July 7, 2009

(Washington, DC) – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty joined representatives of Fannie Mae and Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Director Leila Finucane Edmonds in Ward 8 for a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening of DHCD’s Housing Resource Center, a new one-stop shop for quality affordable housing services for low and moderate-income families and individuals in the District.

“The Housing Resource Center will offer an unprecedented array of services to put District families and individuals in a home” said Mayor Fenty. “We are pleased to launch this hub of quality affordable housing services at Anacostia Gateway, and my Administration will remain committed to making investments here in this community that continue to raise the standard of living for our residents.”

The new housing resource center, the planning and development of which was supported by Fannie Mae, serves as DHCD’s central source of services, programs, and information that help the District’s low and moderate-income families and individuals purchase and rehabilitate homes and prevent mortgage default and foreclosure. In addition to quality one-on-one services, the center offers computer stations for customers to access the District’s affordable housing locator dchousingsearch.org. An onsite housing provider ombudsman provides technical assistance to small housing providers of property located in the District of Columbia, and an information area offers a variety of literature about DHCD programs and those offered by other housing agencies including Fannie Mae and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Furthermore, University Legal Services (ULS), a community-based organization of in-take specialists with an expertise in DHCD’s housing programs, is located at the center and provides rental counseling to assist DC residents with locating affordable and accessible housing. Finally, the center also houses the Housing Regulation Administration (HRA), which administers the District’s rental housing and condominium laws.

“Making sure that all city residents have access to our programs and services is an important goal of DHCD,” said Director Edmonds. “The DHCD Housing Resource Center aims to provide outstanding customer advice and customer service.”

DHCD’s Housing Resource Center is located at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE and Good Hope Road, SE, accessible via bus routes along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, and less than a mile from the Anacostia Metro Station. The center’s hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Customers can contact the center by phone at (202)-442-6998.
The key objectives of the Department of Housing and Community Development are to finance the production of quality affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, preserve quality affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, increase economic opportunities for low and moderate income residents, and ensure fair and quality housing practices by administering rental housing regulations.

For more Congress Heights and River East news visit The Congress Heights Examiner website, http://www.examiner.com/x-13507-Congress-Heights-Community-Examiner

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