Jubilee Housing Acquires King Emmanuel Baptist Church

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Jubilee Housing’s latest acquisition is unique in many ways.

King Emmanuel Baptist Church sits at 1721 Kalorama Road NW and has been part of the Adams Morgan community since 1907. The church has an active congregation, which includes Jubilee Housing residents and staff members. So, when Jubilee heard that the congregation was looking to sell the church, the Property Development team jumped at the chance to preserve a historic landmark in one of the organization’s core neighborhoods.

Jubilee offered the congregation a chance to stay and worship at King Emmanuel after renovations, but church members decided to relocate the congregation to Maryland.

While Jubilee plans to renovate the church, the 11,000-square-foot space is currently in good condition and can be used as is, so Jubilee can start to have a presence there right away. This also creates an opportunity for other nonprofits that do similar work to meet at the church.

King Emmanuel is Jubilee’s second purchase on the same block and, like the other building, will be developed as justice housing for residents with low incomes and men and women returning home from incarceration. The new property will allow for an expansion of Jubilee’s current reentry program, which has two residences, one for women and one for men. The current reentry program has been in operation for eight years.

We hope to start having a regular presence at King Emmanuel Baptist Church to educate, raise awareness, and break down the stereotypes that promote fear. We’ll offer new ways to understand the experiences of incarcerated individuals and new ways to work with our neighbors,” Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing President and CEO says about the purchase of the church.

The $3.6 million KEB acquisition marks the closing purchase for the Justice Housing Partners Fund, which raised a total of $5.3 million.

Once renovations are complete, Jubilee plans to use the church as a worship space for community congregations and transitional housing for returning citizens. The building will be modernized and its footprint will be slightly expanded. However, the current look and feel of the structure will remain the same.

Jubilee Housing Purchases Properties in Kalorama

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At the end of August, Jubilee Housing acquired its 12th justice housing™ property, 2326 – 2338 Ontario Rd NW. The property at this site will be different from Jubilee’s other properties. Not only will it be used for deeply affordable homes, but also approximately half of them will be set aside for men and women returning from incarceration.

Justice housing combines high quality, deeply affordable homes with onsite and nearby supportive programs, in thriving neighborhoods. It aims to provide stable homes to families and individuals with the greatest barriers to high quality housing. People returning from incarceration face especially high barriers in finding affordable homes because of the added stigma of possessing a criminal record . This stigma can also make it hard to find services and employment.

As with all Jubilee Housing properties, more than half of the apartment homes in the new Ontario property will be set aside for families and individuals making 30 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI), which is about $35,000/year for a family of four. One-third of the units will be reserved for households making 60 percent AMI or less. The Ontario property is located near grocery stores, other Jubilee Housing properties, clinics and non-profit service providers.

“Deeply affordable housing is one of the resources needed to connect residents who have fewer financial assets to the growing prosperity of our city,” said Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing CEO. “ Justice housing helps level the playing field for families who otherwise may be pushed out of neighborhoods where they have built their lives. It fosters inclusion and equity for our city, proving that it is possible to locate affordable housing opportunities in high demand neighborhoods with ample amenities and resources. Jubilee Housing is committed to creating more justice housing for people who need it most.”

This purchase is the third of its kind by Justice Housing Partners, LP (The Fund), an innovative social investment fund that Jubilee Housing established in 2018. The Fund provides fast-strike capital designed to facilitate Jubilee’s purchase of some of the last remaining affordable housing development opportunities in the Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods.

In addition to all of our donors and supporters, we would like to thank United Bank and Local Initiatives Support Corporation for their development financing assistance.

Jubilee Housing Purchases 2326 – 2338 Ontario Rd NW

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Washington, D.C – August 22, 2019 – Jubilee Housing is pleased to announce the closing of its purchase of 2326 – 2338 Ontario Rd NW. These properties will be used to build deeply affordable homes, but also approximately half of them will be set aside for men and women returning from incarceration.

United Bank, Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Justice Housing Partners, LP, provided acquisition financing for the development.

