For decades, DAVIS Construction has supported Jubilee Housing in both traditional and creative ways. Over the years, DAVIS team members served in leadership roles, volunteered at events for residents, and participated in many improvement projects. The company sponsored countless events, provided construction materials and expertise, and recently donated critical funds to purchase supplies for the holiday Elf Store and the Back to School Store.

“DAVIS Construction takes great pride in giving back. From lending expertise to supporting the Back to School Store, we are excited about all the ways we can work with Jubilee Housing to help build diverse, compassionate communities that create opportunities for everyone to live life to the fullest,” said Megan Brown, DAVIS Construction.

Barbara Moore has put in a lot of miles in these neighborhoods over the years. As one of Jubilee Housing’s founders, long serving staff, and board member, she has walked the streets of the Adams Morgan for decades. Her speedy gait is recognized from a distance, and Barbara is known for her trademark, year-round SAS (San Antonio) sandals. Her daily routine through the neighborhood has made her a fixture in Adams Morgan – Moore is something of a protector spirit. “I really want to know, over these 50 some years, how many steps I have put down in the neighborhood. I will ask God to please tell me if he wills when I report in.”

Most people are acquainted with Barbara’s history with Jubilee Housing. She, her friend Terry Flood, Gordon Cosby, Bill Branner, and a handful of others were guided to the idea of Jubilee Housing while serving at the Potters House. It was a way of responding, in part, to the deep pain following the assassination of Martin Luther King, and the subsequent riots.

With the help of legendary city planner Jim Rouse, who financed the purchase of the Ritz and Mozart, Moore, Flood and the others jumped in to learn from scratch how to address the many needs of the 90 units, then in great disrepair and to learn about management. Those two original buildings have expanded to ten, with two other properties in pre-development.

Barbara served Jubilee Housing in several capacities over the years, including starting a ministry for Jubilee youth with Pat Sitar. For twenty-one years, Good Shepherd was the closest thing to her heart. Her love for the children and staff of Good Shepherd will always sustain her. After the years at Good Shepherd, Moore worked mainly in resident service roles, including everything from planning social events, teaching classes in leadership, teaching English and working with the resident council. “The friendships and relationships with Jubilee residents and staff have been a source of true joy in my life,” she says. “I have learned so much from so many dear people.”

The bulk of her responsibilities has been one that Moore has shouldered with grace, gratitude, and good cheer over the years. She left her position at the end of last year to focus on her husband’s health and other aspects of ministry to those coming home from incarceration. Reentry has been important in Barbara’s church life, and she is thrilled that Jubilee has such a strong vision for its own Reentry program led by Cherie Lindsay.

When asked what Moore hopes to see in the future for Jubilee, she feels strongly that good communication between staff and board and between supervisors and staff is critical. She supports the vision that the board has set to address these things. “I am so encouraged that we are committed to communication and consistency which is so important in sustaining a happy work environment, especially as we expand the number of affordable units in our neighborhood. We are all in this together.”

Even though Barbara is no longer on the staff, she loves serving on the board and helping out in other ways. She really feels comfortable coming over to Jubilee as she can. She commented that “at first I felt hesitant to come over for fear of seeming to overstep, but everyone has welcomed me so kindly. I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing ministry.”

We are tremendously grateful that Jubilee’s protector spirit is still guiding us after all these years.

As the governing body, Jubilee Housing’s Board of Directors, plays a vital role in defining the organization’s vision and direction. The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the organization’s activities, ensuring that we are serving our community in new and innovative ways, and that we are creating policies that support the Jubilee Housing mission.

Jubilee’s Board of Directors includes resident, community, and business leaders. The diversity of the Jubilee Board of Directors speaks to the diversity of our housing community and the Adams Morgan Neighborhood. We value our current and former Board members for the insight they bring to the table from their individual, career, and lived experiences.

Jubilee Housing’s Board of Directors recently updated the organization’s bylaws and among other updates implemented Board Term Limits. With these term limits in mind, our beloved Board Chair of over a decade, Myra Peabody-Gossens, is passing the role of Board Chair onto Alex Orfinger. While Ms. Peabody Gossens will no longer serve as a Board Member, she remains a steadfast friend and support of Jubilee Housing. Mr. Orfinger has served on the Jubilee Housing Board since 2017 and is a fierce advocate for shared prosperity in the District.

Alex Orfinger, Jubilee Housing Board Chair, stated “I am so thankful to my dear friend, Myra, for her tremendous leadership of the Jubilee Housing Board. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve in this leadership role and am most excited for the opportunity to carry on the work of connecting individuals from all backgrounds to the important work of Jubilee Housing and each other.”

