To ensure the health and safety of our clients and volunteers and prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), National Rebuilding Day projects on Saturday, September 26 are cancelled. We are so appreciative of our community partners for supporting us through this challenging time.
It was not an easy decision to delay the delivery of our services on National Rebuilding Day to the 40+ individuals and families in need of critical home repairs. However, the health and safety of both our clients and volunteers is our top priority.
YOU Raised $1,800 on Virtual Trivia Night
Virtual Trivia Night was a HUGE success! You raised $1,800 while having fun with family, friends, and coworkers. Thank you District Trivia for helping us pull off a great event.
Housing News
June 24, 2020: COVID-19 Action that Centers Black LGBTQ People Can Address Housing Inequities
The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting the lives of people who are socially and politically marginalized. The struggles faced by the LGBTQ communities, including high rates of homelessness, significant health disparities, high rates of poverty, and increased likelihood of violent victimization compared with heterosexual and cisgender peers, are amplified by current socioeconomic strains.
June 24, 2020: Affordability Rated Poorly in 2020 Alexandria Resident Survey
The survey found 91% of respondents rated Alexandria positively as a place to live and visit. A total of 86% rated the quality of life positively, and 82% rated their neighborhoods positively. There were 80% who are likely to remain in Alexandria for the next five years, but just46% see it as a place to retire.
June 17, 2020: How Prior Economic Disadvantage Exacerbates Foreclosure Risks for Older Women of Color
The Great Recession disproportionately affected older adults and women of color — groups relying on their homes for both housing stability and wealth. Despite this, research had not examined how mortgage troubles affected financial assets for older women across race and ethnicity. The authors built the work on awareness that initial inequality for a person or group may perpetuate over a life span despite high levels of responsibility and risk aversion.
We are proud to announce that we’ve been selected for the Catalogue for Philanthropy’s 2020-2021 class, highlighting our organization as “one of the best” local nonprofits. In light of the challenges we are facing as a community, hope and resilience are more important than ever. To learn more, visit cfp-dc.org.
May 19, 2020: The 10 Tools You Need for Basic Home Repair
Our homes are getting a lot more use while we shelter in place. Here are the tools you’ll need to handle most projects:
April 22, 2020: What Can State and Local Governments Do to Stabilize Renters during the Pandemic?
As part of the Urban Institute’s exploration of policies to protect people and places from the impacts of COVID-19, researchers will be examining how state and local governments can respond to the tremendous rental housing challenges presented by COVID-19. They will present promising strategies to help states and local areas equitably answer, “What do we do when the rent is due?”
April 15, 2020: Can Strategies for Flu Mitigation among Public Housing and Low-Income Residents Apply to COVID-19?
In times like these, effective emergency preparedness and response strategies are essential for ensuring important safety messages and services reach all populations so everyone understands how to keep themselves and their communities safe and healthy.
A couple of the key findings:
Public housing residents are more likely than the general community to have poor health. Whether through distressed public housing or substandard housing in the private market, low-income households have pre-existing risks of respiratory infections, asthma, lead poisoning, injuries, and mental health problems.
Pre-existing health problems for low-income households may increase susceptibility to a pandemic virus or lead to negative health outcomes from additional time spent at home.
March 20, 2020: When Pandemic Hits, Pausing Evictions Can Help Renters and Landlords—But It’s Not Enough
Renters in every state and county in the US already struggle with low incomes and unaffordable housing costs. Evictions already pose serious risks and with the additional financial strain caused by COVID-19, the risk of eviction will rise.
But eviction moratoria on their own, as many governments are proposing or enacting, would only address a small part of the crisis. Without additional rent relief or flexible cash assistance, moratoria could reduce COVID-19 transmission risks today but create an eviction tsunami later.
March 10, 2020: Alexandria to Set More Ambitious Affordable Housing Targets, Following Other Localities
Alexandria could soon become the latest jurisdiction in the region to embrace more aggressive housing production targets, setting a goal as part of a broader bid to address Greater Washington’s supply crunch.
February 11, 2020: For Many Black Washingtonians, Homeownership Remains Out Of Reach
Legal segregation ended in D.C. more than 70 years ago. But for many black Washingtonians, today’s housing market feels as inaccessible as it was during the Truman administration.
In the District, research shows about 50% of black households own their homes, compared to more than 70% of white households — a roughly 20 percentage point gap, according to the Urban Institute. Other metropolitan areas have gaps as high as 51%, but Washington’s disparity is significant for a region with such a robust black middle class.
Obstacles to homeownership undercut African Americans’ ability to build wealth, perpetuating racial segregation and further entrenching poverty. The problem is so severe, the Urban Institute says it “threatens to exacerbate racial inequality for decades to come.”
January 15, 2020: The Cost to Repair America’s Housing Stock—and Which Homes Need It the Most
Affordability and housing quality are the foundations of housing stability, but low-income households often have to sacrifice one for the other. Research suggests living in poor-quality housing can lead to health hazards, safety concerns, financial degradation, and residential instability. So, who is most likely to live in poor-quality housing, and how much would it cost to address the repair needs of the most vulnerable households? This study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and PolicyMap helps answer these questions.
Repairing homes is our tool. Rebuilding lives is our mission. Our volunteers and sponsors give us the opportunity to transform neighborhoods in Washington DC and Alexandria into vibrant places – restoring pride, dignity and hope in our communities.
In 1936, Mary Pherribo, a widowed black woman born to parents who had been enslaved, bought a home and it changed her family's finances for generations. Tai Christensen, her great-granddaughter, said her brave decision in an era of racist housing policies made it possible for Tai's father and uncle to "own multiple properties and pretty much everyone in the family owns a home and has gone to college."
Today, homeownership rates of black people lag even further behind the rates of white people, affecting their ability to build wealth. Please read the full article to learn more about what causes these disparities and their possible solutions. ... See MoreSee Less
Homeownership rates of black people lag behind whites’ rates, impacting their ability to build generational wealth. In the first quarter of 2020, 44 percent of black families owned their home, compa...
Due to growing concerns surrounding a possible next wave of COVID-19, we are no longer going to have projects on September 26th for National Rebuilding Day. We have decided to wait until April 2021. Thank you community partners for allowing us to reallocate funds for current emergency repairs and next year's National Rebuilding Day.
This decision was difficult to make because there are 40-50 homeowners who won't receive repairs from volunteers next month. They will still receive services from our staff and contracting partners, but it will take longer.
You can support your neighbors, making their homes safer and healthier, by giving today!: bit.ly/3cbywBq... See MoreSee Less
