there have been countless emails flying back and forth on the eckington listserve about this.
The Catholic Charities and St Martins are planning to build a low-income apartment building encompassing an entire block. The boundaries are T street( to the south), Todd Place( to the north), Summit place ( to the east) and the City Lights School. This is across the street from McKinley Tech.
Funny that in Eckington, where there is already a HOMELESS SHELTER attached to a GRADE SCHOOL ( ! ) there should also be a place to put low income housing across from a DC pulic school.
To me, its a mockery. A spit in the face of hard working and community minded people in Eckington. Why does Eckington keep getting dumped on?
Does anyone support this project thats not making money from it?
History has shown us that the construction of HIGH DENSITY LOW INCOME HOUSING in an already drug and crime plagued urban area is highly volatile. That there exists people that think this is a good idea, points to the fact that we learn nothing from facts.
Please do not take us back in time.
Please do not sacrifice the progress that has been made in this recovering neighborhood.
Please do not move forward with this project.
Please step up to the present.
this is, in my opinion, the best website discussing urban issues. Please check out
Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space
Also, Please read about the Ellen Wilson Project, a mixed income housing project in SE DC.
I heard about this project, which is admirable, but your point about the need to mix incomes, and to not have a preponderance of lower income households, which tend to have greater needs as well as other issues, is important. (I say this having been mugged twice by Sursum Corda, and evaded at least one other attempt.)
ReplyDeleteDesign of a housing project on that land is key also. This extends to the quality of the design of the housing. E.g., Manna does great work, but their new construction is often hideous looking (at least in my opinion).
Check out this website: The Affordable Housing Design Advisor as one resource. I'll add it to my listings of resources.