DCHA Inks Deals For New Offices, Paving Way For Major Redevelopment Of NoMa Headquarters

After more than a decade of negotiations and delays, the redevelopment of the D.C. Housing Authority's headquarters in NoMa appears to be moving forward.

The agency signed two new leases to relocate its offices, and it is preparing to sell its current home at 1133 North Capitol St. NE to a development team that plans a 1,200-unit residential development.

The closure of that deal is "imminent," DCHA Executive Director Brenda Donald told the Washington Business Journal.

The development team of MRP Realty, CSG Urban Partners and Taylor Adams Associates was selected by DCHA in 2014, but its plans have been delayed in part because of disagreements around how much affordable housing the project should include. 

The property sits two blocks west of the NoMa Metro station and two blocks south of the site where the Securities and Exchange Commission plans to build a new 1.2M SF headquarters for as many as 4,500 employees.  

In a significant milestone for moving the project forward, DCHA's board of commissioners voted Wednesday to approve two new leases for the agency.

The bulk of DCHA's headquarters will move into the new WMATA headquarters building at 300 Seventh St. SW, where it will occupy 52K SF on a 12-year lease. The agency plans to establish a customer service center on the building's main floor.

Meanwhile, the DCHA's Office of Public Safety will move to Douglas Development's 1515 New York Ave. NE office building on a 15-year lease for just under 14K SF following the 9-2 vote.

The main office lease begins in June, while the public safety lease begins in May 2023, according to WBJ.

The current DCHA site has seen its share of controversy. Advocates and council members alike, including Committee on Housing and Executive Administration Chairperson Anita Bonds, have urged DCHA to maximize the affordability of the project. 

Then-DCHA Executive Director Tyrone Garrett told the D.C. Council last year that the project is slated to include 244 affordable units, at least half of which would be reserved for those making 30% of the area median income and the rest for those making 60% AMI.