Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Subsidized Housing at V and Fendall?

A conversation has been growing on the Historic Anacostia Google Group about the buildings being renovated at V and Fendall Streets.



The buildings are owned and under development by Pounds Properties, the development company of former Redskin Darryl Pounds.



According to Mr. Pounds, when construction is complete the buildings will be sold to the city and the units will become housing for single mothers.



I'm glad that Pounds is finally finishing work on these properties, which have sat abandoned for as long as I've been around the neighborhood. What do you think?

11 comments:

staff writer said...

Single mothers need housing, no doubt.

But what about single fathers? They are too often ignored. Women aren't always the ones abandoned with the responsibility of kids.

And though I'm happy that the project will finally come to completion, I REALLY hope The Pound Company GREATLY improves that edifice. It's a severe eyesore and inappropriate for a community trying to improve its image.

There's something depressing about edifices like those. I love brick, but THAT kind of brick (as well as cheap stucco, etc.) screams "PO' HOUSE!"

Ange in Anacostia said...

"Housing for single mothers" sounds like a euphamism for something else.

Anonymous said...

smells like some ole DC Gov't Bullshit to me. "single mothers"...yup some bullshit

Angry Parakeet said...

That is too vague: "for single mothers..." If the use is that loose, let's realistically add "and their unemployed boyfriends who see a freebie"

here we go again said...

aren't 99% of females in SE a single mother? 3 times over? Has anyone done a check to see how many other social service programs are in the area? Isn't 50% of housing in Ward 8 subsidized? Do we really need more?

Homer said...

more poverty pimps. More incentives for people to make bad decisions. When is the community going to stand up and preach birth control, education and self sufficiency?

Anonymous said...

I agree Anacostia doe not need anymore subsidized housing. It's time to focus on education, and accountability. Anacostia was a thriving community and hopes to be that again one day. Subsidized homes will continue the neighborhood down the path it's been stuck on for the past 50 years.

Anacostiaque said...

I lean "No" towards more subsidized housing in Anacostia. However, it's all about ownership so unless people (in general) step up and buy these types of properties TO LIVE there will always be opportunities for investors to purchase, flip any kind of way, and go the social service route, while making a buck.

There are many long-standing properties in need of love, but most would rather go somewhere else. While many talk about what Anacostia should do, many of these folks themselves, would prefer not to live in Anacostia, leaving the "good" fight to those who are actually living in Anacostia, but far outnumbered.

It's simple mathematics on some level.... Those who need outnumber those who don't over here and this plays out in politics, success of business, safety, etc...

Loitering, safety and fear concerns, keeps folks from wanting to move here. Still in 2011, most think of that, when I mention SE. Therefore properties here tend to sit a little longer. These same properties become ripe for social services.

Respectfully....

Dale Banks said...

I vote no. Healthcare buildings, community centers, subsidized housing? How can working class families thrive if there's no places for them to live? My family's already outgrown my condo but I love Anacostia and don't want to leave. Where are the breaks for hard working, middle class taxpayers?

V street Resident said...

I live at Fendall and V and while I'll be glad to see the building finished, most of the housing on the adjacent block is subsidized housing for single mothers. If I had heard about this meeting earlier I would have attended to protest. I doubt that this will have a positive impact on my property values. Time for me to move.

Anonymous said...

the ignorance in these comments...wow