Dear PoPville – DCHA renovated home sits empty for 3 years

“Dear PoPville,

Why has this house 1334 Irving St. NW (in very desirable Columbia Heights) sat empty for 3 years?

It was renovated by DCHA with HUD funds, supposedly to be sold to low/moderate income DC residents through a homeowership program.

I first contacted Jim Graham about it on Marcy 30, 2011.

Dear Mr. Graham,

Could you please find out what DCHA is doing with the property at 1334 Irving St. NW? There is a sign out front proclaiming a joint project with the “Greening Initiative” and it is currently being gutted and renovated. I spoke to a person working on the renovation who said it will be 2 apartments, but didn’t know anything more.

There is nothing on the DCHA website about this project. Nearby residents would like to know what the plans are for this property.

He forwarded the email to DCHA, with no reply. I emailed again on July 7, 2011, which Graham again forwarded. We received a reply on July 12, 2011 from DCHA.

We received stimulus funding from HUD to repair several scattered site units. The repairs to this address is a part of that effort. The plan for this unit is to sell it to a low/moderate income family participating in DCHA’s Homeownership program.

Adrianne Todman
Executive Director, D.C. Housing Authority

But the place continues to sit empty. My last inquiry was January 6, 2014 and I have again received no reply from either Jim Graham’s office or DCHA.

With so much need for affordable housing it seems criminal to see these two apartments sit empty for 3 years.”