(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the Bowser Administration cut the ribbon of a new 100% affordable apartment building called Liberty Place located at 3rd and I Street, NW, in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood. The 71 unit, nine-story building includes 14 units of permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless with a focus on veterans, 53 units serving households below 50% of the area median income (AMI) and four units serving households below 60% of AMI.
"Mayor Bowser continues to focus on creating affordable housing across all 8 wards to improve outcomes for our residents, and this 100 percent affordable project in high opportunity neighborhood contributes to the goal of 36,000 homes by 2025," said Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio. "Liberty Place offers its residents many benefits for a better future and helps give more Washingtonians a fair shot."
Liberty Place is part of the larger mixed-use project that is located on a District land sold to MQW, LLC (Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Quadrangle Development, and The Wilkes Company). This project includes studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units. All units will have high-quality finishes, including hardwood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and granite countertops. In addition, there is a fitness center, a community lounge, a meeting room on the top floor, and a rooftop deck in the building design. The development is located in the Central Washington Planning area, in which the 2019 Housing Equity Report calls for 1,040 new units of affordable housing by 2025, and with these 71 units is 27% towards the goal.
“When we talk about high-amenity, good quality, well-located affordable housing, this is what we mean,” said DHCD Interim Director Drew Hubbard. “With good partners, a lot of DC agencies, and community faith and commitment, we know we can accomplish our goals and delivery much needed affordable housing for District residents.”
The DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) selected the project as a result of the consolidated request for proposals process, which provides funding from a variety of sources, including over $9 million from the DC Housing Production Trust Fund. Additionally, the project received 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the DC Housing Finance Agency, DC LIHTC, and $294,000 in grant funds from the Department of Behavioral Health.
“We are proud to help meet the urgent need for quality affordable housing in DC,” says NHT CEO Priya Jayachandran. “Liberty Place will serve households with limited incomes and limited mobility as well as offer supportive services for formerly homeless households. Liberty Place fulfills the vision of our partner Mt. Carmel Baptist Church to bring affordable housing to its rapidly changing community. The Church has been an amazing partner and we look forward to opening the doors to these new homes at Liberty Place and continuing to support the community for many more years.”
At the start of her second term, Mayor Bowser set a bold goal to deliver an additional 36,000 units of housing – including at least 12,000 units of affordable housing – by 2025. By further equitably distributing these goals across the District's ten planning areas, Mayor Bowser made DC the first jurisdiction in the nation to create affordable housing goals by neighborhood. From January 2019 through February 2022, the District has produced 21,340 net new units, of which 4,007 are affordable. You can track the District’s progress toward #36000by2025 at open.dc.gov/36000by2025.