With this acquisition, Jubilee Housing expands the availability of justice housing™ in one of the city’s most thriving communities. The innovative model of justice housing combines high quality, deeply affordable homes with onsite and nearby supportive programs, in thriving neighborhoods. It aims to provide stable homes to families and individuals with the greatest barriers to high quality housing. This especially applies to men and women returning from incarceration, who not only have the same struggle to find safe, stable, and affordable housing as other households, but also carry the stigmatization of their criminal record. In addition, are rarely allowed the chance to benefit from living in a resource rich neighborhood full of services and opportunity.

Two-thirds of the apartment homes in the new Ontario property will be set aside for families and individuals making 30% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI), or about $35,000/year for a family of four. One-third will be reserved for households making 60% AMI or less. The parcels are located near Jubilee Housing’s supportive services and within walking distance of other nonprofit partners, grocery stores, parks, and the Columbia Heights Metro Station.

“Deeply affordable housing is one of the resources needed to connect residents who have fewer financial assets to the growing prosperity of our city. Justice housing helps level the playing field for families who otherwise may be pushed out of neighborhoods where they have built their lives. It fosters inclusion and equity for our city, proving that it is possible to locate affordable housing opportunities in high demand neighborhoods with ample amenities and resources. Jubilee Housing is committed to creating more justice housing for people who need it most,” said Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing CEO.

This purchase is the third financing transaction by Justice Housing Partners, LP, an innovative social investment fund that Jubilee Housing established in 2018. The Fund provides fast strike capital designed to facilitate Jubilee’s purchase of some of the last remaining affordable housing development opportunities in the Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods.

Institutional investors in the fund include The Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation, City First Enterprises (CFE), an affiliate of The Share Fund, United Bank, and the WS Abell Foundation. In addition, 18 individual investors and substantial commitments from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation were critical in making this acquisition possible.

“CFE is thrilled to be a part of this innovative financial solution that helps Jubilee extend its phenomenal work developing and preserving affordable housing in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods,” said Oswaldo Acosta, president and executive director of CFE. “The Fund shows that creative financing structures historically used by business and corporations can be put to use in the quest for a more equitable economy.”

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Want to help make more justice housing happen? Get involved, and find out how you can make a difference.

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Community Meeting

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Jubilee Housing hosted a June community meeting for its Adams Morgan neighbors and elected representatives to share the organization’s vision for expanding justice housing in the neighborhood, including broadening Jubilee’s Reentry Housing Initiative.

Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing president and CEO, opened the meeting by highlighting the organization’s long history in Adams Morgan and its commitment to the well-being of every resident. Knight explained that in the face of D.C.’s unprecedented prosperity and gentrification, Jubilee’s work has shifted to focus on creating justice housing — deeply affordable homes, in resource-rich neighborhoods like Adams Morgan, with access to healthcare, employment, transportation, high quality schools, and supportive services.

Knight shared the organization’s vision for expanding justice housing by 30 percent over the next five years and explained that this vision includes everyone — families, children, individuals of all incomes, and those returning from incarceration. He also described the crisis our city faces regarding mass incarceration. Not only does the United States have the highest incarceration rate in the world, but also if D.C. was a state, it would have the highest incarceration rate per capita in the country.

Kevin Sharps, Jubilee’s vice president of Programs, spoke of how important it is for individuals coming home from incarceration to have the support they need to be successful. Without the proper supports, the chances of recidivism are much greater. Cherie Lindsay, director of Jubilee Housing’s Reentry Housing Initiative, reviewed how the reentry program has grown over the years. She also explained Jubilee’s new expanded programs.

The Reentry Housing Initiative, now in its seventh full year, serves up to 20 returning citizens at a time, with capacity to serve up to 45 people each year, and is divided between two properties – a men’s and women’s house. The program is designed to last up to one year and provides structure, support, and accountability for residents as they take the first steps toward rebuilding their lives.

Through this work, Jubilee has come to understand there are gaps in the system and in order to really be successful we need to meet individuals where they are. Jubilee’s expanded reentry initiative will provide a continuum of support for individuals as the return home from incarceration.

Two participants in the reentry program gave powerful testimonies about their experiences. One of the residents, spoke fondly about growing up in Adams Morgan, receiving two degrees from the University of the District of Columbia, and marrying her high school sweetheart. She also spoke about her past struggles with addiction and barriers to receiving proper treatment for her mental illness, which led her to make bad decisions that resulted in her incarceration. She has been living in Jubilee’s reentry house for close to a year and has been sober and in treatment for her mental illness the entire time. She is employed full time, has rebuilt relationships with her family and is stable, healthy, and productive.

