PHOTOS: Bowser Touts Affordable Housing, Renewable Energy in Rosedale

Mayor Muriel Bowser was in Rosedale this morning to highlight the effort to combine energy efficiency and affordable housing initiatives at an opening ceremony for a group of townhomes and condos.

The 17 Solar luxury condos and townhomes officially opened today at the intersection of 17th and D streets NE. The nine new houses on the block have ground-floor flats, which will be sold at below-market rates, and rooftop solar panels that will provide a portion of electricity for the homes. The second and third floors of each house will be condos sold at market rate.

“Too frequently, we don’t have these energy-saving options on our units that are below market rate,” Bowser said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “To mix the two is very important here.”

Bowser said she hopes to sponsor future projects that will bring alternative energy to affordable housing units. She also stressed the importance of these properties bringing ownership opportunities — a sentiment that was echoed by ANC 6A commissioner Sondra Phillips-Gilbert, whose district includes 17 Solar.

“I am just so excited that we have new development in the Rosedale community, and most importantly, that we have affordable housing options for those who are first-time homeowners,” Phillips-Gilbert said.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Bowser and community members took a tour of one of the houses, which had wood floors, metal accents and floor-to-ceiling windows. Several residents of the new homes were present at the ceremony, and a developer told Bowser during the tour that many of the new tenants came from outside of the Capitol Hill area.