Housing – Truxton Is In Shaw

Memory Lane: Sursum Corda and Church Housing

Because Destructo (my 8 year old son) is who he is, we were heading to the Kaiser Urgent Care Center near Union Station. They had a 2 hour wait as opposed to the 5 hour wait at the Largo UCC. This had us driving from Rhode Island and up 1st, past what was the Sursum Corda Apartments.

Taken May 16, 2007. First and M St NW. View of Sursum Corda Apts.

In my previous post about churches and housing, I mentioned Immaculate Conception Apartments, now 1330. In the 1970s it seems all the cool churches were doing low income housing. Sursum Corda, based on my quick glance of a June 25, 1972 Washington Post article was the product of St. Aloysius, its school Gonzaga High School, and other Catholic groups who like Immaculate, created an organization to create the housing.

I had to giggle when reading, “Mrs. Brown said crime has gone down markedly since the early days of the project.” When I arrived in the Shaw neighborhood, Sursum Corda was famously crime ridden.

But it was also painful reading the hope in 1972 that the apartment complex would be a new start for residents, providing a better life than what was offered in city public housing. Good intentions do not produce the results desired. Fast forward fifty years and what do you have? Apartment buildings completely divorced from the faith based communities that created them, struggling with crime. Or complexes that are no longer 100% low-income housing, but more market rate with a few subsidized units.

Know your public housing-2026

Ten years ago, on this date, I published a post, Know your public housing. Basically, what is affordable housing isn’t public housing. People might be using ‘public housing’ as shorthand, but it is incorrect.

Local governments are moving away from the public housing model and towards vouchers, aka Section 8. It’s easier to boss around landlords than to deal with property management yourself.

There are plenty of places within the historic boundaries of Shaw that are mistaken for public housing that is not public housing or no longer public housing. What is public housing? That’s housing “owned and managed by the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA).” And what is currently owned by the city in Shaw and other neighborhoods, compared to the number of privately owned apartments is minuscule.

I’ve gone down the list of DC public housing and only the James Apartments at 1425 N St NW, and possibly Claridge Towers at 1221 M St NW (it’s on the boundary) and Horizon House are the only public housing apartments in & on the border with Shaw.

The Northwest Co-Ops 1 and 2, not public housing.
Asbury Dwellings on Rhode Island, not public housing.
1330 at 1330 7th St NW, formerly Immaculate Conception Apartments, not public housing.
The McCollough Terrace Apartments, strangely some of the few non-Suzane Reatig designed UHOP buildings in Shaw, obviously not public housing.
The Washington Apartments, not public housing. I’m not even sure it’s still taking voucher tenants in 2026.
Foster House, formerly affordable housing associated with New Bethel Church, and there was a settlement, not public housing.
The Gibson Apartments, not public housing.

So lesson learned. When there is talk of affordable or workforce housing at your community meetings, it’s the examples I’ve provided above, the “not public housing.” Also affordable housing isn’t forever. The thing with vouchers, is that a company or property management group can choose to pivot towards market rate housing.

Churches and Affordable Housing: General thoughts

A couple of things passed through my social media on the topic of churches, or a particular church, getting into the affordable housing game. In one case, there is a church dealing with financial and membership woes throwing out the idea that maybe they could turn some of their prime urban acreage into housing. In another, some urban policy writer pointing out a plan by a progressive church to build affordable housing over their worship space and suggesting other churches do likewise.

My attitude, I’m not a member, so you do you, but be aware of the long term by learning from history. Who am I kidding? No one learns from history, because “this time, it’s different!”

If anyone is interested in learning from history, the Shaw neighborhood has several examples. Not a Shaw church but Greater Deliverance Christian Center Church of God in Christ formerly of SE DC owned Kelsey Gardens, an affordable housing complex, which was torn down for mixed use development between 2004-2006. Shiloh Baptist has owned and still owns property for well over 30 years and has done little in development. Immaculate Conception Church had used its Shaw properties to create the apartments at 1330 7th St NW in the 1970s? I believe Mt. Sinai has used its property as part of its mission work, if and when the properties have been used as housing, but not rentals. And lastly, the United House of Prayer for All Peoples (UHOP) is a major landlord and developer.

1330 7th St NW, formerly the Immaculate Conception Apartments.

Just thinking of the examples, it’s complicated. And the outcomes, when thinking 20-30 years out don’t always match the rosy fuzzy picture painted in the planning stages. No one says, ‘hey let’s build some housing that we won’t manage and will add to the neighborhood’s crime problem!’ Or ‘let’s keep planning to build housing, but for one reason or another never ever get around to it and be forced to sell because maintaining shells is hurting our church budget.’ They might quietly say, ‘let’s build housing and have it as an extra revenue stream,’ which doesn’t work out for everyone.

WSIC Foreclosure story- James C. Gordon of 131 Bates Street NW

See the original post WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 131 Bates Street NW to see the house history of the location. I noticed something when I looked at some of the people who were foreclosed upon with the WSIC houses. Some of them were old and they died and there was no point of keeping up with the mortgage payments for a property with limited value. Other times, people had other homes and let the WSIC go.

