DEVELOPMENT

The cultural and financial landscape of the District is changing. Revitalization inherently has that impact upon a city. Yet, with HSCDC pioneering the boom in revitalization, we are minding our mission to retain affordable housing within the District’s brick borders.

Preservation of Affordable Housing

…within the District is largely attenuated in developer proposals, strategic planning, and business improvement initiatives. HSCDC seizes the opportunity to again pioneer this work of community building by presenting argument against displacing District residents for taller buildings and shinier glass.

Our strategic plan hinges on holding developers accountable of retaining required percentages of affordable residences in new structures; and refusing to exploit the loophole that the Transfer Development Right (TDR) allows. We observe the trend of TDRs putting affordable housing in suburbs or other undesirable areas while retaining strong footing in market rate housing in the District.

It is this passive displacement of District residents who rely on affordable housing within the District to meet basic quality of life accommodations– employment, transportation, education, medical access, shopping, banking, safety, and most of all, communities in which they have grown and raised families –that fuels our passion to create strong policies and take broad strides to preserve affordable housing within the District.

Acquisition of Affordable Housing

…is what we do and is what we will do more of. Whether acquiring vacant lots for development or assuming management of current properties, HSCDC works all angles to identify and acquire affordable housing properties.

Our acquisition plan includes wide-net purchase of 12, 15, and 20 unit buildings in wards 5, 6, 7, and 8. We see that bundling these properties is a way to clean up and manage them with a common ethos. HSCDC, acting as management of these bundled properties, would retrofit the structures and enhance the livability of these multi-family buildings. Residents would benefit from the landscape around them changing while retaining stability and receiving an improved quality of life.

Preservation and acquisition of affordable housing counters market-forces driven revitalization that drives out residents with long-held roots and rights to enjoy living in the District. HSCDC is positioned and poised to pioneer advocating for choice living conditions for all District residents, regardless of income.

Revitalization of commercial infrastructure 

…only began with the H Street Corridor.  We seek to replicate the success of that project in and around affordable housing communities to create development that all District residents might enjoy