January 12, 2024
Last year was full of exciting milestones for Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC). Thank you to all of AHC's amazing partners, donors, volunteers, and staff members for helping make all of them possible. Read on to check out the top 10 stories from 2023.
1 Breaking Ground at Randolph Road
Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC) and Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland broke ground on a 195-home, deeply affordable community. The development is one of the largest new construction, affordable development of its kind in Montgomery County, Maryland, and includes 85 family-sized three- and four-bedroom homes. The community will co-locate rental and homeownership housing options and offer onsite resident services programming and childcare.
Read more. Check out the construction camera to see the progress we've made.
2 Partnering with Goodwill
Goodwill of Greater Washington (Goodwill) and AHC announced they’re partnering together on a groundbreaking initiative to provide a critically needed, service-enriched, affordable housing community and a new, world-class, retail store and donation center on the site of the existing Goodwill store on Glebe Road in Arlington, VA.
3 Grand Opening of The Terraces at Arlington View
Affordable Homes & Communities held its grand opening of The Terraces at Arlington View, a $40.8 million redevelopment of an affordable housing community located on the eastern end of Columbia Pike, at 1420 S. Rolfe Street. The Terraces includes 77 affordable apartments and more than doubles the number of homes from the previous building. The new community features many sustainable elements, including solar panels, a green roof, and electric charging stations. Read more.
4 Exciting Literacy Program with First Responders
AHC, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), and the Life Enrichment Center have partnered to provide literacy tutoring to elementary-aged students at AHC’s Gates of Ballston after-school program. The tutoring program is part of a three-tiered approach between AHC and ACPD’s Community Engagement Division to support positive youth development through education and relationship building and enhances the longstanding collaboration between AHC and ACPD.
Read more. Watch this news segment from 7News DC about the expansion of the program.
5 Getting to Know Paul Bernard
Paul Bernard completed his first year as President & CEO at Affordable Homes & Communities in the spring of 2023. We sat down with him for an interview to learn more about his experience at AHC, ideas for the future, favorite movies and books, his first job, and so much more. Read the interview.
6 Celebrating CCR Graduates
On June 12, family, friends, and mentors celebrated the 37 graduates of AHC’s College & Career Readiness (CCR) program. The CCR program included 69 juniors and seniors from area high schools who participated this year.
7 Diving into Digital Literacy through Computer Classes
Residents from MonteVerde, a community in Baltimore for seniors and non-elderly residents with a disability, celebrated their successful completion of computer literacy classes taught by fellow resident, Norman Brown. Participants from the Beginner, Intermediate, and Intro to Mousing classes received certificates of achievement.
We also partnered with the Alliance for Arlington Senior Programs to provide a computer course for seniors at The Apex. Ten seniors completed the six-week course. They learned the basics of computers and received a free laptop for completing the workshops.
8 Unveiling AHC's Rebranding
AHC Inc. officially rebranded to Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC). Along with the new name, AHC now has a modern logo that embodies a spirit of welcome, opportunity, and renewal. Read more.
9 Sharing New Mission, Vision, Values, Beliefs, & Strat Plan
Affordable Homes & Communities revealed its new mission, vision, values, beliefs, and strategic plan at the 2023 Annual Celebration on October 19, reaffirming its commitment to building equitable communities by putting residents at the heart of its work. Read more.
10 Receiving $10 Million for Green Renovations
Affordable Homes & Communities announced it is receiving a $10 million award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding is part of HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, and it allows AHC to expand the planned renovation work at Lansdowne Gardens apartments and substantially improve energy and water efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and move the community to net-zero energy and emissions. Read the full story.