Online: thesouthwester.com The @TheSouthwester SouthwesterServing the Southwest and Capitol Riverfront Communities Copyright © 2012 Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, Inc., All rights reserved. December 2012 Circulation 12,000 FREE Published by the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, Inc. (SWNA) — a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable and educational corporation. For Sale? For Redevelopment? Inside: Four apartment properties n A Spooky Time have been put on the market See more photos, page 6. By Kael Anderson association already exists, they must provide a (Photo by Saadia Athias) statement of interest within 30 days of notice. our large multi-family apartment proper- If there is no corporation, the tenants have 45 ties in Near Southwest/Southeast have days to organize and submit their statement of F been put on the market. This potentially interest to the D.C. Department of Housing transformative development has raised a num- and Community Development (DHCD). There ber of concerns from residents and neighbors. are a number of requirements to incorporating Property transfers can lead to displacement of a tenants association, including the requirement residents, higher rents, and new buildings on that it represent at least 40% of the tenants. former open spaces. If a tenants association is successfully orga- st The owners of the Onyx on First (1100 1 nized, the TOPA process generally results in a Street SE) – a 266-unit high-rise property, the negotiated agreement between the residents in Jefferson at Capitol Yards (70 I Street SE) – a the association and an ultimate buyer. Tenants 448-unit high-rise, Channel Square (325 P can settle for upgrades to the common areas of Street SW) – a 223-unit complex consisting of a the property and/or waived rent payments. Ten- n Halloween tower and garden apartments, and Capitol Park ants have the right to sell or assign their rights Regatta Towers (301 G Street ) – a 290-unit tower noti- to yet another third party-buyer. In exchange fied their tenants that their buildings are for sale. for these rights, the new developer converts the See story and photos, page 7. property into a condominium or a cooperative, (Photo by John Kircher) Basics of the Transfer Process sometimes with financial incentives accruing to The particular circumstances of the proper- the tenants in the association. In some cases, ties vary, but all are subject to the DC Tenant as Urban Turf has reported, TOPA-negotiated Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). Under settlements can bring hundreds of thousands TOPA, a landlord must provide tenants with of dollars to each resident. (“Logan Circle Resi- Family Support Collaborative an offer of sale—via notice and certified mail. dents Sitting on a Gold Mine”). This can be done before or after the landlord has If an association is successfully formed and Comes to Southwest signed a contract with a third-party buyer. The approved by DHCD, the association has 120 offer must include certain information, includ- days to negotiate a sales contract, and then an By Sharon Crytzer ing the asking price, a building floor plan, and additional 120 days from that date to secure E/BFSC’s Support Centers and Satellite he Edgewood/Brookland Family Sup- an itemized list of monthly operating expenses. financing and go to settlement. Offices currently are located in Ward 5 and port Collaborative (E/BFSC) is now For properties with five or more units, only The tenant association has the right to speak Ward 6. officially providing neighborhood- a valid, incorporated tenant association has and negotiate on behalf of all the tenants. Ten- T the right to take advantage of the law. If an Main Office, Ward 6 based services to families in SW as well as all See “Sale,” page 9 200 K St. NW Suite 1 & 3 of Ward 5 and Ward 6. E/BFSC currently has a Washington, DC 20001 satellite office in St. Augustine’s Church and is 202-832-9400; 202-216-9263 (fax) in the process of opening another site in SW as the church will be temporarily closed as part of “Women of Promise” Edgewood Terrace Family Support the revitalization of the SW waterfront. Below is Program, Ward 5 a brief overview of E/BFSC and our services and 611 Edgewood St. NE Suite 106 programs. Please look for additional information Seeks Volunteer Ambassadors Washington, DC 20017 and updates to the residents of SW regarding our By Thelma D. Jones that it would just go away on its own. But it 202-832-9400; 202-529-1099 (fax) services and programs in future editions of The wasn’t, and it didn’t. Her aunt had a mastec- Satellite Program at Browne Educational Southwester. outhwest resident Carla D. Williams tomy and survived for two years before suc- Campus, Ward 5 believes that it was an experience in her Who is the Edgewood/Brookland Family cumbing to breast cancer. 