Transforming Buildings, Transforming Lives

Two years ago Open Arms Housing began a discussion of opening their second permanent supportive housing residence in Trinidad. The project was well received and TNA provided a letter of support. On Thursday, April 30th, TNA joined Open Arms for the ground-breaking ceremony for Owen House at 1256 Owen Pl NE.

Owen House will provide permanent housing for four homeless women with mental health issues and physical disabilities. Open Arms’ other residence, The Dunbar, was the first in Washington, DC to implement the “Housing First’’ approach to assisting homeless women in a single site building. The Dunbar Building has had a phenomenal success rate, with 95 percent of its residents remaining in housing since residing at the facility. Owen House will have large one-bedroom apartments for each resident.

Funding for the new facility comes from private and public entities including: the DC Department of Housing and Community Development, the DC Department of Behavioral Health, the DC Department of Human Services, the DC Housing Authority, The Corporation for Supportive Housing, Cornerstone, Inc., and the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. In-kind services have been provided by Seyfarth Shaw LLC, The Behrend Builders of the DC Jewish Community Center and the Homebuilders Care Foundation of the National Capital Area.