Somerset, in collaboration with the 3500 14th Street, N.W. Tenant Association, recently completed a historic renovation of the Cavalier Apartments and preserved the affordable rents for all the tenants living there.  Mayor Adrian Fenty officiated at the ribbon cutting on April 27, 2009 and the renaming of the Cavalier Apartments to “Hubbard Place” in honor of community leader Leroy Hubbard, whose career was dedicated to rebuilding 14th Street after the civil disorders of 1968.

The building, which was constructed in the late 1920’s and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a nine story mid-rise with 230 apartments along with ground floor retail and office spaces, located just blocks from the new D.C. USA retail complex, Tivoli Theater, and the Columbia Heights metro line. The renovations and the new on-site resident services have transformed this once very distressed property into a vibrant new community which is safe and secure, making the property once again an asset to the neighborhood.

Hubbard Place is a model for transforming troubled, publicly assisted housing into decent and safe homes which provide a platform of opportunity for its residents.  Through the collaboration of the federal government, the local government, a core of committed residents, the neighboring community and the private sector, a holistic approach has been taken to address the physical, security, social and economic needs of the property and its residents.  Somerset and the tenant association collaborated from the beginning of the project on the design, the temporary relocation plan and the development of program of services tailored to the needs of residents.  The renovations included new elevators, the creation of new community spaces and a computer lab, secure access, new kitchen and baths, windows, roof, and all new common areas. 

Utilizing tax exempt bonds, low income housing tax credits, Federal historic tax credits and financing from the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development and D.C. Housing Authority, Somerset has made major upgrades to the building which have vastly improved the quality of life for the residents. All 230 apartments are subject to a HUD Section 8 rental assistance contract.  The improvements included fire and safety code upgrades and implementation of a security plan.

Three new retail and office spaces for local businesses and a non-profit were created on the ground floor.  Black Lion Deli and George’s Shoe repair, as well as the Workforce Investment-Social Entrepreneurship (WISE) program of the Latin America Youth Center are now located at Hubbard Place, preserving and reinforcing a sense of community for the neighborhood. Youth from the WISE program were hired to create a mural depicting the revival of 14th Street which now graces the lobby of the building.

Working with the tenant association and the support of the Department of Human Services, Somerset is instituting a broad range of social services. A full time resident coordinator on site is responsible for implementing and developing programs and partnerships.  The services program is providing a platform of opportunity for residents to enhance their lives which include:

• an after school program,
• computer training
• senior programs
• health and wellness, with free health screenings and other services from an on-site home health care provider
• youth mentoring, conflict resolution and gang prevention
• job training, GED study, and job placement

Through an agreement with the D.C. Housing Authority, eight of the seventeen new UFAS (handicapped) units, which were built as part of the redevelopment program, were reserved for qualified candidates from DCHA’s waiting list, in exchange for eight housing vouchers which were awarded to very large families living at Hubbard Place apartments in crowded conditions so that they could find more suitable housing off-site.  This agreement created a win-win situation for all involved.