After the presentation, Knight, Sharps, and Lindsay took questions and heard comments from neighbors. The outpouring of support from the community was powerful. While concerns were expressed, many residents were supportive of both justice housing and the reentry program.

Knight committed to keeping neighbors informed as Jubilee staff move forward with plans for expansion that helps to make Washington a city where all residents can thrive.

Affordable Housing and Energy Resiliency

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On May 1st, Jubilee Housing, New Partners Community Solar Corp., the Department of Energy and Environment, and Pepco, launched the District’s first affordable housing resiliency center powered by solar+battery storage at the Maycroft Apartments.

The Resiliency Center, powered by Pepco for the Jubilee community, will provide three days of power for the residents should the electrical grid go down. Maycroft residents will be able to store refrigerated medicines and will be able to do simple cooking with the microwave. Residents will also be able to charge cell phones – a critical communication tool for our residents, especially in moments of crisis.

Energy security and resiliency have become topics of interest as more and more households become vulnerable to natural disasters that can cause energy interruptions. Having a resiliency plan can bring peace of mind and critical access to power in the event of a crisis. Unfortunately, marginalized communities such as people with lower incomes are often the most vulnerable in circumstances like power outages because they rarely have anywhere else to turn.

Jubilee Housing and Pepco, along with New Partners Community Solar Corp., are working to change this narrative. The Maycroft hosts a 70.2 kilowatt (kw) rooftop solar array, which is combined with battery storage to power an on-site Resiliency Center capable of powering a community space for three days during power outages. This will provide Jubilee Housing residents with access to vital energy resources in the event of an emergency.

In addition, this is one of the District’s first efforts to channel the benefits of solar energy to residents with lower incomes. One hundred Jubilee households will be participating in this community solar program, under which they will receive a monthly credit on their electric bill, which will cut their electric burden in half.

Tommy Wells, Director of DC’s Department of Energy and Environment, spoke at the launch about the importance of projects like the Maycroft, especially since D.C. was named the world’s first Platinum LEED city in 2017

“Jubilee Housing is ecstatic to host the city’s first Resiliency Center in an affordable housing property, said Jim Knight, president and executive director of Jubilee Housing. “Resiliency is especially important for vulnerable communities that already experience great uncertainty in the course of their lives.”

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Want to help make more justice housing happen? Get involved, and find out how you can make a difference.

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Ribbon Cutting Marks Jubilee Housing’s Newest Justice Housing Property in Columbia Heights

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The Maycroft will serve 64 families and individuals with deeply affordable housing and supportive services.

Washington, D.C. – On April 11, 2019, Jubilee Housing will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Maycroft, a justice housing apartment community located in the heart of Columbia Heights. The Maycroft has 64 spacious units, a no-cost healthy food market, Jubilee’s Teen Drop-In Center and Family Resource Center, Martha’s Table’s early childhood education center and McKenna’s Wagon, and a Green Enterprise certification. The Maycroft is Jubilee Housing’s tenth apartment complex in Ward 1.

Guests will hear from Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, DHCD Director Polly Donaldson, DCHFA Director and CEO Todd A. Lee, and other community stakeholders. There will also be guided tours of the Maycroft property where attendees can see unit interiors, Martha’s Table facilities, and the Resiliency Room powered by Pepco’s emergency battery.

“Jubilee Housing and Martha’s Table are valued partners in Ward 1, and I am proud to finally have the Maycroft open to provide affordable housing, early childhood and critical community services,” said Ward 1 DC Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau. “I’m excited to welcome our new residents home.”​

Martha’s Table will operate three programs on the first floor of the Maycroft: their nationally accredited early childhood education program for children six weeks through three years of age; McKenna’s Wagon, a mobile food van that serves hot meals to people experiencing homelessness and hunger at two downtown locations; and a no-cost healthy food market located in the lobby of the building.

“It is important to preserve the affordability in buildings like the Maycroft; which has a rich history and residents committed to their community,” said DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Director Polly Donaldson. “That’s why we used a variety of local and federal financing tools to renovate the building and provide supportive and community services. As a result, Maycroft residents are coming home to safe, stable and affordable housing.”

