Ward 4 town hall on affordable housing, Tuesday 2/28, 6:30 pm

The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development and the Transitional Housing Corporation are co-sponsoring a town hall on Tuesday evening to discuss ways to keep housing affordable in Ward 4.

When: Tuesday, February 28, 6:30-9:00 pm
Where: Christ Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 5101 16th Street NW (corner of 16th and Gallatin)

For further information contact Elizabeth Falcon, 202-745-0902 x205.

Vida Senior Residences opens at 1333 Missouri Avenue NW

A ribbon cutting was held yesterday at the new Vida Senior Residences in Brightwood. The building, located at 1333 Missouri Avenue NW, contains 36 units of affordable housing, with rents ranging from $286 to $851 a month, based on income. With the opening of its Brightwood location, Vida hopes to alleviate overcrowding at its original location at 1842 Calvert Street NW in Adams Morgan.

According to The Washington Post, 300 people have already applied for the 36 apartments. The building will be fully occupied within six months.

The state of Brightwood real estate - January 2012

Time to check in on the past month's home sales, properties under contract, and active properties on the market. Thanks to realtor Eric Brooks for compiling this information.


December Active properties on the market:
21 properties are for sale now (down from 32 in November)
Ranging from $84,999 to $549,900
Two of these are foreclosed homes and three are short sales

December Active


Properties that went under contract in December:
20 homes are currently under contract (the average property is the high $200K's)
These homes should settle over the next 30 days
Ranging from $52,000 to $785,000
Two of these were foreclosed homes and nine are short sales (up from five last month)

December Under Contract


Properties that were sold in December:
11 homes sold in the month of December
Ranging from $212,000 to $679,900
Nine sales from the past month were normal sales (two were REO's).

December Sold


Info provided by Eric Brooks, a Long and Foster Real Estate agent who works to deliver exceptional results for his clients in Brightwood and beyond.
Contact to set up an appointment at 301-986-6476 or
ewbrooks@gmail.com.

Developer Jair Lynch purchases three apartment complexes in Ward 4

Yesterday Jair Lynch announced that it has acquired three apartment complexes in Ward 4. They are Aspen Court, 105 homes at 6676 Georgia Ave., NW; Petworth Station, 78 homes at 930 Randolph St., NW; and Fort Stevens Hill, 59 homes at 1339 Ft. Stevens Dr. NW.

Jair Lynch issued a press release saying the acquisition will allow for the preservation of "affordable homes in neighborhoods that are experiencing an uptick in market rate developments and increasing property values but have a dearth of new construction starts for affordable housing. The company plans to make significant quality of life improvements to enhance each of the communities as part of its program to acquire, stabilize and improve dated tax credit financed properties.

"Throughout the acquisition process, JAIR LYNCH worked diligently with each of the five communities’ individual tenant associations and their respective attorneys as part of the District’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (“TOPA”).

"JAIR LYNCH Development Partners is investing in this portfolio (“Regenesis Portfolio”) through a joint venture with MacFarlane Partners, a real estate investment management firm that specializes in properties that promote place making through smart growth, urban revitalization and sustainability."

LEDC presents gentrification tour of Brightwood Park and Columbia Heights, Monday 7/11

From the Latino Economic Development Corporation:

Reality Tour to Show Results of Gentrification and Community Organizing in Columbia Heights and Brightwood Park

On Monday, July 11th, residents of Columbia Heights and Brightwood Park will open their homes to share stories of their struggles to preserve affordable housing in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods. Washington, D.C. is the only city in the country with a unique law (the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, or TOPA) that gives tenants the right to determine what happens to their apartment building when it is for sale. The Before and After Neighborhood Tour will visit four multi-family buildings (two where residents utilized TOPA to buy their buildings and convert them into affordable cooperatives, and two apartment buildings where tenants are trying to purchase) to meet with residents and hear their unique stories. DC’s tenant purchase program is one of the major focuses of this year’s Fourth Annual Citywide Tenant Town Hall, on Saturday, July 16th at 2:30 pm at First Trinity Lutheran Church (309 E St NW, near Judiciary Square).

WHAT: Before and After Neighborhood Tour

BEFORE: Hear from tenants who live in run-down apartment buildings that are for sale and who are organizing to prevent their displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods.

AFTER: See newly renovated, affordable housing co-ops where long-term neighborhood residents are now owners!

WHERE:
1st stop: 710 Jefferson St NW
2nd stop: Brightwood Gardens Cooperative – 941 Longfellow St NW
3rd stop: 1333 Euclid St NW
4th stop: Quest Cooperative – 1428 Euclid St NW

WHEN: Monday, July 11th, 5 to 7 PM
Meet at 710 Jefferson St NW at 5 pm; we’ll walk to 941 Longfellow St NW (2 blocks),
then drive to 1333 Euclid St NW (or meet there at 6 PM), then walk to 1428 Euclid St NW (1 block).

WHO: Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Save Our Safety Net, 710 Jefferson St NW Tenants’ Association, Brightwood Gardens Cooperative Association, 1333 Euclid St NW Tenants’ Association, Quest Cooperative Association