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For the first half of the 20th century the site formerly known as Temperance Alley contained 23 dwellings for working class African American families. Though the housing was affordable, it was also substandard—it is said that residents often slept on the roof to avoid the rats. As a result of these conditions, the site was cleared in 1953 and no replacement housing was built.
ONE DC (formerly Manna CDC) began the campaign for new, permanently
affordable housing on Temperance Alley in 2001. After a lengthy comm Over the past four years we organized public demonstrations in support of the project highlighting the unusual Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) disapproval of the project despite the fact that we received support from all relevant DC agencies and ANCs and the approval of alley housing in other parts of the City, the BZA rejected our plan to build Temperance Row. As we continue to struggle to get approval to build the housing, ONE DC has hosted a variety of “interim uses” on the site. In 2002, we sponsored the Temperance Row Farmer’s and Artist’s market to bring healthy fruit and vegetables to local residents. We blessed the land on the 100th anniversary of the True Reformer Building where the Public Welfare Foundation is located. Currently, our community partner Shaw EcoVillage, with the financial support of Public Welfare, is creating temporary native plant gardens on the site. As part of our ongoing commitment to racial and economic equity in Shaw, ONE DC remains faithful stewards of this land as we continue the struggle to bring long term affordable housing to Temperance Alley. With this new development, the area will once again offer affordable housing options to hard working, lower-income Shaw residents.
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process, the Public Welfare Foundation donated the land to the ONE DC
along with a large capital contribution to build 10 units of permanently
affordable housing on the site, now to be called Temperance Row. Despite
major setbacks, both ONE DC and Public Welfare Foundation remain
committed to the project.