Time to welcome more senior residents into the neighborhood!

On April 30, 2025, Mayor Muriel Bowser cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of Riggs Crossing Senior Residences, a new 100% affordable, income-restricted community for seniors 55 years and older, developed by True Ground Housing Partners (formerly known as Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing). Besides Mayor Bowser, speakers included Mary Worsley, one of the building’s first residents; Steven Smith, Senior Vice President at Truist; Carmen Romero, CEO of True Ground Housing Partners; Rich Jordan, chair of the board of True Ground Housing Partners; and Nina Albert, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Planning (DMPED).

One-bedroom and two-bedroom units are still available. Interested individuals may visit the Riggs Crossing website to learn more.

Located on the southeast corner of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue NE, Riggs Crossing features 93 apartments, consisting of studios, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom units, with approximately 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Jaydot will provide case management services to residents in the permanent supportive housing units. The building is access controlled. Each floor is color coded to help with memory care. At move-in, residents can request that grab bars be installed in the unit. Residents may also request either a small or large personal foldable shopping cart

Each unit is spacious featuring either an extra large window or a balcony. Free wi-fi is available throughout the building and in each individual unit. DC SEU provided discounts on new appliances. Each unit comes with a full size washer/dryer.

Building amenities include a community room, fitness room, wellness room with yoga mats, and a library. Common areas feature artwork by local artists, and an outdoor mural brightens one side of the building. No pets are allowed, but service animals are permitted. There is a parking garage with 49 spaces.

Retail

Forthcoming retail tenants include Happy Violet DC, owned by local resident Renee Blair, and Rose’s Beauty Supply. There is still vacant retail space. Interested retailers should contact Joanna Shin at jshin@truegroundhousing.org.

DC’s Affordable Housing Efforts

The ribbon cutting served as the culmination of Mayor Bowser’s work on neighborhood development in Riggs Park, starting as a founding member of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association Development Task Force when she lived in the neighborhood, ANC commissioner, Ward 4 councilmember, and finally mayor. She shared a thank you letter with the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association.

Almost every speaker noted how developing affordable housing projects like this one takes a lot of commitment, resources, and effort from the public and private sectors. The city provided financing to help develop the senior building, and officials from the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning & Economic Development were heavily involved.

The first phase of this project, Riggs Park Place, delivered in 2022, consisting of 90 townhomes (five below market-rate) developed by EYA. JBG Smith, former owner of Fort Totten Square, selected EYA to build Riggs Park Place after deciding to forego building more apartments as the second phase to Fort Totten Square. EYA then selected True Ground Housing as a partner to develop the senior building.

The mayor used the ribbon cutting as an opportunity to highlight her commitment to contributing $100 million to the Housing Production Trust Fund every year. She also advocated for the DC Council to pass the RENTAL Act, which she said aims to amend the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), reform the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), and make the housing board permanent. (Discussion and questions about the mayor’s recently announced proposed deal with the Washington Commanders also came up).

Ribbon cutting pictures below