Meeting Notes: East of the River Community Development Corporation meeting June 23, 2008 6:30pm

Perhaps I am biased (this was the first community meeting I attended) but it definitely wont be my last. This meeting set my expectations for community/non profit meetings going forward. Overall, the board members were friendly, insightful and patient in explaining things to a newbie such as myself. They were welcoming and very inviting. In their words "no one from the community has ever come in to observe the meeting although it is a public meeting."

The building is held in the East of the River Community Development Corporation offices on the 3rd floor of 3029 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE ( I think this is the Care First Hospital Building but will have to check).

Not only was the meeting informative but very inspiring. Highly recommend the meeting to anyone who is interested in community and business development as well as affordable housing East of the River.

For those of you who like me who wasn't sure exactly what exactly the East of the River Community Development Corporation (ERCDC) does. Here is a snippet taken from their website, http://www.ercdc.org/. FYI - ERDC was founded in 1988 - they have been around for a while.

"Mission
East of the River CDC's purpose is to serve as a change agent and leader in the revitalization and transformation of Ward 8 and its surrounding neighborhoods.

ERCDC seeks to leverage its real estate development initiatives in response to the brick and mortar priorities identified through our community building activities. By engaging a strategy that focuses on the neighborhood by neighborhood needs of Ward 8 residents, we seek to provide customized real estate solutions east of the Anacostia.
Prior to embarking on a renovation or new construction projects, ERCDC takes its direction from the community to determine what types of residential and commercial developments will address neighborhood needs and offer optimal value. ERCDC believes this approach provides neighborhood stakeholders with real estate products that are viable and sustainable. "

TOPICS DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING

• Facade Improvement Plan which should be ready to be implemented in August or September of 2008. This program should be coupled with ERCDCs current weatherization plan. Continuity design for businesses in the Enterprise Zone has already been submitted to DHCD


• Affordable Housing opportunities

Will post the date, time and location of the next meeting soon. To the ERCDC call (202) 561-4974 or fax (202) 561-4978. You can also email: webmaster@ercdc.org

ERCDC BOARD MEMBERS - 2008

Terry B. Thomas

Antoinette Barksdale

Kathleen Holly

Cherry V. Gillis

Gladys General

Melvin Sims

John Gloster

Jacque Patterson

Nate Howard

Michael Butler

Roger Solomon