Nearly a dozen Katten attorneys, business professionals and guests volunteered to install insulation and drywall for a new housing project from Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C., which is celebrating its 30th anniversary of creating and preserving safe, affordable housing for families in need in the nation’s capital.
The Katten construction crew spent about seven hours on Oct. 26, equipped with power tools, working on the construction of 14 new housing units in Randle Highlands, an up and coming neighborhood in a city where affordable housing is scarce. According to Habitat for Humanity, more than half of D.C. renters live in unaffordable housing and 1 in 4 spend more than 50 percent of what they earn on housing.
The opportunity to lend a helping hand and offer a financial contribution to Habitat for Humanity came at the suggestion of a Katten client, a company that develops, acquires, oversees and manages multifamily housing and mixed-use real estate.
“We were happy to pitch in and roll up our sleeves to help make a difference in giving back to our community and creating much-needed affordable housing,” said Katten Real Estate partner Julia E. Schmidt, who organized Katten’s effort and has handled the financing of and closings for affordable housing developments. “It was a very rewarding experience, knowing that we supported Habitat for Humanity’s mission and helped build housing units that local families can own, call home, and through such home ownership, improve their financial security.”
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