Meeting Transcript

All right. Good afternoon. I am Ward for Councilmember Janice Lewis George, Chair of the Committee on Facilities. It is 142 p.m. on Thursday, March 19th, 2026, and we are holding this additional meeting of the Committee on Facilities to consider B26157, the Langston Slater surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2026. This meeting is brought being broadcast live on my website at Janise44.com backslash live and the council's website. I know we have quorum consisting of Ward 1, Councilmember Brianna Doe. Ward 3, Councilmember Matt Freeman, at large councilmember Christina Henderson, and we are also joined by Ward 5, Councilmember Zachary Parker, who is not a member of this committee, but is more than welcome. This property, subject to this surplus declaration and approval, is located at 3345 33-45 P Street Northwest in Ward 5, Truxton Circle Neighborhood. The site is comprised of approximately 30,000 square feet, upon which sits two historic former elementary schools for African American students during segregation. John Fox Slater Elementary School and John Mercer, Langston Elementary School. After the Slater and Langston Schools closed in 1975 and 1991, respectively, the site housed a daycare center and a social service agency, both of which were relocated to other buildings in the district. In July 2020, the deputy mayor for planning and economic development issued a request for proposals seeking a developer for the redevelopment of the property and received 10 responses. DIMPED held a surplus hearing and disposition disposition hearing in 2021. On April 20th, 2021, the RFP was awarded to the Lebanon Village at Langston Slater team, comprised of five private entities. The project was the first equity RFP announced in the district, an initiative to increase access to development opportunities for minority owned businesses and women. The project will create 40 multifamily rental units and 12 for sale condominium units. 60% of the multifamily rental units and 58% of the four sale condominium units will be affordable. The per unit cost of this project will be very high and require additional subsidy and tax relief from the district, in large part because of the preservation of these historic sites themselves. I think this points to our need as a city to better examine how we make investments in affordable housing. This development is set to cost uh over $500,000 per unit. Only five units will be five units will be deeply affordable, and 22 will be accessible to folks making at or under 50% of the median family income. The bill was originally introduced in 2024 and received a hearing from the committee on business and economic development on December 18, 2024, and was reintroduced this council period with no substances changes. Upon DIMPAD's request, the committee agreed to extend the period of the mayor's authority to dispose of the property from two years to three years. So the term she did not conflict with the law, which contributed to the length of time this bill has been pending uh before the council. I will now move and open the floor to discussion on B26-157, the Langston Slater surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2026. Uh is there any discussion on the bill or committee report. Councilmember Zach Parker is recognized. Thank you, Chairperson Lewis George. Uh I'm excited for today's markup on this Langston Slater uh surplus declaration and disposition. Uh, and I'm here to voice my very strong support for the project and for the continued need for affordable housing in the district. It is worth noting that ward five has more than exceeded uh the mayor's current goals for affordable housing development in our part of the city, and we're happy to add more to that. I'm excited by this project's ability to both preserve two historic ward five public schools while also reimagining their use for mixed income housing and mixed use development. I also want to lift up what I continue to hear from Ward 5 neighbors, specifically uh ANC5E in our community that they want the council to move expeditiously. And so today we are doing just that. Um, and I think as you noted here, here's an opportunity for us to take action to provide deeply affordable housing, but also accessible housing for future residents in this corridor. I want to thank members of the committee for joining today, and I urge you to support this uh matter today. And I'll yield back the remainder of my time. Thank you, Chairperson Lewis Jordan. Thank you so much, Councilman Parker. Uh, are there any more remarks or questions for the committee? All right, hearing or saying none. At this time, I move B two six one five seven, the Langson Slater surplus declaration and disposition approval act of twenty twenty-six with leave for staff to make technical performing and editorial changes. Uh all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed, please indicate by saying no. Uh in the pen in an opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the motion passes. Uh with that, the business before the committee have has concluded. The time is now one forty-eight p.m. and this additional meeting of the committee on facilities is adjourned.