Kentucky Court Grand Opening

On December 16, I joined other officials for the grand opening of the new Kentucky Courts: a mixed-income housing development at Kentucky Avenue and C Street on Capitol Hill. Twelve units are rental homes that are affordable and are reserved for DC Housing Authority residents. The remaining 26 units will be market-rate home ownership units priced at $260,000 to $600,000. IDS, a DC-based firm, is predominantly responsible for the redevelopment of Kentucky Courts.

Kentucky Courts was a public housing community that suffered from poor site design that was both incompatible with the architecture of the surrounding neighborhood and contributed to the proliferation of criminal activity in and around the site. In 1997, the DC Department of Health condemned the property and the residents were relocated. Now, a new Kentucky Court has been created to serve residents.

I've spent the last four years putting together the fundamentals of good government. In real estate, that's meant establishing programs to create and sustain economic development, and targeting the programs to the neighborhoods that need it.

I'm deeply committed to two key economic development priorities: creating "opportunity for all" through neighborhood-based economic development, connecting communities with the economic opportunity that suits them best; And "attracting 100,000 new residents" by providing the lifestyle amenities that you can't find anywhere else. In terms of housing, we've designed a comprehensive housing strategy.

Today, between the city's developments and private developments, there are more than 37,000 units of housing either complete, in production, or in the citywide pipeline.

We're providing people the assistance they need to move from renting to homeownership. And we're helping our city become first in the nation in new homeownership.

Finally, I'm proud that the new 38-unit Kentucky Courts community will be part of Capitol Hill's Historic District. Once a high crime area, this development is a great example of how we're creating safe, vibrant communities for our residents.

The new Kentucky Courts is now the kind of place children can bring their friends home to—a place residents can take pride in. It's an exciting part of a diverse and thriving community—and that's real progress.

District Activities

Mayor Williams helps Santa "Stuff a Truck" for the annual food drive supporting the Capital Area Food Bank.	Mayor Williams speaks to ANC Commissioners at their installation on Sunday, January 2.
DC residents and Iraq war veterans Marcus Gray, Isaac Lewis and Emory Kosh joined Mayor Williams, Congresswoman Norton and Councilmember Carol Schwartz January 3 to urge the House leadership to restore the District's vote in the "Committee of the Whole."	Mayor Williams was on hand along with Sharon Ambrose, Councilmember, Ward 6 and Michael Kelly, Executive Director, DC Housing Authority, for the ribbon cutting ceremony for Kentucky Courts on Capitol Hill. Kentucky Courts is a mixed-income community with 38 condominiums.