A groundbreaking ceremony for a new affordable housing complex in Northeast D.C. marks the first phase of the Kenilworth Courts redevelopment.
The Kenilworth 166 project has been 10 years in the making and will create 166 new units in Ward 7.
“We are eager to get shovels in the ground, but we’re also eager that every resident knows that they are guaranteed a right to return,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said during Friday’s ceremony.
Residents have relocated as the area undergoes construction. Bowser said this is an opportunity to create housing that is both safe and affordable.
The $83 million project will offer 118 subsidized units as well as 48 affordable units at 50% of the median income for a family of four.
Brenda Donald, the executive director of the DC Housing Authority, said there will also be a senior building and courtyards.
“This project is more than bricks and mortar,” Donald said. “Our developments offer, of course, housing, but also opportunities for growth, for development.”
Bowser commented that the project is “investing in the promise of this community, the families who have lived here for decades and the neighbors who will join them.”
That includes jobs and giving residents the opportunity to participate in training that will allow them to take a hands-on approach in revitalizing their community.
The project is part of Mayor Bowser’s goal to create an additional 36,000 units of housing by 2025, which includes at least 12,000 units of affordable housing.
