tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post243094080257626808..comments2024-03-25T18:50:15.135-04:00Comments on DCmud - The Urban Real Estate Digest of Washington DC: Yet Another Affordable Housing Project For Columbia HeightsKenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08295461340042242438noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-2436631953996894372011-12-21T21:11:07.554-05:002011-12-21T21:11:07.554-05:00Columbia Heights' median income is $104k?? Ar...Columbia Heights' median income is $104k?? Are you smoking crack or just too far left to come back to reality? I make $50k a year and live in a nice apartment a few blocks from the Columbia Heights metro which is a great area besides all the vagrants wandering the streets scaring people. Get your facts straight before spewing left wing ignorance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-56505014680741069822010-07-28T14:20:21.443-04:002010-07-28T14:20:21.443-04:00How many of you folks commenting here make over $1...How many of you folks commenting here make over $100k a year? Affordable housing does not always translate into public housing. The Area Median Income is $104k. 80% of this is $80k, 60% is $60k, 30% is $30k. Who makes this level of income in the District? It's not just African Americans, but others who need decent but affordable housing. <br />I'm tired of reading idiotic comments from closeted racist who make stupid statements about something they have no knowledge of. If you don't want to live around "these people" then you should simply have not moved into the neighborhood. <br />I think mixed-income housing is a good step, but when you're poor and your neighbors are like these commentators, why would you want to live in an building where everyone despises you?DCAdvocatenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-87426346984606897562010-07-27T18:18:00.593-04:002010-07-27T18:18:00.593-04:00This is such disappointing news. One just needs to...This is such disappointing news. One just needs to look a failed housing projects throughout the U.S. to see that placing poor amongst the poor doesn't benefit anyone (see Cabrini Green). While most cities have learned their lessons (see Cabrini Green now where now there are mixed income housing developments that have strict rules to acquire and keep the lower income apts and a serious decrease in crime and increas in business) DC continues to support a failed policy.Morinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-81641676007356857092010-07-26T15:25:02.211-04:002010-07-26T15:25:02.211-04:00"there are so many hard workers in this city ..."there are so many hard workers in this city putting in 40+ hours a week who still can't afford to live where they work. including cops, teachers, firefighters and municipal workers."<br /><br />Speaking as a D.C. cop, I'll tell you that most officers aren't going to live in D.C. because they either want to get away from work, or they want more space for their buck. I live in D.C. because I'm single and childless, so I can afford it.<br /><br />Moreover, the starting salary for a D.C. cop is $48,000 and moves up to $53,000 at the 18 month mark. Put overtime, court pay, part time, etc. in there and you're rapidly priced out of 'workforce housing'. <br /><br />In addition, a lot of buildings like this that have gone up end up being just as bad as any slum apartment, especially when the building owners need to cover the bills and start having Section 8 renters, people on 'disability', the residents hoodlum children/family/boyfriends and girlfriends/etc., the mentally ill who are put in an independent living situation, and so forth move in.<br /><br />Add all those factors up, and you can figure out why cops, firefighters and other workers move out of the city in search of their own digs in the surrounding counties instead of staying in 'workforce' housing.A D.C. Po-licenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-17482659809890138442010-07-26T13:50:06.382-04:002010-07-26T13:50:06.382-04:00How are they expecting to go through a Planned Uni...How are they expecting to go through a Planned Unit Development for 37 apartments when the project does not have enough land to qualify for a PUD? If they can not get a PUD then they cannot get 37 units, which means that they are going to ask for a larger subsidy from DC. Also, if they do not get the 9% tax credit, they are asking for a 4.1 Million dollar district subsidy. It seems like a lot of hurdles to jump through. I think this property will get put back out for RFP in 2012 or 2013.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-66818141446902638522010-07-26T12:49:47.794-04:002010-07-26T12:49:47.794-04:00i would look elsewhere for factors that supposedly...i would look elsewhere for factors that supposedly suppress the value of you home. nearby affordable housing is way down the list.<br /><br />and the lame right wing argument of "get a job" is just insulting at this point. the reagan/bush1-era image of poor residents living it up in govt subsidized housing is mostly false. <br /><br />there are so many hard workers in this city putting in 40+ hours a week who still can't afford to live where they work. including cops, teachers, firefighters and municipal workers.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16989858662676793726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-80746541057542886662010-07-26T08:01:41.310-04:002010-07-26T08:01:41.310-04:00valerie, not valer, santos.