Neal Drobenare Speaks at the Edgewood Civic Association Meeting
Last night, I attended the Edgewood Civic Association (ECA) meeting, held at McKinley High School.
In response to a question from the audience, Rhashidi Christian, an ECA leader, noted that ECA rival Eckington Civic Association is a historical community and not an official civic association. He argued that one "will never see Eckington Civic Association state in writing what their boundaries are." He added that Eckington's boundaries are within those of the Edgewood Civic Association, and D.C. officially recognizes Edgewood, so Eckington cannot obtain recognition without the cooperation of Edgewood.
Most of the meeting consisted of an update from Neal Drobenare, the developer of the St. Martin's Catholic Church apartments project. He described the St. Martin's project as being "housing fo
r working folks making between $35,000 and $54,000 per year," comprised of 178 units, including 50 apartments set aside for "working but formerly homeless people." Drobenare later opined: "I don't consider people making between $34,000 and $50,000 to be low-income."
Drobenare said "There are some folks who would want us to be building upper income condos here. We're not going to be doing that. . . . We're not going to make it into a market-rate project or massively reduce density." He continued with respect to the effort to protect the St. Martin's convent on the property: The convent is "not historical. Folks who have moved for this know that it is not historical."
You read the 178 units figure stated above correctly, because as of this week the project is no longer 184 units. St. Martin's has reached an agreement with the Historic Preservation Review Board, which pulled the convent from its hearing scheduled for later this week. The convent will be incorporated into the St. Martin's project, it will become a part of the building. I believe Drobenare stated that the plan is to lift the convent and put it on a new foundation, at substantial expense. This also resulted in the loss of a few units, hence the 178 figure.
Drobenare stated that he has negotiated this past year with the Eckington Citizens for Responsible Development (ECRD), a group strongly opposed to the St. Martin's project in its current form. But, accord to Drobenare, ECRD first proposed that the building be rented with 35% market-rate units. Drobenare countered with 10%, and ECRD responded with 50% market rate. That's not how negotiations are suppose to work, he said, and there will not be any market rate housing unless ECRD/Eckington Civic Association agrees to support the project. Although the parties have not met for several months, Drobenare stated that he still willing to negotiate.
Drobenare added that "the reality is that it actually costs more money to put in market rate housing" because a $50,000 tax credit subsidy is lost in the process. If the church puts in more market housing units, then the mortgage will end up being larger. Supporters of the project are willing to put forward a bit more money, if necessary. "We're committed to doing what we need to do to make this happen."
ANC candidate Michael Henderson observed that there seems to be a disconnect between the two opposing side of the debate (I agree with him). Christian responded: "How do you reach out to people who are already doing things against you?"
I suggested that the two sides sit down and hash things out in a formal, moderated public debate, something I had already proposed to Father Kelley of St. Martin's. Drobenare responded: "We're not interested in having a debate." The president of the Edgewood Civic Association agreed. However, Drobenare said he would be happy to talk with me.
After the meeting, I spoke with Drobenare on the front steps of McKinley. Some items of note include: St. Martin's has proposed that residents be on a steering committee that will continually review the applications of residents for suitability. Drobenare believes that this is a unique proposal in the D.C. housing environment.
I asked whether Section 8 housing vouchers would turn St. Martin's into an all-low-income-housing project. Drobenare responded that a 100% Section 8 housing would not be ideal for St. Martin's bottom line. The maintenance costs would be higher. St. Martin's can legally prune the Section 8 list by requiring that applicants be employed and that they submit to a credit check.
I told Drobenare that my perception is that residents' concerns about the project boil down to a lack of trust in St. Martin's to be able to fulfill the promises it is making. He agreed.
I suggested: What about requiring the 50 formerly-homeless apartment residents to submit to regular drug tests, to be automatically evicted if they deal drugs, and put on probation pending eviction if they test positive for drugs? Drobenare seemed to agree to all of those terms, in writing. He pointed to the current residents of the convent as evidence of how St. Martin's would handle the proposed apartment building (adding that only about 1/3 of the residents currently occupying the convent have had a drug problem). He contrasted Catholic Charities with So Others Might Eat (SOME).
