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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Articles
  • Victory Square Wins National Award
  • Cambridge Apartments and Winslow House Refinanced
  • Victory Oaks Joins "CAN-paign" on May 19, 2013
  • WJLA-ABC 7 Covers Victory Oaks at St. Camillus Dedication - October 1, 2012
  • Rain / Wind Don't Dampen Victory Court Groundbreaking - September 18, 2012
  • Victory Square dedication - July 26th
  • Victory Heights una bendición para sus inquilinos - El Pregonero
  • La Plata Manor And Victory Woods Dedicated On The Same Day
  • Victory Housing's Founder and Summit at St. Martin's Receive Award
  • Victory Housing Celebrates 30th Anniversary, Honors Founder
  • Victory Crest Grand Opening Held, September 2010

    PDFs
  • Community is key at Victory Tower - Takoma Park News, March 2013
  • Victory Housing Update, Winter 2012
  • Nonprofit Developers Recognize Two Catholic Housing Efforts - Catholic Standard
  • Archbishop Visits La Plata Manor to Celebrate Fix-Up - Maryland Independent
  • Victory Heights: Word Travels Fast About Plush Housing for Lower-Income Seniors
    (Reprint from The Washington Post, February 2008)


    Videos
  • Video: Victory Crest dedication, September 2010
  • Video: Victory Forest dedication, October 2009


    Victory Square Wins National Award

    Victory Square, a 98-unit community for low- and moderate-income seniors in the Parkside neighborhood of Washington, DC, was selected as this year's winner in the seniors housing category in the annual Charles L. Edson Awards from the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition. There are 79 one-bedroom units and 19 two-bedroom units. Victory Square, which opened in Summer 2012, has a generous amount of indoor and outdoor amenity space including fitness, wellness, computer and arts and crafts rooms, a library, a beauty salons, and a great room that extends into a large balcony. The Edson Award will be presented on May 22, 2013, at a Capitol Hill ceremony.

    Victory Square Exterior.


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    Cambridge Apartments and Winslow House Refinanced

    On April 18, 2013, Victory Housing went to closing on loans for Cambridge Apartments and Winslow House, both in Takoma Park, through HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 223(f) program that will provide 35-year fixed rate financing for each property at a rate of 3.56% including required mortgage insurance. Cambridge Apartments and Winslow House provide affordable rental housing for moderate-income families. The new FHA loans will increase each property's long-term financial security. We would like to thank AGM Financial, Furey Doolan & Abell, Krooth & Altman, Montgomery County and Wells Fargo for their assistance with this transaction.

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    Victory Oaks Joins "CAN-paign" on May 19, 2013th

    Victory Oaks, a 49-unit rental community for very-low-income seniors in Silver Spring, will be taking part in the 1st Annual Parade of Homes by the Communications Action Network (CAN), an organization founded in 2012 to highlight the affordable housing challenges in the Washington, D.C. region and to showcase the variety and quality of affordable properties being developed and operated. A total of 16 properties in the metro area will all be having open houses on Saturday May 19th from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Victory Oaks and Victory Housing are both pleased to be a part of this important effort. Please stop in to see the work that we are doing and to meet some of our residents. There is no cost to attend. Click here for the event flyer.

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    WJLA-ABC 7 Covers Victory Oaks at St. Camillus Dedication - October 1, 2012

    On a beautiful early fall morning, Victory Oaks at St. Camillus, a 49-unit apartment community for very-low-income seniors, located on the grounds of St. Camillus Catholic Parish in Silver Spring, celebrated its grand opening with over 150 residents, local dignitaries, school children and project participants on hand. The $7.9M community was financed with a $6.9M capital grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 202 program for the elderly and a $1M dollar long-term low-interest rate loan from Montgomery County. The event was covered by WJLA-TV 7 and a number of print publications.

    Participating in the ceremony were Most Reverend Martin D. Holley, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Washington; Congressman Chris Van Hollen (Maryland - 8th); Katrina Owens, Office of Congresswoman Donna Edwards (Maryland - 4th); Roger Berliner, President, Montgomery County Council; Mary Ann Henderson, HUD HUB office director, Baltimore; Reverend Michael Johnson, O.F.M., St. Camillus Catholic Church; and, James A. Brown, Jr., President, Victory Housing, Inc.

    Victory Court Groundbreaking.


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    Rain / Wind Don't Dampen Victory Court Groundbreaking - September 18, 2012

    Braving intermittent rain and gusty winds, a crowd of 100 dignitaries, neighbors, community activists and project professionals celebrated the groundbreaking for Victory Court under the welcome cover of a tent. Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, reflected that the tent was an apt metaphor for the Victory Court project, as during construction it will move from a temporary to permanent home for the future residents of the community. Other program participants included Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio, Rockville City Council Member Mark Pierzchala, Housing Opportunities Commission Executive Director Stacy Spann, Capital One Senior Vice President Ed Delaney, and Victory Housing President Jim Brown.

    Victory Court will provide 86 units of affordable housing for mixed-income seniors in downtown Rockville. For a more complete project description, click here. For leasing information, call (301) 294-1111 or e-mail info@victorycourt.com.

    Press Coverage


    Victory Court Groundbreaking.


    Victory Court Groundbreaking.


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    Victory Square dedication - July 26th

    Victory Square's dedication on July 26 was covered by a number of local, regional and national media outlets, including the following to date:
    The dedication of Victory Square, Victory Housing's newest apartment community, offering 98 units for low- and moderate-income seniors, was held on Thursday July 26. Speakers included Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of the Archdiocese of Washington, and Bank of America regional president William Couper. Photos will be posted shortly.

