Housing for Homeless Veterans Breaks Ground in NoMa

In time for Veterans Day, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro and Mayor Vincent Gray broke ground today (Monday) on a $33 million building that will contain the District’s first-ever permanent supportive housing units for homeless veterans.

The 14-story John and Jill Ker Conway Residence at 1005 North Capitol St. NE will have 124 units. Veterans will get 60 of these units. The remainder will be designated as affordable housing, with 17 units reserved for people who make no more than 30 percent of the area median income.

“On the eve of Veterans Day, I am delighted to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for this vital project as it serves our brave men and women who put their lives on the line for the sake of our freedom,” Mayor Vincent Gray said in a statement. “We must continue to work diligently to ensure our veterans have the services they need to be productive citizens in a society that continues to benefit from their sacrifices.”

Professional case managers will work onsite with the veterans to address health, employment and mental health needs in collaboration with the DC VA Medical Center.

A count conducted by HUD one night in January found 406 homeless veterans in the District, according to co-developer Community Solutions.

The building designed by Sorg Architects will add another striking element to changing NoMa. Its stories will resemble “stacked blocks,” Sorg said in a statement.

Project partners overcame the challenges of getting 11 government agencies to collaborate, the difficulty of getting permits and a requirement to build 31 off-street parking spaces, Washington City Paper noted.

Photo courtesy of Sorg Architects