 1654 Kramer Street, NE: A Green Rehab Project
Mi Casa, Inc. has always been very aware of the materials and methods it uses to make quality affordable housing. Now, as environmental tools and supplies become more readily available efforts are being made to incorporate ecologically responsible components. “Green building” elements that will be included in this rehab project will include better insulation, blower-door test (before and after completion) to ensure highest standard of air-tight insulation, heat-reflective roof, tightening of all systems, higher energy efficiency, and use of some green building materials, including bamboo floors and dual-flush toilets. Once completed, the unit will be sold to a moderate-income family.
 Baltimore
Mi Casa was awarded its first bundle of properties in Baltimore. This project will involve the turn-key rehabilitation of 10 Baltimore Housing Authority rental properties, and up to 38 new homes for sale (both condos and single-family) in the Johnston Square neighborhood on Preston and Homewood Streets. The plan is to complete the project in three or four phases. The kick-off meeting with the City of Baltimore took place in the first week in June, 2007.
Home Again Program: Ivy City
Mi Casa is a pre-qualified developer for participation in Home Again, a DHCD program that is targeting renovations of vacant and abandoned properties throughout Washington, DC. Recently Mi Casa Inc. and Manna Inc.(another local affordable housing developer) teamed up to submit a winning proposal. The group of properties awarded are part of a larger revitalization effort in the N.E. neighborhood of Ivy City. A total of 36 units will be developed; Mi Casa will develop at least 16. The development will provide 70% of the units affordable to buyers below 60% AMI (at least half to buyers below 50% AMI), 2% of the units at market rate, and the remainder of the units affordable to buyers between 60%--80% AMI. Mi Casa plans to draw down four properties for rehab into 8 condominium units (including some designed for elderly occupants) by the end of the year. In anticipation of the new green building legislation, Mi Casa plans to develop these affordable condominiums using the maximum possible green building components, including a green roof that will provide recreational space to the new homeowners.
 Pleasant Park including 6220-6240 Clay St, 6221-6243 Clay St, 6220-6242 Banks Pl, 221-243 63rd St, 301-323 63rd St NE
(60 units)
This is a tenant purchase project located in NE DC. It is a housing complex composed of 60 2-BR townhouses, all organized around a series of courtyards. The tenants have voted to purchase and develop their homes as a limited equity cooperative and submitted a financing application to DHCD. The cooperative will close on the acquisition by October 12, 2007.
 1428 Euclid Street, NW (26 Units)
Mi Casa, Inc. has been working with the 1428 Euclid Street Tenants Association since the Spring of 2003. We are happy to report that this building, which houses predominantly low-income and Latino tenants in the Columbia Heights neighborhood has been successfully purchased and is currently undergoing phase two of the development process, securing construction and permanent financing as a limited-equity co-op. The Cooperative has been working with an architect, has selected a General Contractor and will be ready to begin construction before the end of the year.
 1773 Lanier Place NW (27 units)
Following a three-year rent strike, the tenants of this Adams Morgan building are now pursuing acquisition in order to develop as a limited equity cooperative. The tenants received pre-development financing from Housing Counseling Services and a grant from the Self-Development of People.
 1498 Spring Place NW (13 units)
Located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, the tenants of this building signed a purchase agreement and began working with Mi Casa Inc. in December of 2004. The tenant association approved a development plan to form a limited equity cooperative and acquired their building on October 11, 2005. They are currently working with their architect on plans for the renovation of their building. They will be ready to begin construction next spring.
 1630 Irving Street NW (22 units)
The Crestwood Cooperative is a 22-unit building located in the heart of Mt. Pleasant. Residents, primarily Latino and elderly, acquired their building on October 11, 2005. They are committed to keeping the building for lower income elderly residents and form a limited equity coop. They are currently in the process of selecting an architect to begin the renovation of their building.
 The Bates Street Townhomes Cooperative (5 units)
The members of this Coop are all low-income single mothers, long-term, African-American residents of the District who receive Section-8 vouchers. They are the few members of dozens of residents of Scattered Site public housing in the area that were able to successfully purchase their homes on July of 2005. In a new initiative, The DC Housing Authority has approved the conversion of individual vouchers into project-based Section-8 for these scattered site homes in order that the properties will remain affordable over the long-term. The Cooperative closed on its permanent DHCD loan on June 18th and anticipates beginning construction in the fall of 2007.
 1468 Harvard St. NW (9 units)
The tenants of 1468 Harvard Street, most of them long-time residents of Columbia Heights, successfully purchased their building on November 31, 2007, with a bridge loan from Enterprise. They have formed the Ailanthus Cooperative and their goal is to ensure their building, located at the heart of Columbia Heights, will remain affordable for many years to come. They are currently in the process of securing permanent financing from DHCD and beginning the architect selection process.
 21 – 25 Kennedy St. NW (54 units)
Mi Casa Inc. is working with this two-building complex with a diverse resident community composed primarily of African American residents and Caribbean, Latino and African immigrants. The tenants successfully purchased their building on August 14, 2006 and formed the Unity Cooperative. They have been working with an architect and are in the final stages of developing plans for the renovation. After the renovation, some units will be converted to affordable condominiums and the rest will remain as a limited equity cooperative.
 5610 Colorado Ave. NW (36 units)
5610 Colorado Ave. N.W. is a 36-unit, Art Deco building constructed in approximately 1938; it is located in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Brightwood Park in the NW quadrant of Washington, DC. Most of the tenants are long-time residents of the neighborhood. The average household size is a family of 3. The residents successfully purchased their building on September 11, 2006 as a limited-equity cooperative. The Co-op is currently finalizing their plans for the renovation and will be submitting an application fro construction financing this fall.
 The Claiborne (92 units)
The residents of 3033 16th Street NW successfully purchased their building on April 17th 2007 with a bridge loan and formed the Claiborne Cooperative Association. They are currently in the process of securing permanent financing and finalizing their development plan. After renovation, some units will convert to affordable condominium and the rest will remain as a limited-equity cooperative, thus ensuring that there will be no displacement of current residents, many of whom are very-low income, elderly and most of them, old-time residents of Columbia Heights.
 1333 Peabody Street NW (15 units)
The residents of this 15-unit building located in Brightwood successfully purchased their building with a loan from DHCD on March of 2007. They have formed the Peabody Cooperative and plan to develop their building to ensure long-term affordability. The co-op has selected an architect and is beginning the second Phase of development: renovation.
2201-2207 Champlain St NW (28 units)
The Champlain Cooperative purchased their building in 1989 and have been a successful limited-equity cooperative receiving place-based Section 8 assistance for almost 20 years. They have hired Mi Casa to help them renovate and upgrade their building. They will begin the architect selection process this summer.
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