What about providing residents parking spaces free of charge, rather than requiring them to pay for a space? That seems to be on the table, according to Drobenare.
So I asked about teeth in the agreement. Would St. Martin's be agree to a provision that would give residents within a certain radius of the project standing to sue in court for injunctive relief if the terms are violated and grant attorneys fees. Drobenare agreed to that as well.
An alternative, Drobenare added, is for St. Martin's to simply build 50 cheaply-built units of low-income housing that it is permitted to build by right, community input not required by law. While some perceive that option to be a threat, it was the original proposal before St. Martin's received early feedback from the community.
Back to the meeting . . . Ward 5 City Council candidate Harry Thomas, Jr. spoke for several minutes. Thomas said "I'm a very spiritual person," and indicated that given that one woman took prayer out of schools with a lawsuit many years ago, one should "never underestimate the power of the few."
Thomas said that he wants to propose legislation that will create uniformity in amenities packages (Eartha Isaac, Thomas is listening to you).
Thomas looked around the room and stated: "When we see chips in the paint at McKinley, we need to demand more, because it shouldn't be that way."
As for the housing issue, Thomas said he was a "support of workforce housing, 100%."
posted by Kris Hammond @ 9/26/2006 01:52:00 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Ted McGinn, who attended the Edgewood meeting (and defended me when Mr. Christian focused on the fact that it was the first Edgewood meeting I had ever attended), told me: "While [Commissioner] Jones is in support of the project and a member of St. Martin's it is not in her . . SMD. The St. Martin's Apartments would be, if built, in Lois Farmer's SMD, which starts at the Northside of T. Street, NE. Ms. Farmer is also in support of the apartments and has worked very hard to see them supported by all members of ANC5C." However, as Ted would likely agree, my potential constituents across the street from the project could be affected and their input should be considered.
nice write up.
At a zoning hearing for Fairfield in June, an Edgewood Civic Association person spoke in opposition of the rezoning, after Eartha and I spoke in support of the rezoning. I think his name is Michael Clark.
He was asked by one of the Commissioners to define the boundaries of Edgewood Civic Association. He stated that it went from Florida Avenue to Michigan Avenue and North Capitol Street to some street that is east of the tracks. And he said it with a straight face. That's about 50% of Ward 5!
This land dispute between ECA and ECA is ridiculous. I think they defined an unworkably large size of land in 1920-something when they incorporated with the national federation of civic associations, or something. (don't hold me to those facts, obviously).
The fact of the matter is that Eckington Improvement Association was formed by some committed neighbors (Ted McGinn, Katrina Lee, and Holly Baynham, to name a few) to get together and improve things. That morphed into Eckington Civic Association. Do you think they would have done that if Edgewood Civic Association was effective in the Eckington area? No. Anyway, it's a moot point. Eckington is in Eckington and Edgewood is north and east of Eckington.
Now, for the borders of Eckington IN WRITING (drumroll please):
North boundary is Rhode Island.
South boundary is Florida.
West boundary is North Capitol
East boundary is the railroad tracks.
Ask any real estate agent, and they'll agree with you.
Good write-up on the dispute between the community and the St. Martins. I still feel that a matter-of-right development is being described as doom and gloom for strategic purposes. Because it's outside of matter-of-right, the neighboring property owners deserve a spot at the negotiating table, and their demand for a more innovative affordable housing product is a fair one. It's a matter of debate as to whether the invitation to the negotiating table has been done in good faith (pun intended). I do hope that we can sort it out and all be happy with the end product.
JTE
How much does Drobenare stand to make off of this project? No less that $1,000,000, correct? Nothing he says or does is in "good faith".
as i've understood, eckington was historically bounded by Rhode Island, Florida, and the train tracks.
That includes the southern portion of bloomingdale.
perhaps the nw section has been booted.
Drobenare stands to make a LOT of money off of this project. Here's the catch though- he only makes money off of the units that are being built using the low income housing tax credit and the more the better. That is why he is refusing to negotiate on size and income. GREED!
I realize folks are dying to know this, so here you go... I checked my planner and Monday night was not my first Edgewood Civic Association meeting. Mr. Christian expressed concern about me only showing up at election time. I attended an Edgewood meeting on March 27. I'm not sure if I attended the June meeting, but it was on my agenda.
