The Amazon Housing Equity Fund’s most recent commitment—$147 million to create and preserve 1,260 affordable homes in Washington, D.C.—is a major milestone toward an overall goal to bring 20,000 homes to low-to-moderate income households across our hometown communities.
The recently announced homes will be built or preserved in six of Washington’s eight wards by a diverse group of minority-led organizations. In addition, the Amazon Housing Equity Fund is helping to create or preserve affordable housing in nearby Maryland and Virginia communities (which brings the Fund’s most recent investment to $163 million for the entire D.C./Maryland/Virginia region.)
This milestone was celebrated publicly at an event held at Congress Heights—one of the locations where Amazon is providing funding. In this case, Amazon is supporting the work of the National Housing Trust (NHT), a minority-led nonprofit developer creating 179 units of affordable housing at this location.
The celebration’s featured speakers included Housing Equity Fund Director Catherine Buell, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, General Manager of the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) Randy Clarke, President and CEO of NHT Priya Jayachandran, and Dwight Jameson, a current resident of Congress Heights and member of the community’s tenant association.
“Today is about partnership, commitment, and perseverance,” said Bowser. “Partnership with Amazon, the National Housing Trust, WMATA, and our community partners. A commitment to build 36,000 new homes by 2025, with at least 12,000 of them affordable. And perseverance from the families who stuck with us and will soon be able to return home to this location—and what a location it is.”
With the announcement, Amazon has committed to help create 6,200 affordable homes in the Washington area. “We’re proud to work with a diverse set of experienced partners to create and preserve much-needed affordable homes that help keep long-term residents in the community while bolstering our diverse and historic neighborhoods,” said Buell. “By working with these diverse development organizations, we can create long-lasting and inclusive affordable housing closer to public transit and other amenities that will improve quality of life for residents. We’ll also help ensure families across Washington are not displaced from their communities.”
Since launching in January 2021, the Amazon Housing Equity Fund has increased the long-term committed multifamily affordable housing stock in Arlington, Virginia, by 22% (based on data provided by Arlington County). And these newly announced projects will build on this success and will increase access to affordable housing throughout Washington.
With the announcement, the Amazon Housing Equity Fund has committed to create or preserve more than 10,000 affordable homes across the company’s hometown communities, so far. These homes are providing high-quality, affordable housing for low-to-moderate income individuals and families, representing first responders, teachers, and service industry employees whose wages haven’t kept pace with escalating rents.
In addition to bringing these projects to life, Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund is committed to keeping the homes affordable for years to come. Each commitment ensures the long-term preservation of affordability (generally, 99 years, with limited exception) and will make housing available to individuals and families earning 30–80% of the area median income (AMI). The development partners and projects represented in the announcement include the following.
Holmead Place Apartments
Holmead Place Apartments consists of 99 homes in Ward 1 that will be converted into affordable, accessible residential units for households earning 30–80% AMI. Wesley Housing, the site developer, provides safe, quality, and affordable housing across the Washington metropolitan area.
The Mount Pleasant Preservation Project
The Mount Pleasant Preservation Project will consist of the preservation of Richman Towers, Sarbin Towers, and Park Marconi in the Mount Pleasant community in Ward 1. The Project will convert 165 apartment homes into affordable homes for households earning 40–80% AMI. The Project developer is Jubilee Housing, a nonprofit housing developer focused on creating affordable homes with onsite and nearby services in thriving communities.
Parcel 42
Parcel 42 (previously announced by Mayor Bowser in February) is a new, mixed-use project currently under construction that will include 108 units of affordable housing in Ward 2’s Shaw Neighborhood for households earning between 30%-80% AMI. Dantes Partners designs and structures innovative funding and financing solutions for affordable, workforce and mixed-income housing and community-based real estate initiatives.
S Street Village
S Street Village will be a new development with 90 units of affordable housing at 60% AMI in Ward 2. The site will be developed by Manna, Inc., a nonprofit affordable housing consultancy and developer committed to helping low-income and moderate-income persons acquire affordable, quality housing across Washington.
325 Vine
325 Vine will be a newly constructed apartment building in Ward 4 that will include 102 affordable units for households earning 60–80% AMI and will feature the preservation of two historic homes. The property is located across the street from the Takoma Metro station. The project is supported by SGA Companies, a full-service firm specializing in transit-oriented, multifamily residential and mixed-use retail properties in the Washington metro area.
4111 Kansas Ave NW
4111 Kansas Ave NW, a newly constructed residential building (originally designed as condominiums), will include 40 new affordable units for households earning 50–80% AMI in Ward 4. With Amazon’s support, the property was purchased by So Others Might Eat (SOME) nonprofit with comprehensive programs designed to help neighbors experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty find pathways out of poverty and achieve long-term stability and success.
2026 Maryland Ave NE
2026 Maryland Ave NE, located in the Carver-Langston neighborhood of Ward 5, will include the preservation of 320 affordable units for households earning 30–60% AMI. These apartments will be preserved by Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, a leading owner and developer of mixed-use properties and attainable housing.
The Residences at Benning Road
The Residences at Benning Road will be the second affordable, assisted-living community in Ward 7. This transit-oriented development, located at the former site of an Industrial Bank branch (one of the first Black-owned banks in the region), will create 156 new affordable apartments for households at 60% AMI within one block of the Benning Road Metro station. The Residences will be developed by Gragg Cardona Partners, a company that has been working for more than two decades on revitalizing Washington-area neighborhoods by using public/private partnerships to bring about new investments in housing, commercial space, and community facilities.
Congress Heights Apartments
The Congress Heights Apartments in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Ward 8, which will include the construction of 179 new affordable units for households earning 30–80% AMI. The apartments will be developed by the NHT, which works to ensure that privately owned rental housing remains in the affordable housing stock, using the tools of real estate development, rehabilitation, finance, and advocacy—all with sustainability in mind.
In addition to the Washington projects, Amazon is providing funding to the following developers to create additional affordable housing in Maryland and Virginia.
210 on the Park
A. Wash & Associates, Inc. and Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures (NREUV) are both Black-led real estate development organizations with deep ties to the Washington area. They are collaborating on 210 on the Park, which will be a newly constructed development containing 130 affordable units for households earning 70–80% AMI. The apartment complex is located a short distance from the Capitol Heights Metro station in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and includes retail space that will offer discounted rates for local and minority businesses.
Colchester Towne Condominiums
Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services’ mission is to reduce homelessness, increase community support, and promote self-sufficiency. Good Shepherd Housing has served the housing needs of northern Virginia families and individuals for more than 40 years. They are acquiring 18 homes in the Colchester Towne Condominiums and will preserve these at 50% AMI in Alexandria, Virginia.
Nebel Street
Montgomery Housing Partnership (MHP) is a nonprofit serving the residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, and neighboring communities. The organization is committed to housing people, empowering families, and strengthening neighborhoods. Since 1989, MHP’s mission has been to preserve and expand access to quality, affordable housing. MHP is developing Nebel Street, which will be a new construction development containing 163 affordable homes for households earning 30–80% AMI.
The Amazon Housing Equity Fund is a $2 billion+ commitment to create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes. To learn more, visit us at the Amazon Housing Equity Fund site.