    Victory Square is located at 600 Barnes Street, N.E. in the Parkside neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C. For more detailed description on Victory Square, click here.

    If you are interested in an apartment, please call (202) 388-3288 or manager321@habitatamerica.com

    Victory Sqaure Ribbon Cutting.


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    La Plata Manor And Victory Woods Dedicated On The Same Day

    Victory Housing had not one, but two, dedication ceremonies on June 2, 2011, to celebrate the completion of our newest affordable housing communities and the first ever in Southern Maryland. We were pleased and honored to have the Archbishop of Washington, Donald Cardinal Wuerl, and Raymond A. Skinner, Secretary, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, at both events. Each ceremony was attended by over 100 persons.

    La Plata Manor

    At 11:00 a.m., the ceremony was for Plata Manor, located in La Plata, Charles County. La Plata Manor is a 101-unit, 100% Section 8 project for very-low-income seniors. The property was acquired in January, 2009. Subsequently, an $11 million financing plan for renovations and long-term affordability was crafted using a combination of Maryland Community Development Administration (CDA) tax-exempt bonds, low-income housing tax credits with M & T Bank as the investor, subordinate financing from CDA, the existing residual receipts account for the property, and a $1.1M HUD Green Retrofit loan.

    Renovations included a new roof, new energy efficient windows, kitchen cabinets, counter tops, bathroom vanities, low flow plumbing fixtures, energy star lighting and appliances, low VOC paint, new flooring, expansion of the management office, and reconfiguration of the first floor lounge.

    Msgr. Kuehner and Plaque.
    Photo: Stuart Zolotorow

    From right to left: John D. Reilly, Chair, Victory Housing Board; Mary Ann Henderson, Director, HUB office - Baltimore, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Secretary Skinner; Cardinal Wuerl; Roy Hale, Mayor, La Plata; Jim Brown, President, Victory Housing


    Victory Woods

    At 2:00 p.m., it was on to Victory Woods, a new construction 75-unit building for low- and moderate-income seniors in Lexington Park, St. Mary's County. The property is located on a wooded portion of a 47-acre site behind Immaculate Heart of Mary church. Victory Housing partnered with regional developer Osprey Property Company. The $13M financing package included $9M in competitive 9% low-income housing tax credits (syndicated by Hudson Housing Capital and purchased by Capital One), a conventional first mortgage of $1,750,000 from Capital One, a $1,500,000 Rental Housing Funds loan from CDA, and a $435,000 grant from St. Mary's County for road improvements.

    The attractive four-story wood-framed building has a stone and vinyl exterior. As a Green building, Victory Woods includes numerous energy saving and conserving features as well as a secured entrance. Apartments include a full kitchen, dishwasher, disposal and abundant cabinet and counter space; oversized windows and wall-to-wall carpeting; individual heat and AC; wiring for cable, internet and telephone. Community amenities include a spacious parlor/lobby, sun room, resident community room, theatre room, fitness room, patios, walking path and gazebo.

    Msgr. Kuehner and Plaque.
    Photo: Stuart Zolotorow

    From right to left, front row: Kimmel Cameron, Hudson Housing Capital; Secretary Skinner; Ed Delany, Capital One Bank; Cardinal Wuerl; Jack Russell, Chair, St. Mary's County Commissioners; Jim Brown, President, Victory Housing


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    Victory Housing's founder and Summit at St. Martin's receive award

    In April, Victory Housing earned two awards from the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) in their 2011 HAND Housing Achievement Awards competition. Victory Housing founder Rev. Msgr. Ralph J. Kuehner was named Nonprofit Friend of the Year and The Summit at St. Martin's, a 178-unit family housing community in Northeast Washington where Victory Housing served as construction manager, was named Best Large Project (over 50 units). To view the one-page narrative submitted in support of Msgr. Kuehner, please click here.

    The awards will be presented at HAND's 20th annual meeting on May 26 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington. Also to be recognized at the event will be HAND founder and Victory Housing senior vice president John D. Spencer. Spencer started HAND in Northern Virginia in 1990.

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    Victory Housing Celebrates 30th Anniversary, Honors Founder
    Msgr. Kuehner.
    On October 21, 2010, Victory Housing marked 30 years of providing affordable housing to low- and moderate-income seniors and families with a low-key reception at the Knights of Columbus Rock Creek Mansion in Bethesda. The highlight of the evening was a brief ceremony honoring Victory Housing's founder, Monsignor Ralph J. Kuehner. A short video preceded the presentation of a plaque bearing the following inscription:

    "WITH HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR YOUR FOUNDING OF VICTORY HOUSING AND FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF INSPIRATION, LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATED SERVICE AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS"


    An article in the Catholic Standard summarizes Monsignor Kuehner's background.

    Msgr. Kuehner and Plaque.


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    Victory Crest Grand Opening Held, September 2010

    On September 20, 2010, over 150 residents, neighbors, and public officials joined Donald Cardinal Wuerl in celebrating the dedication of Victory Crest, Victory Housing's newest HUD 202 apartment property for very-low-income senior citizens. Guests enjoyed a tour of the property's beautiful common areas, including a community room & library, arts & crafts room, fitness center, business center, and outdoor terrace. Victory Crest is Victory Housing's third HUD 202 community in the Hyattsville area. Victory Crest was financed with a $7,119,600 HUD grant and a $1,300,000 loan from the Prince George's Department of Housing and Community Development. An affiliate of Victory Housing provided the land through a long-term land lease at a nominal cost

    Victory Crest.


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