Federal and Local Officials Celebrate Opening of Channing E Phillips Homes in Shaw

Washington, D.C., Oct. 26 – Federal and local officials joined members of the Lincoln-Westmoreland Housing development team to celebrate 56 new and much needed affordable apartments at Channing E. Phillips Homes. Located next to the Shaw/Howard University Metrorail station in northwest Washington, D.C., the new building is the culmination of a more than four decades old vision for the property led by a partnership of two local congregations: Lincoln Congregational Temple United Church of Christ (UCC) and Westmoreland Congregational UCC.

The Honorable Muriel Bowser (Mayor, District of Columbia) and The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton (Member, U.S. House of Representatives) were on hand to dedicate the building named for late civil rights leader and minister of Lincoln Temple, Channing E. Phillips, as were members of the Phillips family. Also participating were: Ward 6 Council Member Charles Allen; Alexander Padro, vice chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6E; Todd A. Lee, director of the DC Housing Finance Agency: Polly Donaldson, director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development; officials from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, ministers from both congregations, and members of the development team.

“The entire city is indebted to Lincoln Congregational Temple UCC and Westmoreland Congregational UCC for decades of determined leadership that has achieved new affordable housing, needed even more today than when they were prescient in proposing it,” said Congresswoman Norton. “Affordable housing in Shaw should point the way to how to balance economic development with the needs of our diverse citizens who have contributed to the rich fabric of our city. It is especially fitting that the Channing E. Phillips Homes will carry the name of a great civil rights leader and champion of those who needed his leadership most.”

“Thanks to the strong partnership between my Administration, the faith community, and public and private sectors, the Channing E. Phillips Homes will ensure that the District is an affordable and equitable city,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “This type of affordable housing is a great example of what we need for all Washingtonians.”

The new eight-story building at 1710 7th Street NW was designed by Shalom Baranes Associates of Washington, D.C. Built by Maryland-based Hamel Builders, the 56 apartment homes, which follow Enterprise Green Communities guidelines, include 28 one-bedroom apartments; 21 two-bedroom apartments; and 7 three-bedroom apartments. With rents ranging from $1,229 for a one-bedroom to $1,704 for a three-bedroom, all of the two- and three-bedroom homes have been leased, with a few one-bedroom apartments still available for those earning 60 percent or less of the area median income. Logan Shaw Child Care will occupy the first-floor retail space.

“Our dream of new affordable housing has now become real after so many years,” said David Jacobs, president of the Lincoln Westmoreland Housing board of directors. “Opportunities to build affordable housing next to Metro are simultaneously much needed and extremely rare,” he added. Said Rob Agus, who had the original vision for the project: "Lincoln Westmoreland Housing is honored to develop Channing Phillips Homes as affordable housing for residents of the Shaw community. May it be enabled to continue this holy work."

The development of this much needed housing is only possible due to the unique four-decade interracial partnership of two D.C.-area United Church of Christ (UCC) churches: Lincoln Congregational Temple UCC and Westmoreland Congregational UCC. The two churches became housing development partners to invest in the Shaw neighborhood in the late sixties when few others would. Their successful development of affordable housing dates back to 1969, when they broke ground on the Lincoln Westmoreland Apartments, a 108-unit, 10-story affordable apartment building now located next door to Channing E. Phillips Homes. That building was renovated in 2015. Lincoln Westmoreland Housing subsequently also provided the land for the Shaw-Howard University Metro station infrastructure, which has improved access and economic opportunity for neighborhood residents.

Visitors who pass through the lobby will be greeted by a 10’ x 10’ art piece honoring Rev. Phillips’ service to his community. Created by Lori Evelyn, a Howard University graduate and D.C. resident, the piece features Rev. Phillips, his church, the ground breaking on the original Lincoln Westmoreland Apartments and excerpts from his speeches and writings. The Lincoln Westmoreland Housing board and Phillips family collaborated to select the artist and guide the design process, under the leadership of Sharon Bartholomew, Board vice president who led the art committee.

Phillips was a beloved and avid anti-poverty and civil rights leader who fought for decent housing and social justice for all. Born in 1928, Channing Emery Phillips served as Senior Minister of the historic Lincoln Temple Congregational Church at 11th and R Streets NW in Washington, D.C and was committed to addressing the low-income housing crisis in the nation’s capital. In 1967, he began leading the Housing Development Corporation, a nonprofit company that became the largest single developer of low-income housing in the Washington metropolitan area during that era. Phillips became a national political figure in 1968, when he was nominated for President of the United States at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, becoming the first African American nominated at a national convention of a major political party. Phillips died in 1987 at age 59 after a battle with cancer.

Lincoln-Westmoreland Housing Design and Development Team

Robert Agus and Dahn Warner of KeyUrban of Washington, D.C. managed the project’s development with support from AHC Inc. of Arlington, Va. In addition to a Neighborhood Investment Fund predevelopment grant, financial partners for the project include The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, the D.C. Housing Finance Corporation, Jefferies, US Bank, Wells Fargo, AGM Financial Services, Hudson Housing Capital and Capital One. The CT Group of Laurel, Md. is responsible for property management and leasing; and Papadopoulis Properties of Washington, DC handled the retail leasing.