2009 Accomplishments
DeSales Community Housing Corporation
SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2009
Fox Grove Management, LLC: On June 1 Fox Grove Management, DeSales’ property management company, assumed management of 63 affordable homes and apartments in the Ville Neighborhood for Northside Community Housing, Inc. (NCHI). On October 1 Fox Grove took over another 18 unites for NCHI. These initiatives are part of DeSales' strategic plan to grow its proprerty management business in a deliberate manner and primarily in collaboration with other community-based organizations. At year end Fox Grove managed 295 units for DeSales and NCHI. Fox Grove also manages approximately 50 units under DeSales' Management Assistance Program (MAP) which provides management services to individual property owners and is funded by the City of St. Louis' Community Development Administration.
Garden District Commission: DeSales assisted the Garden District Commission with issuance of a request for proposals for construction and rehabilitation of single-family homes on the 4200 block of McRee Ave. This block has been targeted by the GDC as the next phase of development west of McBride & Sons' Botanical Heights subdivision, completed in 2008. In December the GDC board of directors accepted a proposal for the 4200 McRee project from a group led by the principals of Urban Improvement Construction, a design-build firm whose office is located at 4301 McRee. DeSales and the GDC are working with the developer to finalize a development agreement with the goal to initiate development of two display homes in 2010.
In June the new Liggett & Meyers National Register Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This culminated over a year of work by DeSales and the GDC to secure hsitoric designation and accompanying tax credits to assist ongoing development in Botanical Heights. Architectural historian and former DeSales board member Lynn Josse prepared the nomination and made the key recommendation to include the large warhouse buildings north of Folsom Avenue that were originally built by the Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Co. The nomination included persuasive evidence that the housing in Botanical Heights was occupied by employees of Liggett & Meyers and other nearby industrial companies.
Golden Brick Awards: Recipients, location.
2623 Ann: DeSales sold this single-family home in Fox Park in October 2008 to Lynn and Connie Suydam who immediately began a substantial renovation. They completed the project by July 2009 (see Golden Brick Awards).
2255 California: Secured brownfield funding from SLDC for tank removal.
2800 Shenandoah: Won lawsuit.
3434 Humphrey: Bought bank foreclosure.
New Staff Members: The year was one of transition and growth for the DeSales staff. The position of Controller was promoted from part-time to a full-time position to support the growth of Fox Grove Management. Cindy Carpenter was hired as the new Controller, starting in July. DeSales also created the new position of Maintenance Manager for Fox Grove and hired Jesse Warner in January. Other new hires included Assistant Director; Jacquline Roberson, Accounting Clerk; Jennifer Robinson, and Maintenance Technicians; Antwon Mallett and Matt Chase.
New Board Members: Ian Simmons and Mary Wilson