Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report What Matters Most
Our Mission
FCHC’s mission is to preserve and increase service enriched affordable rental housing, serve unmet needs, and help to ensure that people of low to moderate income have housing they can afford.
2020 Challenges Become Opportunities
2020 proved to be the most challenging year in a generation for FCHC, its residents, and the City of Falls Church as a whole. The global pandemic caused us all to reassess and protect that which matters most: the health and wellbeing of the vulnerable residents of our affordable housing communities, the desire to uphold those values we hold dear, and a recommitment to better serve the housing distressed of Falls Church and the greater Washington metropolitan area.
Richard F. Burns
Thomas G. Vaccaro
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic tested all staff and residents at Winter Hill. As the virus primarily targeted older adults and those with preexisting medical conditions, FCHC’s senior residents found themselves suddenly susceptible and isolated. FCHC was determined to assist residents in every possible way, with our staff and Resident Services Coordinator (RSC) devising entirely new safety protocols and standards while providing vital services. As the world quickly transitioned to working from home, so too did our service personnel. Our dedicated staff provided essential services such as daily phone and video check-ins, food and supply distribution, medical and mental health referrals, and help accessing state and federal stimulus and other benefit programs all while transitioning to working entirely from home. FCHC’s overriding concern in 2020 was to protect residents during this unprecedented period and with the support of our committed RSC and property staff, we achieved that goal and then some. The FCHC team rolled up its collective sleeves to offer on-site services that were entirely focused on alleviating the effects the Covid-19 pandemic. However, social events and celebrations, when possible at the beginning of the year, provided invaluable social interaction for residents. January’s Lunar New Year celebration started the year off with a bang, while yoga classes offered substantial health benefits in addition to being a much-loved group activity. 2020 was also an important year for our residents’ civic duties, with both elections and the 2020 Census taking place. Winter Hill’s RSC diligently assisted residents in their efforts to complete the Census and register to vote, fulfilling important responsibilities to the City of Falls Church. Per our expanded mission statement, FCHC’s role as a key financing partner in supporting the creation and preservation of the region’s affordable housing continued to grow. More than $1.5 million was loaned in 2020 to affordable housing developments bringing approximately $40,000 in interest back to FCHC from these impact investments. Over the lifetime of our affordable housing investment activities, FCHC has now played a major role in the construction of 814 rental units at six properties in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Finally, in this most difficult of years, we cannot stress enough how thankful we are for the valuable support of Winter Hill’s RSC, Dong Bui, plus volunteers, and organizations that support our efforts via financial and in-kind service contributions and most importantly you, our members. Your support is what sustains our efforts and will allow us to achieve even more in the future.
Richard F. Burns President, FCHC
Thomas G. Vaccaro
Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, FCHC
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FCHC Community Engagement
Housing Commission FCHC continues to serve as a liaison to the Falls Church Housing Commission. FCHC’s liaison role provides not-for-profit private sector experience to the Housing Commission and advice on issues related to housing, urban development, and affordable housing.
Supporting Affordable Housing in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Per the expansion of the organization’s mission statement, FCHC functions as a lending institution, concentrating on establishing returns from socially responsible investments in the region’s affordable housing stock. As of the end of 2020, FCHC’s investments in affordable housing (via the advancement of predevelopment and bridge funding) have helped facilitate the construction of 814 units at four properties in the District of Columbia and two properties in Maryland. FCHC will continue to evaluate meaningful projects in which to invest, and which further the crucial mission of the organization in expanding the stock of valuable subsidized housing in the region. FCHC Portfolio Asset Management (CDBG) Operations at Winter Hill continued to be very stable in 2020. Winter Hill was virtually 100% occupied in 2020 with minimal turnover, and annual vacancy loss was less than 2%. 2020 net cash flow at Winter Hill after debt service and capital repair expenses was $310,637. The City of Falls Church continues to be very supportive of our mission at Winter Hill as several projects have been completed in the past years using Community Development Block Grants (“CDBG Funds”). In 2019, Winter Hill was awarded $63,000 in CDBG funds which was used to reface 23 balconies. The refacing of the balconies was completed in late 2020. Future CDBG funds will be used to reface the remaining eight balconies at Winter Hill as well as replace all storm doors at the property.
Winter Hill is projected to continue stable operations in 2021.
Operation Pathways Programming for FCHC Residents Operation Pathways programs for all FCHC residents are conducted in the James Moran Community Center at Winter Hill. Under the thoughtful leadership of the RSC at Winter Hill, Dong Bui, FCHC offered a variety of programming in Fiscal Year 2020.
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FCHC’s Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic As the global pandemic took root in the United States late in the first quarter of 2020, FCHC’s overriding concern quickly became the health and safety of the residents at Winter Hill Apartments. As an affordable property which serves only senior citizens, its residents suddenly became vulnerable. In addition, the isolation resulting from the required lock-down procedures took a mental health toll on our residents. In close coordination with the RSC at Winter Hill, Dong Bui, FCHC retooled the resident services programs in order to provide the residents of Winter Hill with accurate information about the pandemic and how to keep themselves and each other safe. Services provided to residents throughout the pandemic included daily check-ins with every resident (either via phone call or video chat), assistance with unemployment applications and other benefit enrollments on offer from the state and federal government, distribution of masks, food, and other supplies to nearly every single resident of Winter Hill, and referrals for residents requiring medical or mental health professionals. Existing programming was continued via virtual means where possible, as with Winter Hill’s very popular yoga classes. In Winter Hill’s hour of need, the citizens and business of Falls Church stepped up and showed the difference that a tight-knit community can make. From individual donations of food, supplies, gift cards, masks, face shields, and more, to hot meals from local businesses delivered straight to residents, the City of Falls Church demonstrated deep and abiding care during an incredibly difficult and stressful period. Local partners in these efforts, including but not limited to Better Together Falls Church, Temple Rodef Shalom, the Vietnamese community of Falls Church, McLean Baptist Church, and the Knights of Columbus, demonstrate the benefits of deep involvement with the local community and stakeholders. Although the Covid-19 pandemic certainly dominated the headlines and our resident services efforts, 2020 also provided FCHC’s residents will opportunities to participate in important civic activities as well as in-person programming when available. The always popular yoga program continued to be offered in early 2020, and residents were delighted to celebrate the Lunar New Year in January. 2020 was an important year for our residents’ civic responsibilities: Winter Hill’s Resident Service Coordinator assisted residents in the completion of both 2020 Census and voter registration forms while distributing voter information pamphlets to all interested residents. In total, 17 residents filled out their Census form with assistance from our RSC, while almost every resident participated in our voter registration and education programs.
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330-B.S. VIRGINIA AVENUE, SUITE 2, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22046 • 703.241.5402 fchccdc.org
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