The January 10^th informational meeting on the redevelopment of the library/community center complex has been generating a great deal of interest, well beyond our original expectations. To provide for the largest participation and to respond to health concerns, we have decided to change from in-person at the CCCC to an online format via Zoom. Originally, we publicized this as an in-person event at the Center and we apologize if this change causes confusion or inconvenience. We had hoped that we could do a hybrid event (both online and in-person), but the technical capacity of the Center does not allow for that.

Please register in advance for this webinar at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U-_qq8tYQWG_lH_Oe1wZXw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

As a reminder, the Chevy Chase Community Association and the Chevy Chase ANC are sponsoring the informational forum with the hope that it will help community members understand the details of the surplus/disposal process so that they will be better prepared to participate in the January 12 DMPED hearing.

The panelists are experts in the fields directly related to the topic of public land surplussing and development. They have been invited to provide their expert information and offer alternatives to the surplus process. They will be available to answer community questions. These experts are not advocates or beneficiaries of the surplus/disposal process of the Community Center/Library.

We look forward to the event. More information will appear on our website as we move forward.

Robert Gordon,

President, CCCA

Chevy Chase Community Association and ANC 3/4G are jointly sponsoring a public forum to explore issues surrounding the redevelopment of the Chevy Chase Library and CC Community Center together with mixed-income and affordable housing. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) has scheduled a "surplus" hearing for January 12 to take public comments. This public forum has been organized prior to that hearing, so that the community can learn about DC’s surplus and disposition process and to explore alternate approaches for developing this important community asset.

We have invited expert panelists from the public and private sectors to help unpack the DMPED’s call to surplus parts of the “Civic Core” property and dispose it to private developers. The panelists include:

Avram Fechter – Founder of EquityPlus LLC, Fechter helps project developers (both nonprofit and for-profit) navigate the complex world of tax advantaged transactions. The EquityPlus team works with both investors and project developers to structure, underwrite, close, develop, and manage tax advantaged development projects across the country. Before co-founding EquityPlus, Mr. Fechter worked for the DC Government underwriting and closing over $400 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financed projects while deploying $3 million of 9% LIHTC Allocation and $80 million of District Government loans. Mr. Fechter has a M.S. in Public Policy from Rutgers University.

Invited – Staff to Councilmember Robert White – In November, Councilmember White proposed the Common Ground Amendment Act of 2022, legislation that would amend the city’s surplus and disposition law to increase the production of affordable housing. As part of the effort, the councilmember and his staff proposed a substantial re-write of the law, which he said in announcing his overhaul proposal, “has grown extremely convoluted through various amendments over the last 83 years.”  

Invited – Max Tondro – Chief, Equitable Land Use Section, Office of the DC Attorney General.  

Mr. Tondro has extensive knowledge of the city’s zoning code and practices and has been deeply involved in a variety of issues in connection with recent major development in the District. He has dealt with the city’s surplus and disposition of public property. Prior to his current position, he was senior counsel to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and, as an employee of the DC Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs, counsel to the city’s zoning administrator and surveyor. Mr. Tondro has a law degree from the University of Maryland’s Carey School of Law and a doctorate from Cambridge University.  

Moderators – Robert Gordon, President CCCA and Peter Gosselin, Commissioner ANC 3/4G.

The Zoom program will be recorded and available within 24 hours on the CCCA website.