neighborhood news
A Proven Success in Affordable Housing
Southwest’s St. James Mutual Homes Shows How It Can Be Done by Elizabeth O’Gorek
I
t was Christmas time, housing units becoming a coopbut there was no erative. In the late fifties, most of wreath on the door of Southwest was razed as part of Yolanda Eaton’s secan Urban Renewal plan, where ond-floor apartment at the federal government seized the St. James Mutual Homes the entire area through emi(215 O St. SW). The living nent domain, razing 560 acres room was shrouded in darkof land. The project destroyed ness, the curtains were pulled most of Southwest DC and the across the windows. Her elthriving black community that derly downstairs neighbor lived there. In 1959, the Reknew that Eaton, who everydevelopment Land Agency one called Yo, had lost her (RLA), charged with managing mother only days earlier. But renewal, purchased the Koberthe neighbor hadn’t seen Yo Sternberg Courts. in days, and her car hadn’t Kober-Sternberg Courts moved, either. was not razed because the The neighbor dialed Yo’s complex was around 20 years number, leaving her a voiceold and because it providmail. “Now, Yo, you know I’m ed affordable housing in the your Momma now and there’s area. With the help of a Fedno need for you to be upset eral Housing Authority (FHA) and lonely and sad. I’m right loan the newly created St. St. Jame Mutual Homes Board Members, L-R Terrence D. Richardson, Vice-President; Yolanda M. Eaton, Treasurer; Barbara down here,” Eaton recountJames Mutual Homes CoopD. Richardson, Secretary; Marguerite E. Parker, President. Missing is William F. Broadus, Member-At-Large. ed the message, years later. erative, consisting of current She was touched that the elresidents, bought the comder lady cared about her in her plex from RLA for $500,000 Last Effort of the Washington time of mourning. in 1966, RLA having lowered the price to allow reasonSanitary Movement “But I had to call her and tell her I was in Hawaii,” able rents after renovations. St. James Mutual Homes (here STJMH for short) was she said. It is the first identified example of a complex purchased one of the last developments built during the final wave of Sitting in the office of the St. James Mutual Homes, by a cooperative group represented by tenants. By August, the Sanitary Housing movement, which aimed to provide Eaton and the other members of the cooperative commu1967, 98 of the 107 units were sold, mostly to former tenhealthy, beautiful housing at an affordable rate. nity’s board laugh uproariously at the punchline. ants, most of whom were African American, and some of The STJMH campus, formerly known as the KoberBoth the tale and the laughter encapsulate the sense whom are still living there. Sternburg Courts, actually consists of two separate develof family and the tenacious positivity shared by members opments, each arranged around vast, green spaces. Built in of St. James. First built in 1937 and designated a coop1937, Sternberg Courts is composed of 56 units in 15 twoInvested in Multiple Ways erative in 1966, the well-maintained, quiet Southwest story red brick flats. Constructed on the other side of the STJMH Board President Marguerite Parker said that the cooperative is a long-lasting, successful example of af200 block of O Street SW in 1939, Kober Court houses cooperative model, where each member owns a part of St. fordable to moderate income housing. In a period when 51 oneand two-bedroom units. Appearing to be three atJames, means that residents are literally invested in the enthe District confronts a shortage of housing, especially tached buildings, it is actually a three-story, three-wing brick tire community, and in multiple ways. affordable homes, what lessons can this 83-year-old afand cinder building with a single basement. Each resident has an ownership stake in the St. James fordable housing community provide? An unusual set of circumstances led to the affordable Mutual Homes. Shares are purchased through a mem26
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