglass and Stanton Dwellings developments formed this non-profit corporation to maximize resident input into the Hope VI project planning process and to maximize economic and social opportunities for the residents of the new community. The organization has been successful in starting a home ownership program, creating an employment agency, pursuing Section 3 opportunities and starting a resident owned and operated Deconstruction Company which employs residents. The group has formed a new joint venture called Henson Ridge Associates with private sector partners who will jointly operate the entire community services and self-sufficiency programs.
Redevelopment of Neighborhood Schools and Recreation Facilities
Turner Elementary School, located adjacent to Henson Ridge, is scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt in 2003, providing a state-of-the-art elementary school for the Henson Ridge community. The Frederick Douglass Recreation Center, also adjacent to the site, is slated for redevelopment by 2003. The new facility will provide comprehensive indoor and outdoor recreational programs for the entire family as well as multi-purpose space for community meetings and public events.
Community Facilities
The project includes plans for housing community programs such as day care and a computer learning center.
Early Childhood Development Centers
The late Katherine Graham, Chair and CFO of the Washington Post Newspaper, along with Terry Golden, Chairman of Bailey Capitol Corporation, spearheaded the creation of two early childhood development centers serving the Henson Ridge community by providing programs to assist parents in becoming more involved in the education of their children. The centers include a day care facility and a head start program. Ms. Graham’s and Mr. Golden’s initiatives helped form the foundation for DCHA’s HOPE VI plan for Henson Ridge.
Economic Development Activity
The plan for Henson Ridge includes a commitment for nearly 800 jobs for residents who complete the requisite job training. An Adult Training Center will provide education, job training, entrepreneurship and mentoring programs, a state of the art computer learning center and self-sufficiency programs.