In addition to our new Board Chair, we are excited to welcome a new slate of Executive Officers to the Board. Samuel Buggs, affordable housing advocate and Jubilee Housing resident, will serve as the Board’s Vice Chair. Joseph Black, civil litigator with the Cullen Law Firm, will return as our trusted Treasurer again this term. Lizzie Bebber, Executive Director of Christ House, will serve as the Secretary of the Board. We are so thankful to this new slate of officers for their commitment to Jubilee Housing.

The Board also welcomed new member, Sheila Miller. Managing Principal at Madysen Capital Advisors. Ms. Miller is a native Washingtonian, and has vast experience in the creation and financing of affordable housing in underserved and disadvantaged communities.

We are excited to have these visionary and passionate advocates leading our Board!

Below is a list of current Jubilee Housing Board members.

On August 14, Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau toured Jubilee Housing’s Maycroft apartments to see all the progress on the building since her last visit. Nadeau attended the groundbreaking for the Maycroft last summer. Since then, the program space on the building’s ground level has taken shape and now includes classrooms, space for the Martha’s Table McKenna’s Wagon kitchen and an outdoor, enclosed playground. Renovations will be completed in late 2018.

Councilmember Nadeau also visited one of Jubilee’s possible acquisitions on Euclid Street.

After touring Jubilee’s latest additions to justice housing^™, Nadeau had lunch in the Rouse Room of the Ritz building with several members of Jubilee Housing’s staff including Executive Director Jim Knight and Vice President of Institutional Advancement Rebecca Ely. Nadeau then headed to the Sitar Center, a Ward 1 nonprofit organization that provides arts education to families of all income levels. There she learned about one of Jubilee Housing’s new projects—the Platform of Hope. The Platform of Hope is a pilot initiative that provides holistic and self-directed support for families experiencing economic vulnerability.

Council Member Nadeau is an active member of the Jubilee Housing community, with a long history of supporting Jubilee’s justice housing initiatives and affordable housing in the District.

Residents, developers, and supporters of non-profit affordable housing lost a champion last week with the passing of Bob Pohlman, founding executive director of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development (CNHED) and former director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development.

Pohlman’s legacy will long outlive his years of service to the cause about which he cared so much. Members of the Jubilee community who worked alongside him recalled his tenacity, his savvy, and his passion.

“He was a visionary,” said Martin Mellett, who, prior to coming to Jubilee, worked at LISC DC and funded CNHED under Pohlman’s leadership. “He also understood that there had to be some level of political reality to carry the vision forward. He looked for what was possible and, then, was tenacious about moving it forward,” said Mellett, now Jubilee’s vice president of Strategic Initiatives.

Jubilee Executive Director Jim Knight described Pohlman as a “fierce fighter.” “He was a central figure in establishing initial funding for the city’s Housing Production Trust Fund and then, later, in creating the Housing for All Campaign, which significantly increased capitalization of the fund,” said Knight, who served as CNHED board president for four years during Pohlman’s tenure there.

“He also helped develop the Local Rent Support Program (LRSP) and the Site Acquisition Funding Initiative by bringing affordable housing practitioners together with city officials and lenders. He was able to unite diverse stakeholders to achieve a shared outcome.”

Brian Adams, a resident of Jubilee’s Mozart building, was one of the stakeholders who Pohlman inspired. “He taught me about advocacy and gave me lots of opportunities to speak for those who don’t have a voice” Adams said.

“He trusted me to speak on behalf of CHNED. I didn’t always follow a script, but that didn’t matter to Bob—as long as the message came through,” Adams said.

Knight credits Pohlman with understanding—ahead of others—the power of people and making sure city officials heard from people who would live in the new affordable homes as well as other voters.

Mellett remembers how Pohlman—who previously served as D.C.’s deputy mayor for Finance and chief financial officer—always knew the numbers in the budget better than anyone else. “Numbers mattered to him. He understood that if there weren’t enough funds to ensure a successful outcome, talk of affordable housing was just an empty promise,” Mellett said.

After almost 25 years in the D.C. government, Pohlman also knew the people. “Bob was known to mayors and council members,” Knight said. “He was always listened to—not always followed, but always listened to—and that gave the CNHED credibility and access.”

“I knew his passion. His passion was as strong as mine,” said Adams. “Affordable housing and economic development mattered deeply to Bob. He made them his life. It was an honor to work with someone like that.”

A service commemorating Pohlman’s life will be held on Saturday, May 19, at 2 p.m., at Christ Lutheran Church, 5101 16th Street NW.