(Washington, DC) – DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Director Leila Finucane Edmonds joined representatives from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells, Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry, DC Housing Authority Executive Director Adrienne Todman, and Department of Housing and Urban Development DC Field Office Acting Director Marvin Turner, and Ward 6 residents for the groundbreaking of The SeVerna in Ward 6.  

The SeVerna will provide 60 units of housing that is affordable to households at or below 60% of the Area Median Income.  In addition, 30 of those units will be affordable to households at or below 30% of AMI.  The site, located at 1015 1st Street NW, is part of the Northwest One New Community.  All units will meet the Green Communities Criteria for sustainable and energy efficient housing.

“The SeVerna is part of the New Communities Initiative, and is an effort to improve housing and spur economic development in this neighborhood,” said DHCD Director Edmonds.  “DHCD looks forward to the opening of this project and the continued revitalization of this area.”

DHCD provided $430,000 in Housing Production Trust Fund monies to the project.  DHCD also provided $995,000 in Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which will yield more than $8 million in tax credit equity.

The project is being developed by Bible Way Church, Mission First Housing Development Organization and the Henson Development Company.  Other financing partners include the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, the DC Housing Authority and PNC Bank.