From DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's press release:
Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and community leaders cut the ribbon on The Clara, a mixed-use development that will provide Ward 8’s Anacostia neighborhood with 81 new units of affordable housing. The Clara also includes 11,000 square feet of ground level retail space and the development will also be the new permanent home of America’s Islamic Heritage Museum.
“This is an important day for the community – not only because we are cutting the ribbon on 81 new homes in historic Anacostia, but also because of the history and culture that this site represents and preserves,” said Mayor Bowser. “The Clara is a reminder of what is possible when we lead with and invest in our values and focus on creating hope and opportunity in our community.”
The Clara supports the Bowser Administration’s goal of creating 12,000 new affordable housing units throughout DC by 2025 and was built through a partnership between the District and local developer Banneker Ventures. The Clara includes units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments, with 61 units reserved for households earning up to 50% of the median family income (MFI), and the remaining 20 units reserved for households earning up to 30% of the MFI. These 20 units will provide permanent supportive housing for individuals and families in need.
“The Clara is a direct example of the District’s housing priorities as it provides our residents with family-size units and permanent supportive housing. Affordable housing is essential for our residents and strengthening our communities,” said DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Director Colleen Green. “DHCD will continue to leverage our local and federal resources to make economic investments across the city to produce affordable housing.”
The ground level retail space will host local businesses including Sweet Tooth Bakery and Restaurant and TOIZ, a youth-owned environmental tenant services company that provides laundry and vending services and environmental equipment. The Sweet Tooth Bakery will open in April 2024 and America’s Islamic Heritage Museum will open in the winter of 2024.
“The Clara represents the first of its kind faith-based partnership with an Islamic house of worship,” said DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) Executive Director/CEO Christopher E. Donald. “DCHFA is proud to be a part of this innovative project and looks forward to more opportunities to combine with public works for the benefit of the residents of the District of Columbia.”
The Clara, which is situated on the very grounds once home to America’s Islamic Heritage Museum and the Clara Muhammad School, is named in honor of Mrs. Clara Muhammad and is part of the long legacy of Masjid Muhammad in Washington, DC. The Clara Muhammad Schools are a national network of schools, established in the 1930s and initially launched as the University of Islam. The network gained its name in 1975 in honor of Mrs. Clara Muhammad. The name of the building and the return of the America’s Islamic Heritage Museum, marks a significant return to heritage of the sit and an homage to its rich and multifaceted history that celebrates the legacy of the Black Muslim community.
This affordable housing development was supported through the collaboration of several agencies: the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), DHCD, DCHFA, and the DC Housing Authority (DCHA). The project was partly funded by DHCD with approximately $14 million from the Housing Production Trust Fund and $1.9 million in low-income housing tax credits. DCHFA supported The Clara by issuing $19.7 million in tax-exempt bonds and underwrote $16.9 million in low-income housing tax credits. DMPED provided support for businesses and the retail space with $750,000 from the Neighborhood Prosperity Fund to support the renovation and expansion of the American Islamic Heritage Museum, financed through City First Bank. The Clara also received financing, tax‐exempt bonds, and low-income housing tax credit equity from Wells Fargo Bank. DCHA provided funding through the Local Rent Subsidy Program for 20 permanent supportive housing units, further supported with case management and supportive services from the DC Department of Human Services.