It is also true that I often do not hear about the ECA meetings until the last minute. I learned about Monday's meeting at 3 p.m. that day.
"as i've understood, eckington was historically bounded by Rhode Island, Florida, and the train tracks.
That includes the southern portion of bloomingdale."
You're actually right. I've seen that written too. But, in my viwe, North Capitol
Street is such a formidable natural (actually manmade) barrier, that most people think of Eckington as just being the large chunk east of North Capitol.
JTE
"Drobenare stands to make a LOT of money off of this project. Here's the catch though- he only makes money off of the units that are being built using the low income housing tax credit and the more the better. That is why he is refusing to negotiate on size and income. GREED!"
I doubt that's true. He's either a development consultant, or the developer. I suspect he's the development consultant because the guarantees to the tax credit investor will be provided by Catholic Community Services. Regardless, that would be a rather preposterous agreement, to size the agreement on the # of low income housing tax credit units.
But let's have perspective. While it's true that Developers Fees do compensate the developer for the time they put in, it's a perfectly normal and reasonable way to do business. There's no great conspiracy here.
JTE
So, assumeing no great conspiracy, if this deal goes through approx how much does he stand to make? 100K, 300K, 500K, 700K, over a million?
My letter to the Director of CCS about Neal Drobenare's comments. I did not include the original email here It’s kind of long.
I encourage all bloggers to repost if you like.
joe
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Dear Ed,
I am dismayed after reading a blog outlining Neal Drobenaire’s comments at Monday’s Edgewood Civic Association Meeting. The Blog reads:
"…accord to Drobenare, ECRD first proposed that the building be rented with 35% market rate units. Drobenare countered with 10%, and ECRD responded with 50% market rate. That's not how negotiations are suppose to work."
I feel the need to once again correct Mr. Drobenare, and like I’ve done so often, I can show it in writing.
I have attached an email dated March 9th 2006 expressing ECRD’s position. It will show 30% market rate, 5% less then our original request. That email was posted on both the Eckington and Ward5 listservs (before all who had concerns over the complex were booted off). I had alerted your representative Sharon Robinson to look for it. Following that email we had a meeting on April 26th 2006. It was the first meeting on this project which I felt progress was made and our concerns may be addressed. Does Neal claim that in that meeting ECRD demanded 50% Market Rate? Do you remember it that way?
50% Market rate is not what we are looking for. ECRD is made up of neighbors, many of which have devoted their careers toward the benefit of others. We would much rather see a 70% affordable housing component with a greater mix of Average Median Income (AMI) percentages.
Of course the issue of size has not gone away. Most of us do not want to see our homes dwarfed by a 4-5 story, block long building.
The blog also noted that Mr. Drobenare recognizes that many of the issues come from the communities lack of trust over the development. How can trust be built when your representative expresses himself with such clear disregard for the facts? In addition to the example referenced above, when we hear "Police, Firemen and Teachers" and we find their salary ranges are just above income restrictions, it does not build trust. When we hear about "some folks" who want luxury condos, yet we can't find any of these supposed people, it does not build trust.
Apparently your designs have been adjusted based on the DC Preservation League’s opinion that the convent is Historic. We obviously support that opinion and considering they are the largest historic preservation organization in the city, we respect their opinion on what is historic. I mention this because Mr. Drobenare’s jab at them was considerably less then respectful. I also respect DCPL’s ability do something we who live here have yet to do, and that is actually make an adjustment to the plans.
I had felt that the meeting we had in April was moving in the right direction. Please do not let Mr. Drobenaire’s inflammatory remarks push us all backwards and once again send the neighborhood spinning into controversy.
Joe Lilavois
Eckington Citizens for Responsible Development
St. Martin’s – Yes
Big Development – No
I was in Drobenare's (and my former) neighborhood over the weekend. He thinks we paid too much for our homes in the Eckington area?! LOL! I think that he is frustrated by the fact that he can only afford a souless 60's era high-rise condo in a neighborhood full of multi-million dollar homes owned by diplomats and lawyers. He sees himself as their peer... yet he can't afford the trappings to prove it to them. LOL.
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