2000 Best Practice Awards

Symposium participants had the opportunity to attend eight different site visits to see HUD's Best Practices and Programs in action.

Washington, DC I
Frederick Douglas/Stanton Dwellings Wheeler Creek Walter Washington Estates	Townhomes of Oxon Creek Villages at Parkland/Splash Park
This site visit shows what was, what is, and what can be of public and private housing in a distressed area through the use of such HUD assisted programs as HOPE VI and HOME. Participants will first drive-by Frederick Douglas/Stanton Dwellings to see the type of public housing that’s been holding back development. This is followed by a visit to Wheeler Creek, a local 2000 Best Practice award winner; and drive-through of Walter Washington Estates, visit to the Townhomes of Oxon Creek, and a drive-by of the Villages at Parkland/Splash Park. Participants will see first-hand the revitalization of public and private housing in the surrounding community.
Washington, DC II
Edgewood Terrace Neighborhood Network Latin American Youth Center	Adams Morgan
The Edgewood Terrace, Latin American Youth Center, and a drive-through of Adams Morgan make-up the stops of this opportunities and outreach site visit. Participants will gain an understanding of how important a neighborhood network and a culturally-based youth center are to their surrounding communities, as well as witness the colorful and cultural makeup of Adams Morgan.
Washington, DC III
DC Link & Learn (DCLL)	DC Storefront Office
A visit to DC Link & Learn (DCLL), a local 2000 Best Practice award winner, and a walk-through of HUD’s DC Storefront Office make up this site visit. Participants will first visit DCLL, a one-of-a-kind 40,000 square ft., state-of-the-art, community technology center, and then walk through the first HUD Storefront Office, the prototype for all future Storefront offices.
Alexandria, VA I
Old Town Alexandria (http://visitalexandriava.com/)	Potomac East and West/Strawberry Hill Communities
A drive-through of Old Town Alexandria and a visit to the Potomac West Community comprise this homeownership and economic development site visit. After driving through Old Town, a historic port city with a mix of residential and commercial sites, participants will witness what can be accomplished through investment of CDBG and HOME funds into older, distressed areas of a city.
Prince George’s County I
Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex (http://www.pgparks.com/places/sportsfac.html)	BET Soundstage Restaurant (http://www.bet.com/atBET/0,1821,C-6-72-1443,00.html)
Participants will visit the Prince George’s County Sports and Learning Complex, a world class facility dedicated to the leisure, enjoyment, athletic improvement, and educational enhancement of the community. Participants will then drive by the BET Soundstage Restaurant; the first entertainment theme-based restaurant opened by Black Entertainment Television.
Prince George’s County II
Hawthorne Hill	Streetscape Improvements Public Art Project
Hawthorne Hill, a local 2000 Best Practice award winner, Streetscape Improvements, and a Public Art Project make up this community revitalization site visit. Participants will begin with a visit to Hawthorne Hill, for a model-home walk-through of middle income homes built to assist in mixing and improving the surrounding community. Participants will then drive by two different improvement projects sponsored by the Department of Transportation and Office of Public Works.
Montgomery County, MD I
Connecticut Estates Homeownership Development
Connecticut Avenue Estates (CAE) is the focal point of this affordable housing and homeownership site visit. Participants will drive by and walk through semi-detached homes built in the late 1940s. CAE suffered from a large number of vacant units, illegal drug activity, and run-down rental properties. The Montgomery Housing Partnership worked with CAE to rehabilitate some of the most debilitated and vacant houses in the area and to assist with strengthening their community.
REAC Physical Inspection Demonstration (Workshop)
Kentucky Court Apartments
Participants will visit Kentucky Court Apartments in Washington, DC, for a REAC physical inspection demonstration. This demonstration will provide participants with an understanding of HUD’s new Uniform Physical Inspection Standard and software. A sample inspection will show how inspections are performed using a hand-held computer. Participants will learn from an experienced HUD Quality Assurance inspector at an actual HUD assisted property.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011