On the Saturday, April 24, the eve of the deadline for developers to submit their “Best and Final Offers” to the District for Reservation 13, hundreds of Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) leaders will gather on zoom.
Dozens will also gather in-person to demand affordable housing opportunities at Reservation 13, the site of the former DC General Family Shelter.
The organization will press for developers to commit to affordability standards and for them to work together with WIN to promote maximum affordability for District residents. WIN has also engaged with potential development teams, some of whom plan to attend events on Saturday.
The event is billed as a “Bridge the River” teach-in and call to action for affordable housing at Reservation 13.
The in-person event takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 24 at St. Coletta School (1901 Independence Ave. SE; Stadium-Armory Metro), as well as via Zoom.
Located on the east end of Capitol Hill, Reservation 13 is 67 acres of land bordering the Anacostia River, the site of the former DC General Hospital.
At a site overlooking RFK Stadium, the Anacostia River and Reservation 13, WIN will launch kites declaring “1/3, 1/3, 1/3”. Pictures of competing Reservation 13 developers will be displayed.
The event kicks off with an opening from Ward 7 clergy and local community advocates, followed by Teach-Ins on, first, the competing developers and the city’s selection process and then, on the goal of 1/3, 1/3, 1/3+ housing equity. At 10:45 a.m., the event concludes with a call-to-action to claim the land for the community, organizers said.
Founded in 1996, WIN is a broad-based, multi-racial, multi-faith, strictly nonpartisan District-wide citizens’ power organization rooted in local congregations and associations. They work to initiate public action on critical issues such as affordable housing, public safety or youth needs and to partner with and hold the government and corporate sectors accountable for addressing these issues. WIN is committed to ensuring the District will work to build affordable housing, provide local jobs, and promote racial equity.
Clergy and community leaders will stand in support of a goal of 3,000 housing units at Reservation 13, including:
1,000 units of deeply affordable homes at 0 to 30 percent of Area Median Income (AMI),
1,000 units for people with incomes at 30-60 percent of AMI,
1,000 units allocated at market rates.
WIN intends to promote the vision of “1/3, 1/3, 1/3” Housing Equity, and economic opportunity in the form of good jobs constructing the development and within its commercial and retail spaces and priority opportunities for businesses that are Black, ethnic minority, and DC resident-owned.
Learn more about WIN at www.windc-iaf.org
