WASHINGTON — DC Mayor Muriel Bowser was joined by District leaders and community members to celebrate the opening of The Ethel, an apartment building in Hill East that aims to help people experiencing homelessness.
The permanent supportive housing, which is located adjacent to the RFK Campus, has 100 units ready for residents that will offer on-site services to help them sette into their new community.
“The Ethel is more than an apartment, it is a sanctuary – it is a place where residents can finally feel at home and build a sense of community,” said Mayor Bowser. “I’m grateful that our teams came together to make this project happen. We know these homes are going to transform the lives of the residents who will live here. Today, we’re one step closer to making homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring.”
According to a press release, The Ethel offers fitness facilities, cooking classes, a clothing closet, a hair salon, and on-site caseworkers who will help residents with healthcare to professional development.
The new building, which is named in honor of Ethel Kennedy and her legacy as a humanitarian and civil rights activist, was initially proposed and approved to be a mixed-use building with some affordable housing and ground-level retail space.
Bowser says the building is part of her commitment to making homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.
“The residents of The Ethel will begin the next steps of their journeys in their own homes. The design of this space is particularly special in the ways it supports the overall wellbeing of its residents,” said DHS Director Laura Green Zeilinger. “The District continues to advance strong ideas and solutions that we know work to end homelessness for residents – and The Ethel is one example of our progress.”
The Ethel is just one part of the Hill East redevelopment project. Phase one of the project has delivered two buildings, The Ethel and Park Kennedy, which together offer 362 units of housing and two restaurants. Sala Thai and Duffy’s Irish Pub have signed leases and are currently building out their spaces in Hill East.
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