<i>valerie</i>, not <i>valer</i>, santos.IMGophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10389077782536090328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-13559023385131475002010-07-25T15:32:19.660-04:002010-07-25T15:32:19.660-04:00Anon 12:58 - if you work for a non profit, then ar...Anon 12:58 - if you work for a non profit, then are you in an affordable housing building? I bet you are not because you make too much money. This city is making an effort to keep ghetto's alive. People who work for what they have deserve to be able to have a fair investment in the city, and people who don't work or don't get themselves educated certainly deserve reasonable housing but not at the expense of keeping values surpressed for everyone else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-43304357681531178252010-07-25T00:58:08.185-04:002010-07-25T00:58:08.185-04:00I personally think housing that is affordable to p...I personally think housing that is affordable to people of modest means is a good thing. some of us working for nonprofits also want to be able to live in the city and enjoy its benefits. <br /><br />And @Anon 4:25, if you want to move, please do! dont get mad because you bought your place speculating that Columbia Heights would be Georgetown 6 months later. Nothing stopped you from buying at Woodley Park or Cleveland Park, or Tenleytown or AU Park. hm, or perhaps that was not "affordable" to you...huh, that's a thought...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-38594488784927627582010-07-24T16:25:44.535-04:002010-07-24T16:25:44.535-04:00This is awful news. We have so much affordable ho...This is awful news. We have so much affordable housing in Ward 1 its making me want to move. I believe in mixed income but now I'm starting to believe Jim Graham doesn't want anyone of moderate means to live in ward 1, As a homeowner I have rights too, and this city is making an effort to make sure my housing value is suppressed so I am poorer. Not fair at all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-78529732680857657242010-07-23T18:20:47.656-04:002010-07-23T18:20:47.656-04:00what they dont mention about "affording"...what they dont mention about "affording" housing is that it will probably take section 8 vouchers and therefore really be projects. columbia heights has enough freaking public housing. if you cant afford to live somewhere then move to where its affordable. where's my government handout? <br /><br />what is jim graham doing? is he trying to get housing for all this voters?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-69199782946482188892010-07-23T17:20:00.531-04:002010-07-23T17:20:00.531-04:00Anon 5:15,
Why don't you jump off the Key Bri...Anon 5:15,<br /><br />Why don't you jump off the Key Bridge?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-2336652120911776702010-07-23T17:15:57.945-04:002010-07-23T17:15:57.945-04:00Yeah these are just fancy words for saying this is...Yeah these are just fancy words for saying this is the only way we can get financing for projects right now - call it affordable. We all know that affordable housing is just you buying or renting in a neighborhood less desirable or renting or buying something smaller. All this other talk about giving people affordable huge housing for below market rates is dumb. You gotta work hard go to school get an education and time the market right. If you don't then you get to pay retail for housing - somebody has to pay retail. If enough people don't or can't pay retail for housing then prices come down like what happened 2 years ago with the housing bust. And that's how I got affordable housing - I just waited for the bust there's always a bust supply and demand rules and cash is king. If people don't have money to buy they wont and prices fall - very simple. Now Fenty and Santos stepping in to create cheap designed oversized affordable housing is shameful to supply and demand. It enables the nearby apartments to charge outrageous prices. If Fenty would just stay on his bike then the city could let supply and demand play out. Those who can't afford Columbia Heights should try Anacostia and that will allow Anacostia to develop but giving away affordable housing in upper NW continues to isolate other neighborhoods in DC. People gotta get outside NW - it's affordable in Deanwood. Oh you don't wanna live in Deanwood ok you to good for Deanwood - then pay retail. The real Affordable housing is always in less desirable neighborhoods or in smaller units like studios.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-39658957029978412742010-07-23T17:14:32.270-04:002010-07-23T17:14:32.270-04:00this is a great plan for the space despite the obl...this is a great plan for the space despite the obligatory detractors that these very useful projects bring along with them.<br /><br />the term affordable housing carries a stigma for political reasons, but in this economy, in this city, who can argue.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16989858662676793726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-90609090470261571862010-07-23T16:35:00.787-04:002010-07-23T16:35:00.787-04:00Developers and city officials say this $11.5 milli...<i>Developers and city officials say this $11.5 million Justice Park project will offset gentrification trends in the area, and help Ward One and Columbia Heights to remain a diverse and multi-dimensional community.</i><br /><br />Why would we want to offset gentrification in the area? Columbia Heights still has plenty of subsidized housing that will ensure that riff-raff remains in the area. Frankly I can't wait until that housing stock is given the Nehemiah strip mall treatment and bulldozed so some market-rate structures can be put in its place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-31695065715170090702010-07-23T16:31:03.596-04:002010-07-23T16:31:03.596-04:00Does Jim Graham ever change that ice-cream suit?Does Jim Graham ever change that ice-cream suit?Patty Cakenoreply@blogger.com