Anonymous
03/25/2025 22:52
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm seeking to move to an apartment in NW DC but this is alarming. Can someone kindly explain which buildings participate in the Housing First program? Or do all of them? And must condo landlords accept vouchers as well?
I am a single mom looking for a relatively safe and affordable place to live. I'm used to city living.
Any guidance appreciated!
Schools in DC are horrible MS and above for the most part. Look in Bethesda, Pooks Hill is affordable and has good schools.
Not true at all. Good lord. My kids all went/going to Murch/Deal/JR. Perfect? Nope - but they really amaze me with how solid they can be. Some very good teachers. Some bad. But when I compare notes with friends in private - they come out a little ahead in terms of science especially with the Academies at JR. And big schools have their pluses. Kids learn to advocate for themselves. They can always find another friend group if things go south.
I live near CT North of Van Ness. The buildings that I notice with the most police presence are The Brandywine and The Sangamore - across from each other at Brandywine and CT - and if you look at the Sangamore on Google Maps it even has the dmv exotic smoke shop listed as a business in it! , Connecticut House at Albemarle & CT, and The Chesapeake Apartments. These are the main players.
But there has also been police presence outside Ellicott House and the one next to it at Davenpport and Ct. Condos seems to be much calmer. The Avalon is lowkey and stable but with this change coming.
As far as the crime - it is not great but if you have lived in the city any amount of time or in areas other than Upper NW - it's not that big a deal. Would I hate to live in a building with some of these people, yes?
Not sure you live in area, building is The Saratoga. 4600 is condos and has had a lot of issues.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 10:33
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Anonymous wrote:But despite all these changes, Frumin will most likely be reelected. Its easier for an incumbent to win, but there also must be support for these plans. Voters elected him knowing he was a supporter of affordable housing.
He's beatable if a viable candidate steps forward soon. I ask Frumin's supporters to name just one initiative he has spearheaded to make Ward 3 a better place to live? I cannot name one. He's done exactly nothing.
And no, claiming to walk/cycle to public meetings but really parking a couple of blocks away and hoping no one sees him walking to his car doesn't count.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 08:52
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm seeking to move to an apartment in NW DC but this is alarming. Can someone kindly explain which buildings participate in the Housing First program? Or do all of them? And must condo landlords accept vouchers as well?
I am a single mom looking for a relatively safe and affordable place to live. I'm used to city living.
Any guidance appreciated!
Schools in DC are horrible MS and above for the most part. Look in Bethesda, Pooks Hill is affordable and has good schools.
Not true at all. Good lord. My kids all went/going to Murch/Deal/JR. Perfect? Nope - but they really amaze me with how solid they can be. Some very good teachers. Some bad. But when I compare notes with friends in private - they come out a little ahead in terms of science especially with the Academies at JR. And big schools have their pluses. Kids learn to advocate for themselves. They can always find another friend group if things go south.
I live near CT North of Van Ness. The buildings that I notice with the most police presence are The Brandywine and The Sangamore - across from each other at Brandywine and CT - and if you look at the Sangamore on Google Maps it even has the dmv exotic smoke shop listed as a business in it! , Connecticut House at Albemarle & CT, and The Chesapeake Apartments. These are the main players.
But there has also been police presence outside Ellicott House and the one next to it at Davenpport and Ct. Condos seems to be much calmer. The Avalon is lowkey and stable but with this change coming.
As far as the crime - it is not great but if you have lived in the city any amount of time or in areas other than Upper NW - it's not that big a deal. Would I hate to live in a building with some of these people, yes?
Anonymous
03/25/2025 08:37
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
But despite all these changes, Frumin will most likely be reelected. Its easier for an incumbent to win, but there also must be support for these plans. Voters elected him knowing he was a supporter of affordable housing.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 07:29
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Frumin’s silence on this issue has been appalling. The voucher issue has grown exponentially worse during his tenure with multiple children being killed and countless acts of violence. His limited legislative efforts have, predictably, gone no where. And to add salt to the wound a marijuana dispensary was allowed to open across the street from several “nuisance” buildings where the #1 complaint was the stench of weed. His four years in office will go down as perhaps the worst ever for Ward 3 and given the economic headwinds we are facing may never be corrected.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 23:40
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
It’s not just buildings in Van Ness, but in Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, on Wisconsin, Glover Park, etc. Many parents who could not afford a SFH have lived in those buildings for access to good schools (Oyster, Eaton, Murch, Janney, Stoddart, etc) and many elderly planned to age in place in walkable and formerly safe neighborhoods.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 23:36
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
The process started well before Frumin, see the series WP did on Sedgewick Gardens. Even though the plan is to fill units with those making 60-80% median income, in DC, voucher holders must be accepted, even in such set aside units. It is illegal to not accept them. It’s important to be clear that rent controlled buildings, depended on by the elderly, single moms, etc. are being swapped out for private public housing by Bowser initiatives. We may think this would provide housing for teachers, nurses, etc but that may well not be who ends up there.
Prostitution and drug dealing take place in and around many buildings on Connecticut and Wisconsin that have become 50%+ vouchers.
Prostitution and drug dealing take place in and around many buildings on Connecticut and Wisconsin that have become 50%+ vouchers.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 22:22
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Anonymous wrote:The Avalon is a really large bldg, think I saw 550 units. It’s concerning. There has been so much violence in and outside surrounding buildings.
I wish lowering rents to get more middle class paying tenants was ever on the table. Before HF took off many of the Van Ness bldg offered free months for a move in special and historically they offered discount coupons.
It’s esp sad for elderly with social ties who had planned to age in place and single/divorced moms who used to flock to the buildings for safety and access to good schools.
That neighborhood was a haven for the elderly and single parents for decades and turned to what it is now almost overnight while Frumin cheered this on.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 22:20
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Maybe, just maybe, in the last Ward 3 election more people should have voted for the candidate who wanted a moratorium on more housing vouchers in these buildings?
Anonymous
03/24/2025 22:20
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Anonymous wrote:I love the histrionics from the people who are conflating "affordable housing" with "homeless shelters"
The proposal here is for affordable housing, not a homeless shelter.
I really wish this person would come back and acknowledge how their comment—intended to put down others—simply revealed their own ignorance about the situation.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 17:10
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
The Avalon is a really large bldg, think I saw 550 units. It’s concerning. There has been so much violence in and outside surrounding buildings.
I wish lowering rents to get more middle class paying tenants was ever on the table. Before HF took off many of the Van Ness bldg offered free months for a move in special and historically they offered discount coupons.
It’s esp sad for elderly with social ties who had planned to age in place and single/divorced moms who used to flock to the buildings for safety and access to good schools.
I wish lowering rents to get more middle class paying tenants was ever on the table. Before HF took off many of the Van Ness bldg offered free months for a move in special and historically they offered discount coupons.
It’s esp sad for elderly with social ties who had planned to age in place and single/divorced moms who used to flock to the buildings for safety and access to good schools.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 17:04
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Was this ever raised at an ANC meeting? Has Courtney Carlson made any statement?
Anonymous
03/24/2025 15:52
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
I'm the mom thinking about moving to DC: thank you for all the input.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 15:29
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Residents are trying for TOPA. Not sure if there are enough non-voucher residents left. Wish them luck.
Anonymous
03/24/2025 14:25
Subject: Van Ness Public Housing
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That's me -- a regular working class person. My child will be in private school due to my ex's job. So with the school issue aside, is DC still feasible? Thanks.
As someone in a similar situation, I’d avoid. Plus VA and MD offer lower taxes and state college options.
DC has the lowest tax burden of the three.