This is very short. James C. Gordon does not appear as a Black man in the 1950 census. So the genealogy route came up blank.

Neither is he in the DC Recorder of Deeds beyond the house on Bates Street.

But he does show up in the newspapers for driving poorly and hitting an electrical pole. According to the April 14, 1952 issue of the Washington Evening Star, he and his wife Sophia* were driving from Culpepper, VA and Mr. Gordon started dozing off. When he awoke, he saw a traffic light, hit the breaks and swerved into a pole. He was thrown from the car and a live wire landed very close to him. He was sent to Arlington Hospital and later booked for reckless driving.

Later in 1952 Florie’s name was taken off the property. I suspect the accident may have strained the marriage. The November deed, where Florie’s signature can be seen, also has Colonial Mortgage Corp officer Abraham Levin as the notary.

*That was the name given and the address was 131 Bates Street. So either she went by another name (more likely) or he got a new wife or Florie was a family member.

Memory Lane: 300 Block of R St NW and a tale to secure your property

Yellow_townhouses — 300 Block of R St NW, December 28, 2015

I’m just now noticing in the above photo that there is someone standing on a ledge in the center yellow townhouse in the row of the three yellow townhouses.

This reminds me of a story. I ‘think’ it involves one of the townhouses… I’m not sure anymore.

So this row was renovated and sat empty for a long while. I vaguely remember the owners wanted something complicated, which is why they sat for a while. And because they were sitting empty, ready for potential buyers who had no interest the utilities were still on. A White guy broke in and enjoyed heat and lights and (somehow) cable for a good long while. Somewhere around several months to a little less than a year. I mention the race because, I suspect his race made it easy to explain his presence there.

So, here’s the moral. Have a security system to keep out squatters.

WSIC- The Black Unit Block of O St NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) had a lot of rental units in Truxton Circle, but they were segregated. The White tenants were on Bates St (unit to 200 block), 3rd St, 200 block of P Street and the 100-200 block of Q Street NW. The Black tenants were segregated way over on the unit block of O Street, where their White renters would not see them.

I haven’t gathered the info for the 1950 census for Truxton Circle, but I have started. While collecting information about the sale of WSIC homes to African Americans in the TC, I took a look at the Black units to see if any of the Black tenants decided to buy. I’ve already did a post about the Edmunstons who bought their unit.

The Burtons also purchased their unit at 40 O St NW. Nellie and John R. Burton lived there as far back as the 1930 census. In the 1930s the father John A. Burton was a barber, Nellie, the mother was at home and John R. was a student. Nellie died in May 1956 and two years later their half was foreclosed upon. During the 1950 census John R. was the head working as a clerk for the US government. He was at 40 O St with his wife Mary L. who was a stenographer, their 6 year old son and mother Nellie who was at home. It appears Nellie dealt with child care, freeing Mary to work outside of the home.

A few months after purchasing 40 O Street NW with his mother, he and his wife Mary Louise Burton, purchased 116 53rd St SE in Marshall Heights. This house had two mortgages. The first was $3,250 with a lender and the second was $6,600 with Riggs Bank. In 1956 John and Mary bought 5212 East Capitol St NE. This also came with two mortgages, the first being $3,500 and the second $2,000 with the same lender.

There were a few who purchased WSIC units, just not theirs.

Ethel and Malvern F. Jackson purchased half of 24 O St NW, but lived in 18 O St NW when the 1950 census was taken. In the 1950 census Ethel was a 58 year old widow living with her son Malvern, daughter Nathelma and son-in-law William Ewell. At that time Malvern and Nathelma were the only adults working. He was worked at the post office as a postal clerk. She was a printer’s assistant at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. In 1954 the Jacksons sold their half of 24 O St NW back to the sellers. That same month Malvern purchased 631 Gallatin St NW with his wife Genevieve. They were able to borrow $9,000 from the Jefferson Savings and Loan/ Lincoln National Bank and $3,950 from other trustees.

Ethel’s daughter and son-in-law purchased half of 30 O St NW. Like her brother, Nathelma and William Ewell sold the house back to the sellers in September 1954. There was no evidence the couple purchased anything in the District of Columbia. At one point in time Nathelma lived in Silver Spring.

Roxie A. Jackson was a 40 year old widow who lived with her 20 year old son and 78 year old uncle at 46 O Street NW and working as a charwoman. Her son Mark worked for a dry cleaner. When the WSIC units came up for sale, she bought 32 O St NW. In 1952 Mrs. Jackson sold her half to Ruth and Charles Rodgers Hawkins, who then sold it to Mrs. Helena Isabel Ash. The Jackson loan got paid off and all was well. She disappears from record after that.

WSIC- Robert G. Weightman of Colonial Mortgage Corp.

I think I have most of the major players who were involved with the sell of the WSIC houses, except Robert Weightman.

Colonial Investment Co. was headed by president Nathan Levin. The VP was Nathaniel J. Taube, who also served as the president of Colonial Mortgage Corp. and the treasurer was James B. Evans. Abraham H. Levin was the legal advisor and general manager of both Colonial Mortgage and Investment, as well as Nathan’s brother. Harry A. Badt was appears in the records after Nathan Levin’s death in 1956. Prior to that Badt was the treasurer in charge of building inspection for Colonial Mortgage.