The Maycroft will feature a 50 kilowatt emergency battery funded by a $65,000 grant from Pepco as part of a pilot resiliency project. In the event of a power loss at the building, the battery will power the Resiliency Center for three days. The Resiliency Center will provide refrigeration for medication, a television and radio, lighting, and multiple electrical outlets to charge cell phones and other communications devices.

“We are so pleased to partner with Jubilee Housing to provide this technology that can support our customers when they need us most,” said Melissa Lavinson, senior vice president of Pepco Holdings. “This pilot is part of our ongoing efforts to evaluate new technologies and services that can connect our communities, create new energy choices, and power a cleaner and brighter future for our customers and communities.”

The Maycroft is an Enterprise Green building with a 70.2 kW solar panel array on its roof. The array was made possible through a collaboration with New Partners Community Solar Corp., an independent nonprofit founded by partners at the law firm of Nixon Peabody. This array, combined with other arrays around the city in their community solar pool, will generate up to $50,000 in energy credits that will reduce the electricity bills of Jubilee’s most rent-burdened households, many of them at the Maycroft. The solar array also will provide supplemental power to the battery storage.  Pepco will manage the interface between the battery storage and solar installation in a pilot environment, allowing the company to learn more about how these technologies can be used in future applications.

“Columbia Heights is one of the city’s most thriving areas. We see people getting priced out of this neighborhood every day, so being able to preserve 64 units of affordable housing in this area is something that we feel is important not only to the community, but to the entire city.

“D.C. has become one of the most gentrified areas in the country. In order for everyone to have access to the the District’s prosperity, more deeply affordable housing has to be created in thriving areas,” said Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing’s Executive Director.

Sixty-six percent of the units in the Maycroft will be set aside for families and individuals that make 30% or less of the area median income (AMI). All units will be reserved for families and individuals making 60% or less of the AMI.

Jubilee Housing builds diverse, compassionate communities that create opportunities for everyone to thrive.

Jubilee Housing has been awarded a Capital Magnet Fund Grant of $750,000!

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Awarded through the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, the Capital Magnet Fund helps low-income families and economically distressed communities by attracting investment for affordable housing and related economic development. This CMF Award provides a significant source of capital to directly fund more justice housing to the District of Columbia.

116 organizations applied for this grant, but less than a third received awards.

“We’re proud and grateful to win this incredibility competitive grant.” said Jim Knight, Jubilee’s Executive Director. “This award allows us, in a year when we are already pursuing development on two buildings, to build even more deeply affordable housing for our city to ensure that everyone, even those with the least resources, can thrive!”

Read more about the Capital Magnet Fund and its awardees here.

Jubilee Housing Preserves Affordable Housing in Columbia Heights

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Jubilee Housing is excited to announce the acquisition of 1460 Euclid St NW. This new addition to Jubilee’s portfolio will preserve 25 units of deeply affordable housing for hardworking families in Columbia Heights, including five 3-bedroom and two 4-bedroom units.

Before Jubilee, this building had been declining for many years. While the existing rents are relatively affordable, they are in distressed condition and need a major investment in order to deliver another generation of use in this highly sought after neighborhood.

The Latin Economic Development Center (LEDC) helped the tenants to organize and “shop” for a buyer for their building. After many meetings with Jubilee Housing, the tenants assigned Jubilee their right to purchase the building under the District’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA).

This will be Jubilee Housing’s twelfth justice housing property. Justice housing combines deeply affordable homes in thriving neighborhoods with onsite and nearby supportive programs. These programs include affordable childcare, eviction prevention, financial counseling, health care, asset building, and more within just a few blocks.

1460 Euclid sits east of Malcolm X Park, within walking distance of a wealth of o resources that come with a thriving neighborhood. Residents of this building will be a short walk from multiple grocery stores, a library, schools, a Metro station, and multiple bus lines. This makes the building ideal for growing families and individuals looking to thrive.

“There’s a tension in this city and region that is enabling many people to find increasing opportunity and prosperity and yet is producing the opposite for way too many others. Justice is closing whatever gaps exist. That’s why our homes are called justice housing.” said Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing Executive Director.

This purchase is the second investment for the Justice Housing Partners, LP, which Jubilee Housing established earlier this year. JHP’s institutional investors include The Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation, Share Fund, and United Bank. In addition, 11 individual investors and a substantial commitment from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation were critical in making this acquisition.

