
L to R: HAND Executive Director Heather Raspberry, Mark Rengel, VP of Development for The Menkiti Group, Corey Powell, COO of Dantes Partners.
Team recognized for “Best Small Affordable Housing Project” in the Metropolitan Region for Girard Street Senior Apartments
July 21, 2017, WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday The Menkiti Group, an integrated real estate services company dedicated to enhancing the fabric of life in America’s urban neighborhoods, and its development partner, Dantes Partners, a Washington, DC-based real estate developer, were honored by the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) as the developers of the ‘Best Small Affordable Housing Project’ in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The team was recognized for developing the 25-unit Girard Street Senior Apartments in Brookland. This marks the second time that the team has received this award, having been previously recognized for the Justice Park Apartments in Columbia Heights.
HAND is a multi-state regional membership association dedicated to supporting the community development industry in its efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Every year, the HAND Housing Achievement Awards recognize the most outstanding and innovative housing developments, programs, and solutions to creating more vibrant communities across the metropolitan region.
The Girard Street Senior Apartments is a 25-unit modern, luxury-quality senior living community located at 1545 Girard Street NE in the heart of Brookland in Washington, DC that exemplifies innovative partnerships, financing, and design. The project was developed in response to a strong demand for affordable senior housing to support the District’s most at-risk and underserved residents – the elderly homeless. This project utilized Low Income Housing Tax Credits, gap financing from the DC Department of Housing and Community Development, as well as private financing. Out-of-pocket rent for residents is capped at a maximum of 30% of income and Local Rent Supplement Program funds are available for 100% of the units. Delivered on a fast-track schedule, construction was completed in less than a year and each unit was fully occupied just four weeks after issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. The project meets Enterprise Green Communities Criteria requirements and is ideally located near public transportation and numerous neighborhood amenities and services. The project was completed in July 2016.
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The Menkiti Group is a Washington, DC-based real estate services company dedicated to enhancing the fabric of life in America’s urban neighborhoods through the strategic development, management, and sale of residential and commercial property. Over the past 13 years, The Menkiti Group has delivered and maintains in its pipeline more than 1.5 million square feet of property in more than 161 projects to date, has invested over $180 million in DC’s emerging neighborhoods, and has assisted over 2,000 families in purchasing and selling homes. The Menkiti Group also owns and operates Keller Williams Capital Properties in the Washington, DC metro area, one of the fastest-growing franchises of Keller Williams Realty International, with seven offices, nearly 1,000 agents, and more than $2.1 billion in transactions in 2016. For more information phone (202) 733-5455.
Dantes Partners, founded in 2006, is a District-based real estate development company whose mission is to facilitate and enhance local economic development by designing innovative funding solutions for community-based real estate initiatives. To date, Dantes Partners’ efforts have led to the development and preservation of nearly 1,200 residences and nearly $380M of public and private financing secured.