Abraham Levin and Robert G. Weightman’s names appear in the loan records for the WSIC homes sold to Black home buyers, as well as the foreclosure documents. So three paragraphs in, who was Robert G. Weightman?

Robert Gillain Weightman was born 12/11/1906 in Philadelphia to Helen Hoskin and Robert G. Weightman (1877-1909). He was baptized in the Episcopal church in 1908. In 1930 he was 23 years old, married to wife Eleanore and working as a credit clerk for a gas station in Camden, NJ. In the 1940 census he was living at 800 Talyor St NE, with wife Eleanore and 8 year old son James. At that time he worked as an accountant for a finance company. During WWII he remained at 800 Taylor St NE working for Security Finance Co.

Looking at the 1950 census the family had moved out to Chillium, MD in PG county. He was working as an accountant but for a real estate company. We can guess the company was Colonial Mortgage Corp.

Weightman only appeared in the local papers with Abraham Levin for foreclosures.

Weightman moved back to Pennsylvania and there he died in 1994.

Property Taxes and Assessments

Everyso often I wander away from history and treat this as a personal blog. Sometimes I like to fight with strangers on the internet. There is a fool who believes that an increasing assessed value does not increase your taxes. As someone who has paid property taxes in 4 jurisdictions, and has looked at the tax assessment sent (trying to figure out how to argue against it), this was a lie.

I’ll touch on property taxes and I will attempt to throw in some history. Let’s go back to 2007. In my post Tax Assessments, I noted that DC was up to some assessment black magic, by inflating the land assessment compared to the structure (aka the house) on the property. To me, this appeared to be away for DC to squeeze more money out of the most run down houses in good/up & coming neighborhoods.

Prior to that, in 2005, it appeared that DC was just increasing the value of our homes by $60K for poops and giggles.

Lastly, in 2010 I wrote about how different neighbors on the block pay different taxes even if their properties are roughly assessed around the same amount. It depends on when they bought or got the property, if they are a resident owner, if they qualify for some sweet deal like the Senior Citizen Tax Relief and other factors.

WSIC data clean up- 37, 60, 227 and 229 Bates Street NW

Hopefully this is the last post of this kind. This is just answering if the Bates Street Associates (BSA) ever owned the property?

37 Bates Street NW (Sq 615, lot 288) – Well, no. Basiliko sold the property to the Bates Street Partnership in 1978 (document # 7800034103). The Bates Street Partnership with George Diaz and Edward Kassoff as signatories, were not the same (as far as I can tell) as the Bates Street Associates.

60 Bates Street NW (Sq 615, lot 811)- Yes. While I cannot locate a deed transferring the property from Basiliko to the DC Redevelopment Agency (RLA), there is the deed and contract (docs #8000020294 and #8000020221) transferring it from the DC RLA to the BSA Limited Partnership.

227 Bates Street NW (Sq 552, lot 93)- Kinda hard to say….. I’m going to go with no. There is a confusing document (# 8000014566) that is a mortgage release for the Bates Street Associates, Inc, but it was owned by Maude and Farin Boykin.

229 Bates Street NW (Sq 552, lot 94)- Yes. Like 60 Bates St NW the property from Basiliko to the DC RLA, followed by a deed and contract (docs #7900028039 and #7800024140) transferring it from the DC RLA to the BSA Inc.

Behind the foreclosure of the Hall-Stitt house at 42 O St NW- A WSIC story

Nope we’re not done with the WSIC. There are plenty of stories to milk out of of the WSIC saga and this is one.

Typically, if the buyer paid off the loan it would take about 10 years to do so. The buyers at 42 O Street NW faltered so close to the finish line. The first foreclosure for this house came in 1959. The second was from a family who bought the house in February 1951 losing the house to foreclosure in April 1960, about a year or so away from being released from their mortgage.

That last family was Mrs. Mildred Stitt and her parents William and Eva Hall. The 1950 census showed that the Halls lived at 42 O Street NW before the WSIC sell off. Since Colonial Investments was selling units exclusively to African American buyers, the Halls had options the White tenants did not. The WSIC rentals on the unit block of O St were for Black renters and the rest were for White renters.

When they bought the downstairs half of 42 O Street William was about 75 years old and his wife 70. Mildred is a bit harder to pin down. She married James Samuel Stitt in 1938 in Arlington , VA and I can’t seem to find them living in the same house. She wasn’t at 42 O St NW in 1950, but she was on the 1951 deed.

William died July 13, 1955. Eva followed later in 1960 and that gives a clue as to why their unit fell into foreclosure.

They had three daughters, one being Mildred Stitt. I have my doubts that Mildred ever lived with them. Once Eva died there may have been no reason to keep paying mortgage payments. But they were so close to the end.

I have no idea what Mildred was doing during the period of her parents’ deaths. It seems that she was separated from James S. Stitt. There was another James S. Stitt, could have been the same one, who married an Anne Hall and lived in Mecklenberg, NC. But I know she eventually moved to 3827 Hamilton St in Hyattsville and lived there. She died August 15, 1998.