New Communities Initiative
District of Columbia
BAE worked with the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and the Housing Authority on three project sites for the New Communities Initiative, which is rebuilding distressed public housing into vibrant mixed-income neighborhoods. With a focus on community-based planning, existing development will be replaced by new subsidized housing, workforce housing, and market-rate units. The Initiative emphasizes case management to prepare public housing residents for self-sufficiency and living wage careers.
BAE supported the planning and implementation of three New Communities: Barry Farms, Lincoln Heights, and Northwest One. BAE analyzed market support for workforce and market rate units and evaluated alternative financing structures for the Barry Farms and Lincoln Heights communities, and estimated the economic benefits of the Northwest One plan. As an example of New Communities Initiative planning, the Barry Farms Redevelopment Plan calls for 654 replacement units for very low income households, along with new market rate units, for a total of 1,110 units. The Plan emphasizes creating a vibrant mixed-use Main Street at Firth Sterling Avenue, rebuilding Birney Elementary school and the community’s recreation center, and expanding a linear park with world-class views of the District’s skyline. The neighborhood's rich African American history will be honored through street and school names, developing a memorial and walking tour, constructing a pedestrian bridge across Suitland Parkway to the Anacostia Metro Station, and repairing the street grid through the neighborhood to increase connectivity.