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Ward 7 residents are declaring a victory of sorts with regard to the Linda Joy and Kenneth Jay Pollin Memorial Community Development, in the Kenilworth-Parkside neighborhood. The project is a collaboration of the Pollin family and Enterprise Homes, replacing the Parkside Additions with mixed- income housing. A ground-breaking for the project was scheduled for Dec. 8. Local leaders learned of the event just a few days in advance and organized a boycott, citing the absence of a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) and a relocation plan for current residents.
“The boycott got their attention – [the developers] did come back to the table and are trying to respond,” says Sylvia Brown (ANC 7C04), who helped organize the boycott. Brown reported that ANC 7D and Greg Rhett, president of Eastland Gardens Community Association, were still awaiting responses from the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) and developers, regarding the relocation and the CBA.
Many individuals – including Alissa Woods (7D07), whose single member district encompasses the project – were unavailable at press time, due to the holidays.
Some of the CBA controversy revolves around turkeys: Dorothy Douglas, previous chair of ANC 7D, helped organize two trips – in 2007 and 2008 -- to the Verizon Center for the Washington Wizards holiday dinners. These events were attended by senior citizens from across the city (see Jan. 2009 EOR). ANC 7D – which is now chaired by Willette Seaward -- was later told by a representative of the developer that the turkey dinners constituted at least part of a CBA for the Pollin Memorial project.
Turkey dinners are not a legally binding CBA, Seaward said at a special meeting of ANC 7D on July 31, 2009. In addition, commissioners expressed concern about relocation plans for Parkside Additions residents. In the absence of these documents, 7D voted unanimously to oppose a loan of nearly $8 million for the project.
“We want developers to know that it is a new day in the northern part of Ward 7,” Seaward said in a boycott-related statement. “Whether private or public funding is used, we as residents expect transparency, inclusiveness and measurable long-term benefits for our community."
Ruth Samuelson reported on issues surrounding the ground-breaking in her “Housing Complex” blog on WashingtonCityPaper.com. Samuelson quotes Dena Michaelson, DCHA spokesperson, saying that no major construction or demolition will be carried out until housing vouchers are secured for current residents of Parkside Additions. |
