The New Communities Initiative (NCI) is a comprehensive public-private partnership designed to improve the quality of life for families and individuals living in four neighborhoods in Washington, DC: Northwest One (Ward 6), Barry Farm (Ward 8), Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings (Ward 7),  and Park Morton (Ward 1). Designated New Communities exhibit high rates of poverty and unemployment, as well as, blight and deterioration of the housing stock. 

The NCI is funded through the securitization of a dedicated portion of the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF).  This funding acts as a powerful and innovative gap financing tool and is managed by the District of Columbia Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED).  The incentive is designed to catalyze the renewal of both the physical and social conditions of designated neighborhoods in Washington, DC.

The New Communities Initiative has four guiding principles:

• One for One Replacement of existing units to ensure that there is no net loss of the existing deeply subsidized units in the neighborhood.
• The Opportunity to Return/Stay to ensure that current families will be able to remain in their neighborhood through the redevelopment process.
• Mixed-Income Housing to ensure the long-term viability of the neighborhood by providing a range of housing options for all incomes.
• Build First, which calls for new housing on publicly-controlled lands to be built prior to the demolition of existing distressed housing to minimize displacement.

For more information view the related document, New Communities Initiative (NCI) Program Sheet below.