In a “hot” real estate market like the DC-region, affordable homes have become a scarce resource. Our particular focus is preventing displacement for moderate to low-income workers, like firefighters, teachers and hospitality workers, who find themselves increasingly priced out of their homes, and provide rent stability and opportunities to thrive and build wealth.

We work in neighborhoods of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing—or NOAH. In these communities, absent government subsidy, rental properties are at risk of losing their affordability—and their economic and racial diversity—from redevelopment.

Home represents the ultimate building block or stumbling block in someone’s life. For some, home has been a way to build wealth and opportunity. For others, home has meant displacement, escalating rents and instability that make it almost impossible to imagine a different future.

Centuries of racist practices and attitudes has exacerbated disparities in housing and individual wealth, especially between white and Black households. A report from the Center for American Progress estimates that if these differences continue, it could take more than 200 years for the average Black family to accumulate the same amount of wealth as white families.

WHC is creating inclusive and diverse mixed-income communities of individuals and families in a targeted income range of between $40,000 and $120,000. In addition, we will house a small percentage (25-30%) of residents with incomes below $40,000.