Content categorized as Ward 8

DC attorney general sues 7 discriminatory landlords and property managers

Karl Racine announced three lawsuits against seven landlords and property management companies for denying tenancy based on race, disabilities, and sources of income.

How one local teacher works with big dreams and small contributions

Raymond Pyle, who teaches at Moten Elementary school, believes the key to a better education starts with a properly funded community. His classroom goals for students won’t be put into action without proper support.

Former Ward 8 landlord to pay $3.5 million to tenants and DC over poor housing conditions

The former landlord of Forest Ridge and The Vistas, two apartment buildings in Ward 8, has agreed to pay current and former tenants $1.9 million in restitution payments to compensate them for uninhabitable living conditions.

Inconsistent mail delivery in Ward 8 suppresses vote-by-mail participation during the pandemic, lawsuit says

Ward 8 residents sued the D.C. Board of elections claiming that focusing on absentee ballots unfairly left out residents of the ward because mail is not reliably delivered there.

801 East redevelopment on track to finish in September 2021, but stakeholders say there isn’t enough transparency

The state-of-the-art men’s shelter is set to replace a 380-bed facility in Southeast DC by September 2021. But construction atop a former landfill and a Metrorail tunnel have raised environmental and structural concerns. 

Female veterans revamp Calvary Women’s Services in Anacostia

Calvary Women’s Services in Anacostia, a transitional housing program for homeless women, received a one-day makeover in March. The Mission Continues — a nonprofit empowering female veterans to continue their service — brought 68 women to the facility to help with the revamp.

“A beautiful day”: Smithsonian accepts local photographer’s work on gentrification in DC

Joseph Young has lived in his current home for more than 25 years, and he’s seen his neighborhood rapidly transform around him. His photos have captured the story of gentrification in D.C. — and now they’re with the Smithsonian.

Board votes to approve portion of Barry Farm Dwellings as a historic landmark

Months of deliberations of the future of Barry Farm Dwellings came to an end on Jan. 30 after the Historic Preservation Review Board unanimously voted to protect a section of the neighborhood from redevelopment.

Discussions on historic designation of Barry Farm continue into next year

The hearings to determine how much of Barry Farm will be designated as a historic landmark continued Dec. 5 as progress reports were provided.

The fate of United Medical Center remains unsettling to many residents of Ward 7 and 8

Passionate and upset D.C. residents packed shoulder-to-shoulder into room 412 of the Wilson Building for a six-hour hearing on the future of the only hospital east of the Anacostia River.

Rocketship school officials cite new security and communication protocol after attempted kidnapping

School officials at Rocketship Rise Academy Public Charter School presented security and communication changes to protect their students in light of an attempted kidnapping.  

801 East men’s shelter redevelopment on schedule for Summer 2021

The redesign of 801 East Men’s Shelter is currently on schedule to be completed by Summer 2021, according to Keith Anderson, the director of the D.C. Department of General Services. Construction was originally set for April 23, but was pushed back due to a wait for potential contractors.

Housing Authority and former Barry Farm tenants receive second chance to resolve historic preservation debate

The challenging balance to designate parts of Barry Farm and to provide affordable housing compelled the Historic Preservation Review Board to defer until Dec. 5th

Barry Farm historic landmark application put on hold

The Historic Preservation Office challenged the District of Columbia Housing Authority to conclude discussion with the Barry Farm Tenants and Allies Association before Oct. 31.

With limited access to hospital resources in wards 7 and 8, local clinics are bridging the gap in health care

Painted in bold shades of blue, red, green and pink, Whitman-Walker Health’s Max Robinson Center has stood prominently in the historic Anacostia neighborhood, just a… Read more »

Is it over for Hope Village, the last men’s halfway house in DC?

A Street Sense Vendor and former resident of Hope Village describes some of his experiences in the halfway house and why Hope Village should not be in operation anymore.

Barry Farm tenants await a final decision after 20 people testified before the Historic Preservation Review Board two months ago

On July 25, Community members from across the District filled the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB)’s courtroom, many wearing stickers that read, “Yes! Barry Farm… Read more »

After a $5 million pledge from Exelon, the 11th Street Bridge Park needs less than $28 million to reach its goals 

The 11th Street Bridge Project, just 28 million dollars short of its goal, seeks to create D.C.’s first elevated public space and help the communities of Ward 8.

“We’re all we got:” Former and current Hope Village residents fear the future of re-entry in DC

Regardless of the years of reports showing poor conditions and minimal resources, the value of Hope Village remains debated as federally incarcerated DC residents across the country fear losing their one connection to home.

Health care professionals urge DC to build a “full-service” hospital east of the Anacostia River

The D.C. Health Justice Coalition hosted a community discussion on July 11 to develop their arguments for equitable health care throughout the District.