The regional nonprofit developer’s expansion continues as APAH prepares to break ground on the new affordable senior rental community in Riggs Park
ARLINGTON, VA (July 21, 2023) Today, Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) celebrated the groundbreaking of Riggs Crossing Senior Residences (Riggs Crossing), a new senior affordable housing development coming to Ward 4. The project is part of APAH’s regional expansion and marks its first community in the District of Columbia. When completed, the project will add 93 apartments for independent adults aged 62 and older, located blocks from community amenities, retail, and the Fort Totten Metrorail Station. The community will create 52 apartments for residents with incomes at or below 30% of the Median Family Income (MFI) and 41 apartments for residents at or below 50% of MFI. Ten apartments are designated for Permanent Supportive Housing, with services provided by Jaydot. This mix of unit types will address the growing need for deeply affordable homes in the region.
Riggs Crossing is the product of a partnership with EYA LLC, the developer of the adjacent Riggs Park Place townhome community. “The regional need for affordable homes is only growing,” says APAH President and CEO, Carmen Romero. “APAH’s goal is to create more homes and provide supportive programming that empowers residents. We’re thrilled to bring our innovative, caring approach to housing seniors in Washington D.C. and are thankful to partner with fellow experienced developer, EYA.” Mayor Muriel Bowser touted the project as a welcome addition to Ward 4, stating “This new housing is going to ensure more longtime Washingtonians, including many of our neighbors who have played an important role in the transformation of Riggs Park, can continue their legacies in DC,” said Mayor Bowser. “This project has been a true team effort across District Government and with the community. I started working on this project as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and later as a Ward 4 Councilmember. Over the years, we’ve worked together to bring a grocer, retail, a new library, housing, and now, with this project, we will deliver 93 affordable homes for seniors in Riggs Park.” The District is pleased to see Residents will benefit from APAH’s CORES-certified Resident Services program, which includes personalized support and community connections to help residents remain stably housed while making the most of their homes.
Partners & Financing
The Riggs Crossing project is a critical priority for the District of Columbia and has received significant support from Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), and DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The project was partly funded with over $25 million from the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) from DHCD, as well as land disposed of by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. The HPTF investment provided $25 million in gap financing, which helps APAH leverage additional funding and increase affordability.
DHCD awarded the project with federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) and D.C. tax credits, which, when purchased by Truist Community Capital, total approximately $24 million in equity. This 4% tax credit project received an allocation of $30.6 million in tax-exempt bonds from the District of Columbia’s Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). The project also features commercial space on the ground floor, which will be financed by Virginia Community Capital. Other valued project partners include general contractor DAVIS Construction, architect Torti Gallas + Partners, KCM construction management, and Bohler Engineering. Construction has commenced and will be completed in 2025.
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About APAH
Founded in 1989, APAH helps more than 2,300 households live in stable, secure, affordable rental homes. APAH has nearly 400 affordable apartments under construction and an additional 1,500 in its development pipeline. As a CORES Certified Resident Services provider, APAH delivers comprehensive services to youth, families, and seniors across its 20 properties. APAH was named one of the nation’s Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers of 2019 by Affordable Housing Finance magazine. The organization was named 2021 Developer of the Year by the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND). In 2022, APAH’s Queens Court Apartments received HAND’s Best Large Affordable Housing Project award and the Urban Land Institute’s inaugural Terwilliger Center Award for Innovation in Attainable Housing. Lucille and Bruce Terwilliger Place was named Best Affordable Housing Development at the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference and received a Multi-Family Residential Award of Excellence at the Best of NAIOP Northern Virginia Awards 2022.
About EYA, LLC
For 30 years, EYA, LLC (EYA) and its development affiliates have been a market leader in the development of large-scale, urban infill residential projects. With expertise in the entitlement, development, and construction of for-sale, multi-family, and mixed-income housing, EYA has created more than 40 exceptional neighborhoods that are home to more than 10,000 residents across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. EYA is a privately held company that has completed more than $2 billion of projects that deliver “life within walking distance” throughout the DC region. For additional information about EYA, visit www.eya.com/development.
