Who:        The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor, District of Columbia; The Honorable Charles Allen, Councilmember of Ward 6; Polly Donaldson of DC Department of Housing and Community Development; Brian Kenner, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development; Adrianne Todman and Todd A. Lee of DC Housing Authority; Bryan Dickson of Citi Community Capital; Edmund Delany of Capital One Bank; Reverend David Bowers of Enterprise Community Partners; Yvonne L. Williams and Pastor Ronald Demery, Jr. of Bible Way Church; Alicia A. Terry, Esq. of Golden Rule Plaza, Inc. and Sarah Constant, Managing Director of Mission First Housing Group, along with community supporters and friends of the project partners.

What:       Groundbreaking Ceremony for planned 223-unit Grandfamilies and Affordable Housing project in Northwest DC

When:      Monday, June 20, 2016 from 11:30 am -1:30 pm

Where:     Golden Rule Plaza Community Room, 1050 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC (adjacent to the future site of Plaza West)

Why:        In partnership with Golden Rule Plaza Inc., a nonprofit subsidiary of Bible Way Church, and the Henson Development Company, Mission First Housing Group is starting construction on the Plaza West project at the northeast corner of 4th and K Streets NW. The development will consist of two components:

1) The Grandfamilies component will provide 50 apartment homes for grandparents raising grandchildren and will serve families making between 30% – 50%  AMI (Area Median Income).

2) The Affordable component will consist of 173 apartment homes set aside for individuals and families making <60% of AMI.

The Grandfamilies component will provide significant support services, targeting the children and the seniors raising them. A social service consultant was engaged to define an appropriate scope of services and potential service partners have been identified.

This $90 million development project is financed with tax exempt bonds issued by DC Housing Finance Agency and 4% low income housing tax credits. Citibank purchased the tax exempt bonds and is providing construction and permanent financing.  Capital One was the end investor on the tax credits that were syndicated through Enterprise.  The DC Department of Housing and Community Development and the DC Department of Behavioral Health provided gap financing for the project, and the the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development provided NIF (Neighborhood Investment Fund) financing.

Plaza West is expected to open in 2018.

Press Opp:        Photos and video of Program and Groundbreaking Ceremony

Interviews with speakers

Contact:  Becky Lang Staffieri, Communications Manager, Mission First Housing Group

Cell: (215) 651-4858, rstaffieri@missionfirsthousing.org

###