2019 - Building Homes and Community News from AHC Greater Baltimore l December 2019 Developing affordable homes and helping communities thrive since 1975. 2019 - A Year of Building Homes and Community 2019 has been a busy year as AHC Greater Baltimore continues our mission of developing affordable homes and helping communities thrive. Highlights include: Building and Preserving Homes We were delighted to be named one of the top 50 affordable housing developers in the country by Affordable Finance Magazine. Our construction and development teams have been busy this year in Virginia, Maryland and DC. Highlights include breaking ground at The Spire in Alexandria; topping off The Apex in Arlington; celebrating the renovation of two older properties, Lafayette Apartments in Fairfax and Colonial Village West in Arlington (see below); participating in a partnership to redevelop a 7-acre project in Baltimore; continuing to work on Waterfront Station, a joint venture in Southwest DC; and acquiring a new property in Montgomery County. Innovation Award Our community efforts have also been recognized. AHC Greater Baltimore's Health and Wellness Program at MonteVerde Apartments received the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition's 2019 Innovation Award for creating a comprehensive onsite network to help elderly residents improve access to health care services and decrease isolation. Housing + Education = Success Other Resident Services accomplishments include a new Career Fair initiative for middle and high school students that is already paying off with internships and job shadowing opportunities. All 24 AHC high school grads went to college - the first in their families. We are also thrilled by our students' impressive persistence rate in college. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 84% of AHC students stick with college and graduate. This compares to 56% of first-generation students and 74% of students with college-educated parents. We credit our awesome tutors, onsite K-12 programs and, of course, our amazing students' determination and tenacity for this impressive achievement. Building Community Along with our Resident Services programs, AHC is also committed to building community throughout the areas we serve. This year, for example, we hosted a Faith and Housing Round Table in Alexandria that included the HUD Secretary and City representatives. We also created a safety initiative in Arlington's Green Valley neighborhood with community partners and AHC residents. And, in Baltimore, our annual Women's Empowerment Conference inspired more than 25 local residents to connect and overcome obstacles. Thank you! None of our work (or successes) would be possible without the support of our many volunteers, partners and supporters. We are grateful for each and every one of you and all you do to provide affordable homes and strong futures for residents in the communities we serve. AHC's 2019 Highlights Colonial Village West Renovation Complete! The year-long Colonial Village West renovation in Arlington is complete! To celebrate, AHC and Harkins Builders hosted a holiday gathering for residents in the brand new community room. The 750-square-foot community space will be furnished with computers and plenty of activity space. The renovation focused on improving sustainability and building systems, including all new energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, water-saving fixtures, new windows, roofs and plumbing. The large 1930s garden-style apartment community is on the National Register of Historic Places. An AHC community since 1982, the apartment community serves 70 families and seniors. The $24 million renovation financing came together with support from long-time AHC partners, including a tax-exempt bond issuance by the Arlington County Industrial Development Authority, 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), and a permanent loan from Freddie Mac through Capitol One. Thankful for Community Generosity Thanksgiving is one of AHC's favorite holidays. Each fall, AHC Management and Resident Services staff members pull out all the stops to serve turkey and all the fixings to residents at six of our Arlington community centers. This year, 800 residents celebrated with us! We are grateful to all the volunteers and community partners who helped purchase, cook or serve 40 turkeys this year. A special thank you to Amazon Web Services, Marymount University Women’s Lacrosse team, Embassy Suites -Hilton Crystal City National Airport, Mason's Lodge #58 and Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)! It is always wonderful to see so many families, friends and neighbors enjoy being together on such a special holiday. And to eat lots of delicious home-made pie. :) Read: Affordable Housing Developer AHC Serves Over 40 Turkeys to Community Members, ARLnow, 11/27/19 Virginia Affordable Housing News and Actions Governor proposes $92 million for housing affordability: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced earlier this month that his proposed budget will include $92 million in new funding to address housing affordability, eviction rates, and supportive housing throughout the Commonwealth. Read more. Ensure Affordable Housing is in Arlington's Annual Budget: The Arlington County Manager is looking for input on both the annual budget and 10-year planning process. Please take a few minutes to highlight the critical need for affordable housing. Link to survey. Attend Alexandria 2020 Housing Summit on Jan. 11: This full-day, free event will examine the City's progress and explore bold new ideas to address the City's affordable housing challenges and opportunities in 2020 and beyond. Information and registration. Hot Off the Press Check out AHC's latest newsletter with updates on our development projects, Resident Services activities, volunteers, new Board members and community awards. Click here for a pdf. Give Today Supporters of the Combined Federal Campaign can pledge to AHC via CFC #77198. Thank you! AHC Inc. | 703-486-0626 | 2230 N Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22201 | www.ahcinc.org l DONATE NOW! ‌ ‌ ‌ AHC Inc. | 2230 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22201 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | About Constant Contact Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!