850 26th St. NE S own family that unconsciously became Today, Williams hopes Women of Prom- Support Collaborative? Washington, DC 20002 the impetus for “Women of Promise,” an ise, a program funded by the Susan G. 202-832-9400; 202-388-6405 (fax) E/BFSC is one of five neighborhood-based ambassador program to get more women Komen Race for the Cure and based in collaboratives in the District of Columbia, which screened for breast cancer. the Howard University Cancer Center, will Satellite Program at St. Augustine’s Not long ago, an aunt had detected a lump Episcopal Church, Ward 6 make up the city-wide Healthy Families, Thriv- change such behavior, behavior that she noted ing Communities Collaborative. E/BFSC has in her breast but didn’t do anything about it 600 M St. SW is still prevalent among too many African- been in existence since 1996 when a partnership or even tell family members. “We still to this Americans in the Washington area. Washington, DC 20024 consisting of residents and neighborhood based day don’t know why she didn’t go to a doctor 202-863-2101; 202-863-2106 (fax) Women of Promise seeks 200 women organizations received a planning grant from the when she saw the lump,” said Williams, PhD, to act as ambassadors to talk with women DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA). a clinical psychologist and assistant professor To get more information about E/ across the District, but particularly in the E/BFSC opened its first Family Support Center of Medicine at Howard University College of historically underserved communities, about BFSC’s programs and services: Visit our in Brookland Manor housing complex, located Medicine and Howard University Hospital. website (www.ebfsc.org) or call E/BFSC’s the importance of early screening and mam- in Ward 5, in 1997 and began formally serving Williams pondered that perhaps, being mograms. The ambassadors will stress the Main Office: 202-832-9400 or stop by one families. unable to face the possibility of cancer, her of our neighborhood support centers. aunt had hoped it was something else and See “Ambassadors,” page 9 See “Collaborative,” page 7 Page 2 The Southwester December 2012 Voted “Best Burger” SHAKES FRESH CUT & MALTS FRIES Free Wi-Fi 1101 4th Street, SW Z-Burger Holiday Special Follow ZBurger Across from Safeway Ten percent off your total order with this coupon. on Twitter and (Offer expires 12/21/12) receive free food! 202-599-0400 Follow Us www.zburger.com Like Us December 2012 The Southwester Page 3 Foreign Policy Discussion Group YATF to Hold Computer to Resume in January for Kids Graduation By Coralie Farlee ballots are tabulated by the FPA, which prepares the materials and questions and sends results to By Thelma D. Jones everal spaces are still available in the foreign policy administrators and the next year’s Southwest Foreign Policy Discussion discussion groups. The FPA has existed for over he Southwest Neighborhood S Group. For about 10 years, we have been 60 years, bringing thoughtful issues for discus- Assembly Youth Activities Task meeting to discuss topics developed by the For- sion to educate the people of the country. Force (SWNA-YATF) will host T eign Policy Association (FPA) under the “Great The Southwest DC group will meet on its Computer for Kids Graduation on Decisions” title. Wednesdays from January to June, from 7-9 Saturday, December 8, at 2 pm at King The topics are selected to educate us on to pm to cover the 8 topics developed by the FPA. Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N the relationship of the United States with the Topics and dates for 2013 are: Future of the Street, SW. world. Discussions are lively, friendly, nonparti- Euro Jan 23; Egypt 2/13; NATO 3/6; Myanmar Qwawi Hakeem Graham, Executive san, stimulating and genuinely fun. No member and Southeast Asia 3/27; Intervention 4/17; Care IT Technician with the Food and of the “Great Decisions” group is an expert, but Iran 5/8; China in Africa 5/29; Threat Assess- Drug Administration (FDA) will be the all read the material in advance and are open- ment 6/19. guest speaker. Since early adulthood, he minded and enthusiastic. The material typically The Southwest group meets in a conve- has been a tinkerer of electronic devices consists of about 10 pages of reading, with sev- nient location (townhouse in River Park Mutual which has been an inspiration for his eral references which may also be presented and Homes, Inc. near 4th & O). Contact Coralie work in the technology field for the past discussed. We may also invite a knowledgeable Farlee, 202-554-4407, [email protected] for ten years. Graham will talk about grow- resource person. further information, to order the 8-topic study ing up in Newark, New Jersey and how At the conclusion of each session, we cast guide ($20.00) and to reserve a space for 2013.