The District of Columbia will celebrate a ribbon-cutting event for Ward 8’s short-term family housing program.  The new facility, named by the community as the Triumph, will serve 50 families experiencing homelessness. The event will occur on Tuesday, November 13, at 4:00 PM at 4225 6^th Street, SE, Washington, D.C.

Mayor Muriel Bowser officially cut the ribbon to celebrate another step toward restoring families into their communities. Our design for the facility integrates within the residential neighborhood and eliminates the negative institutional perception often associated with similar projects. The 36,000-SF facility includes 50 residential family sleeping units which, along with laundry, study spaces, and common rooms, are distributed throughout the upper five levels of the six-story building. The ground floor will house resident amenities including a computer lab, dining facility, health clinic, and multipurpose rooms.

The D.C. Department of Human Services launched an initiative to transfer homeless residents from an existing, over-populated and dilapidated central emergency shelter into smaller, decentralized shelters in each ward of the city. The goal for these new facilities is to create a safe and healthy environment for residents to call home as they transition out of homelessness and back into society. The design captures a welcoming, less institutional experience, while also motivating residents and providing resources to progress in their next step in housing. The facility is currently on track to receive a LEED Gold for Homes certification.