Ward 8’s first Assisted Living Community is Now Open – Livingston Place at Southern
“Two years ago, we broke ground on Livingston Place with the vision of delivering the first affordable assisted-living facility to Ward 8. Today, we follow through on that very commitment and welcome 152 seniors to their new home,” said Mayor Bowser. “Seniors in every ward of the city deserve to have the opportunity to continue living in the communities they not only helped build, but love. Through investments in communities like Livingston Place at Southern, we ensure that our seniors have a safe and affordable home for them to continue to flourish in our city.”
Livingston Place at Southern is a five-story, 152-unit affordable community, reserved for seniors age 60 and above who require assistance with two or more activities of daily living. Residents of Livingston Place at Southern will receive meals, personal care services, and transportation services. Tenants must be couples or individuals with incomes of 60 percent or less of the area median income and who qualify for Medicaid.
“Affordable Assisted Living in the City is at the nascent stage of existence. Livingston Place will be the first community providing housing for seniors who require assistance with activities of daily life. In the past, we have had to send our seniors outside of the City to find this level of care. Now, we can keep them near their homes, their grocery stores, their doctors and their houses of Worship. With this tool we will enable seniors to remain anchored in a familiar and comfortable environment as they age in place. We are excited about delivering this housing that is healthy, beautiful and affordable,” stated Christopher E. Donald, Executive Director and CEO, DCHFA.
DCHFA issued $50 million in bond financing and underwrote $15.3 million in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity for the construction of Livingston Place at Southern, a $67 million development that will consist of 84 efficiencies and 68 one bedrooms.
The property management company is licensed by the DC Department of Health to operate the development as an assisted living facility. Staffing at the property will consist of an executive director and medical staff including a full time Director of Nursing, Licensed Practical Nurses eight hours a day and certified nurse’s aides and trained medication employees on‐duty 24 hours a day.
“When our development teams (Gilbane Development Company/Dantes Partners) conceived the idea for Livingston Place at Southern Avenue, our goal was to not only provide housing but to provide a a place in which our aging seniors could live with supportive services accessible to them within their community right here in Ward 8. We are thrilled to have achieved this goal through the support of the government partners and the entire development team,” noted Buwa Binitie, Principal of Dantes Partners.
“We are honored to have served as developer for this important, first of its kind affordable assisted living community for Ward 8 seniors,” noted Ed Broderick, President and CEO of Gilbane Development Company. “We are committed to filling the need for quality affordable housing in the District and beyond through our investment in pioneering projects like Livingston Place at Southern.”
All tenants will have access to support services including medical, dental, rehabilitative, and counseling services; assistance with activities of daily living, including eating, bathing, toileting, grooming, dressing and mobility, and 24‐hour supervision to ensure resident safety. Eleven percent of the apartments are fully accessible. All units throughout the building feature accessibility measures such as lower kitchen countertops, spacious bathrooms with grab bars and an emergency call system. The development features common amenities such as a club/community room, dining rooms, library, theater/TV center, fitness/wellness center, beauty/barber salon and transportation for off-site activities.
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