TD Bank Awards Jubilee $125,000 Grant

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On November 20, 2018, TD Charitable Foundation surprised Jubilee Housing with a cake and an award for $125,000 as part of their Housing for Everyone grant competition. This grant will support the work of Jubilee Housing to build and preserve 50 more units of deeply affordable housing across Jubilee’s two newest properties: 1460 Euclid St NW and 1724 Kalorama Rd NW.

This award serves as validation of Jubilee’s justice housingTM vision that calls on us to build deeply affordable housing, with onsite and nearby services, in thriving neighborhoods. These buildings will fill a gap in Jubilee’s current housing by adding family-sized units including two 4-bedroom and fourteen 3-bedroom apartments.

Two-thirds of these units will be targeted towards families making less than or equal to 30% of Area Median Income, or just $33k for a family of four. Both of the buildings are in walking distance of grocery stores, schools, doctors, daycare, afterschool programs, and more. By moving into Jubilee Housing, these families will be able to access resources and opportunities they would not have been able to otherwise.

“Once individuals and families can afford their rent, there is more left over to handle other needs. What we offer is a housing-centric approach that enables people to live in well-maintained, affordable homes near supportive services and resources that everyone needs,” said Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing’s Executive Director.

“This is justice housing. We hold deep gratitude for partners such as TD Charitable Foundation that help us build homes for families where they can thrive.”

TD Charitable Foundation awards over $3 million a year to create, rehabilitate, and maintain safe, affordable housing. Terry Kenny, TD Bank Market President, presented the grant award to Jubilee Housing and was joined by TD Bank Vice Presidents – Hugh Franklin, JoAnna Mason, and Donna Grigsby.

While presenting the award, TD Bank noted that Jubilee Housing ranked #1 in its application and that they were proud to support such important work. This is an important confirmation of Jubilee’s model and mission, and shows that even though affordable housing development can be more difficult and expensive in high-resource neighborhoods, the benefits for low-income families to live in these neighborhoods cannot be overstated.

This contribution maintains TD’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment through its newly launched Ready Commitment, a multi-year platform that actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality, and environmental well-being and health, enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As part of The Ready Commitment, TD targets CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through this platform, TD aspires to create a more inclusive tomorrow — helping people of all backgrounds feel more confident, not just about their finances, but about their ability to achieve their goals.

For information, visit td.com/thereadycommitment.

United Bank Invests $270,000 in Justice Housing in the District’s Most Gentrified Neighborhoods

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Washington, DC – United Bank showed their dedication to supporting justice housing for families in the District by investing $250,000 in Justice Housing Partners, LP (The Fund) and a $20,000 donation to help launch a new strategic alliance pilot social services initiative called Platform of Hope.

The investment will help Jubilee Housing reach its goal of building 100 deeply affordable homes for families making 30% of the area median income (AMI) or less in the next five years. Jubilee Housing recently acquired two properties, 1724 Kalorama Road, NW and 1460 Euclid Street, NW with the use of The Fund, with United’s Joe LeMense and Terence Callahan procuring $10.5 million of senior acquisition bridge financing. The acquisitions were also made possible by investments from The Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation, the Share Fund,11 individual investors and a substantial grant from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. These two acquisitions will add 50 units of affordable family dwellings to the stock of apartments in Washington D.C., which will include 2 four-bedroom apartments.

United Bank’s $20,000 donation to the Platform of Hope (POH), will support a collaborative alliance of Washington D.C. non-profits that came together to help Ward 1 families realize and achieve their housing, education, and wellness goals.

POH consists of the Capital Area Asset Builders, For Love of Children, Jubilee Housing, Jubilee JumpStart, Mary’s Center and Sitar Arts Center. Launched in September of this year, the pilot program started with 20 low-income families, guiding them to define and achieve success on their own terms with the support of POH resources, programs, and direction.

“United Bank’s generous investment and donation will allow us to counteract the District’s gap in prosperity by creating more opportunities for families to live in resource rich areas and access programs that will open more doors for them to build a strong foundation and thrive,” said Jim Knight, executive director, Jubilee Housing

Jubilee Housing builds diverse, compassionate communities that create opportunities for everyone to thrive.