(Washington, DC) – The DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) second auction of government-owned vacant property took place yesterday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The auction was the second of its kind and was carried out by DHCD’s Property Acquisition and Disposition Division (PADD).  Alex Cooper Auctioneers Inc., under a contract with the Department, conducted the auction of 18 properties, which included single-family and multi-family buildings and vacant lots. The properties are located in Wards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Only bidders in specific categories were allowed to participate in the auction: home buyers who intend to occupy the property as their primary residence; non-profits; and DC Certified Business Entities.

The auction results will satisfy two goals of DHCD – to generate revenue to invest in affordable housing programs and to reintroduce properties into the housing market for redevelopment into habitable residences.

DHCD will hold a public hearing in August to announce the proposed disposition plans for the auctioned properties. The hearing will serve as an opportunity for the public to provide comment about the plans.