*The Community Foundation’s President & CEO, Tonia Wellons joins stakeholders on a tour of Edgewood V.*

Seeing firsthand how the Partnership to End Homelessness is creating and preserving affordable homes at Edgewood Commons

When we talk about impact investing, it's easy to get lost in the numbers—interest rates, loan terms, and return on investment. But recently, donors and fundholders had the chance to see what those numbers actually mean: real homes, real impact, real community as they toured Edgewood Commons in Northeast DC, a sprawling affordable housing campus that tells the story of what's possible when philanthropic capital works as hard as the people it serves.

A Foundation Built Over Fifty Years

Edgewood Commons began in 1972 as a modest affordable housing development in Northeast DC. The project began as an effort to provide affordable housing so that long-time Washingtonians living below the region’s Average Median Income (AMI) – including many of the region’s senior citizens – could afford to stay in the region they call home.

Today, it's home to more than 800 families across four properties, with a fifth building—Edgewood V—set to add another 100+ units specifically designed for seniors.

From left to right: Darius Graham, Managing Director of Community Investment, The Community Foundation, Tamitha Davis-Rama, Chief Program Officer, Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative, Anna Smukowski, Managing Director of Impact Investing, Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Jennifer Olney, Program Director of The Partnership to End Homelessness, The Community Foundation

"Safe, stable affordable housing is the foundation for so much of the work that we are doing in this region," said Darius Graham, Managing Director for Community Investment at The Community Foundation “and we know that according to our VoicesDMV community survey, about 10% of residents across the region were unable to provide adequate shelter for their household in the past year.”

How Your Investment Creates Impact

This is where impact investing can make a tangible difference. Through the Greater Washington Community Foundation's Partnership to End Homelessness we have teamed up with Enterprise Community Loan Fund to leverage donor investments into more than $40 million in financing for affordable housing projects across the region – including Edgewood Commons.

Click here for more information about Enterprise Community Loan Fund!

*Amanda Walz (left) and Anna Smukowski (right) with Enterprise Community Loan Fund*

“Thanks to the investments made through The Community Foundation, we’ve been able to support the preservation or new construction of 900 affordable housing units in the DC area,” shared Anna Smukowski, Managing Director of Impact Investing at Enterprise Community Loan Fund. “Together, we’re not just building homes – we’re strengthening community.”

Building a Home & Building Community

At Edgewood, building community means going the extra mile to help tenants receive the support they need to feel safe, stable, and housing-secure. In addition to providing housing for tenants, the complex also hosts four nonprofit organizations that provide wraparound services.

These nonprofit partnerships serve residents from across the spectrum – from creating a safe environment for children and youth (Beacon House/DC ONSE Office) to providing healthy food and prepared meals for Seniors (Capital Area Food Bank/Seabury Resources for the Aging).

“We are invested in helping families feel vibrant, strong, and connected,” shared Tamitha Davis-Rama, Chief Program Officer of Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative.

Founded in 1996, Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative has had a presence in the Edgewood community since its inception – providing family strengthening, workforce development, financial coaching, and emergency support services for residents – including Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) support.

“We believe in collaboration,” Tamitha explained. “From residents to nonprofits and from nonprofits to property managers, city agencies, and investors.”

“When we work together, we can increase our impact and improve the quality of life for our community and everyone living in it.”

*Fundholders and friends of The Community Foundation tour Edgewood V*

Meeting the Moment – Why Impact Investing Matters Now

As the cost of affordable housing development continues to rise, initiatives like The Community Foundation’s partnership with the Enterprise Community Loan Fund are crucial to ensuring that projects like Edgewood V can continue to provide safe, community-centered, affordable housing for DC residents.

"Whether you’re a DC resident or a DC housing developer, the costs of living and doing business in DC continue to go up,” President & CEO Tonia Wellons shared. “As a result, more people are at risk of experiencing homelessness and fewer developers have the financial capital to build the affordable housing units that could help them.”

That's why The Community Foundation made a deliberate decision in 2019 to focus philanthropic resources on the 0-60% Area Median Income space—the deeply affordable housing that the market won't build on its own – by prioritizing impact investments through a partnership with Enterprise Community Loan Fund.

“Our partnership with The Community Foundation is truly unique, in the housing development space,” Smukowski shared. “There aren't many donor-advised fund partners that offer opportunities to invest in community ventures like this.”

By allowing individuals to align their capital with their values, impact investing is a tool that gives community members a chance to invest in a way that not only builds housing but also provides a foundation for strengthening community for generations to come.