News
2011 Developments of Distinction Award
On January 13, 2012, THC Affordable Housing, Inc. and Somerset Development Company LLP received the 2011 Development of Distinction award for outstanding achievement in the development of Webster Gardens and Fort View Affordable Housing apartments. The Award’s category of “Financial Innovation” recognizes the use of 26 sources of acquisition and construction funding in developing Fort View and Webster Gardens Apartments.
“The JTC Developments of Distinction awards recognize excellence and honor outstanding achievement in the development of projects using the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC), historic tax credit (HTC), renewable energy tax credit (RETC), Section 1602 Exchange Program grant funds and/or tax credit projects using U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program financing.”
For more info on the award and to view the video highlights, click here.
U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness - September 2011
Text and article below is from United States Interagency Council on Homelessness http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/cabinet_secretaries_engage_with_dc_families_and_leading_practitioners_on_be/
On Tuesday September 13th, Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis chaired the third meeting of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) in 2011. The meeting was held at Community of Hope’s Girard Street Family Shelter in Washington, D.C. The meeting was the first Council meeting under the Obama administration to be held on the site of a homelessness service provider and focused on strategies to end homelessness for families by 2020. Secretary Solis was joined by Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki, Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Donovan, USICH Executive Director Barbara Poppe, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray.
At the meeting, Secretary Solis noted, “Today, for the first time, I wanted to bring our Council meeting out into the community to talk to the families we are working so hard to serve.”
During the meeting members of the Council heard from two single parents who have experienced homelessness with their children. Ruth is 22 and has an 18 month old daughter. She has been living doubled up or in shelters since she was 18. Through the program she has been able to gain access to child care, assistance with job training, and support applying to college. She is now employed full-time and enrolled in community college where she is studying childhood education. Ruth will soon enter her own permanent home with the help of the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). David is a 51-year old single father of two girls both under the age of five. He overcame mistakes that he made as a young man that caused him to spend some time in jail and has now devoted his life to raising his two daughters and making sure they have every opportunity to succeed. In spite of this, he has struggled to find people who will hire him or rent to him because of his criminal record. He spent almost two years living either doubled up with his sister or in a shelter before he came to the Community of Hope. Community of Hope helped him access HPRP resources to find a stable home. He has now lived in his own two-bedroom apartment with his two girls for 18 months and finds work where he can.
Two leading service providers in the District of Columbia shared their insights into what policies and programs work to help families in need while using resources wisely. The Community of Hope Executive Director Kelly Sweeney McShane and the Executive Director of THC- Housing Families, Transforming Lives Polly Donaldson, a DC-based service provider for families experiencing homelessness discussed the importance of comprehensive programs that include emphasis on education, employment, and health; the success of rapid-rehousing as a model to help families quickly and efficiently; and the importance of developing more affordable housing.
The meeting concluded with HUD Secretary Donovan announcing the exciting accomplishment that homelessness for 1 million Americans was prevented or ended thanks to HPRP. He and Secretary Solis then toured the facilities and met additional families that benefited from the programs at the Community of Hope.
THC Executive Director Polly Donaldson with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan after her presentation on family homelessness in DC at the September 13 meeting of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
All Souls Church 100th Anniversary
THC CONGRATULATES ALL SOULS MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
ON THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY
All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church, DC celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2011. All Souls is a diverse church whose doors are open to everyone. All Souls mission is best exemplified through the words of its founding rector, James McBride Sterrett, “Neither a high church nor a low church, neither a broad church nor a narrow church, but a church for all souls.”
Established in 1911, All Souls is planning many activities to commemorate its centennial beginning with an Open house and picnic on October 8 and the official celebration with services on Sunday October 9 and October 16. All Souls ministry is hands-on and are involved with Christ House, Habitat for Humanity, and of course, THC.
All Souls has been involved with THC since its founding in 1990. All Souls is an “Adopt an Apartment” partner church and have helped furnish 7 apartments for our transitional housing families in the past 10 years. All Souls is also a financial supporter of THC’s housing program and comprehensive supportive services, and THC Affordable Housing, Inc. All Souls’ support has had a direct impact on the lives of our city’s most vulnerable families.
THC’s current Board of Directors President, Melissa Barrett and Joe Howell, current THCAH Board member and past THC Board member, are All Souls parishioners. “I have been a member of All Souls for only a little over two years, but I have found it to be a wonderful, vibrant and loving church. All Souls has been a supporter of THC and a participant in the “Adopt-an-Apartment” program for a long time. On behalf of myself and THC, I congratulate All Souls on its 100th anniversary,” stated Ms. Barrett.
THC congratulates All Souls on their historic celebration and we invite our supporters to visit the Washington Window at http://www.edow.org/news-and-events/whats-happening/publication-archive to read the article about All Souls Centennial celebration in the March-April edition. Supporters may also visit All Souls website at http://www.allsoulsdc.org for more information.
What’s Going On
We keep in touch with the community via the periodic publications listed on the left. Click on each to see current news related to homelessness, how THC has evolved and what’s happening with THC today.
