The Wheeler Creek Estates Community Development Corp., Inc., was created by the hard work and diligence of the residents of the former Valley Green and Skytower Apartments. The residents decided to take control of their lives and their community by forming a partnership and becoming the Wheeler Creek Estates Community Development Corp., Inc (WCECDC). The partnership goals are very simple; to create housing, employment and business opportunities for the residents of the D.C. Metro Area.

Project Summary

Before and After Photos

The Wheeler Creek of today is a newly constructed 314-unit development consisting of 48 low-income family rental homes and 100 elderly rental apartments, both subsidized by public funds, 32 market-rate rental units, 30 lease/purchase units and 104 homes for purchase. Amenities include a 13,000 square foot community building including daycare center to support the needs of residents. The public housing and market rate units are intermixed and physically indistinguishable from one another.

The ease with which the respective units were rented or sold provides further support of the mixed-income concept employed at all of the DCHA HOPE VI sites.

Wheeler Creek represents the first three properties included in the Gateway Strategy. The completion of Wheeler Creek, and the subsequent awards of HOPE VI funding for the other four Gateway properties, Henson Ridge, Capper Carrollsburg, Eastgate, and Capitol Gateway have sparked significant additional private investment into the community.

Project Highlights

Success of the Wheeler Creek CDC

Supported by the federal HOPE VI grant, in less than five years WCCDC, partnering with private and public entities successfully completed a 314-unit mixed income housing development, established a blue print for successful economic and social self-sufficiency services to public housing residents, and created economic opportunities for one of Washington's most severely distressed communities.

The WCCDC model is considered the consummate representation of a community-based non-profit organization and is now being replicated by other HUD funded HOPE VI projects throughout the country including four in the District of Columbia.

WCCDC has received recognition, nationally and locally, and best practice awards as a model for resident-driven community transformation and revitalization.

As a result of its outstanding accomplishments at Wheeler Creek Estates, the CDC was engaged by District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) to replicate its original success in administering the Community Support Services Programs (CSSP) at four additional HOPE VI sites representing of more than 2,200 mixed-income housing. This places Wheeler Creek CDC in a position to become the leading community-based organization providing services in economic development, affordable housing and other community supportive services to Washington's most distressed resident populations.

Home Ownership Opportunity

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Wheeler Creek currently boasts the largest percentage of home ownership units in any completed HOPE VI site nationwide, with 104 units. A total of 14 former public housing residents successfully made the transition to home ownership at the redeveloped site, with an additional 30 public housing residents involved in a lease to purchase program completing the homeownership process. All units set aside for home ownership by former residents have been purchased.

Economic Development Activity

The HOPE VI project resulted in individual career employment assessment and skills training for residents and full-time, living-wage employment for persons. Additionally, employment services provided by the Wheeler Creek CDC generated private funds for the CDC and resulted in the employment of public housing residents.

State of the Art Senior Center

A beautifully constructed 100-unit senior building is located on the Wheeler Creek property. Amenities include a community room with kitchen facilities, library, computer lab, recreation and exercise room.

On Time Completion

Awarded a HOPE VI Grant in 1997, all of Wheeler Creek’s 314 residential units were completed and fully occupied within 48 months of grant execution.

Awards

Wheeler Creek was awarded HUD’s Best Practices award in 2000, the Innovations in Government Award sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Harvard University in 2001, Best in American Living Design, HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence and the National Association of Homebuilders award in 2002.