| 12 | 16 | | |
|---|
| 13 | 17 | | |
|---|
| 14 | 18 | | |
|---|
| 15 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing, one of the largest providers of safe, high-quality, supportive, and affordable housing in the mid-Atlantic region, has served community members throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for 50 years; and |
|---|
| 16 | 20 | | |
|---|
| 17 | 21 | | WHEREAS, in 1974, Virginia Peters co-chaired a community task force that studied affordable housing in Northern Virginia and subsequently served as the first executive director of Wesley Housing when it was established as an independent nonprofit organization later that year; and |
|---|
| 18 | 22 | | |
|---|
| 19 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing broke ground on its first housing property in 1979 in Fairfax County and has since developed or acquired more than 2,915 units across 40 properties throughout Northern Virginia, touching more than 25,000 lives over the course of its history; and |
|---|
| 20 | 24 | | |
|---|
| 21 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing currently maintains 2,300 rental units, representing more than 3,800 residents, and works with community partners to foster upward mobility and economic independence through a range of enrichment programs and support services; and |
|---|
| 22 | 26 | | |
|---|
| 23 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing's visionary focus on breaking the cycle of poverty has not only empowered local residents to enhance their own quality of life but also reduced racial inequities in the region; and |
|---|
| 24 | 28 | | |
|---|
| 25 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing has earned numerous awards and accolades, including the Best Housing Program or Service Award from the Virginia Governor's Housing Conference in 2020 and recognition from Affordable Housing Finance magazine as one of the Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers of 2020; and |
|---|
| 26 | 30 | | |
|---|
| 27 | 31 | | WHEREAS, in addition, Wesley Housing was selected by the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers as Nonprofit Developer of the Year in 2006, 2017, and 2022; and |
|---|
| 28 | 32 | | |
|---|
| 29 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing also achieved a five-year accreditation as a Certified Organization for Resident Engagement and Services by the Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future in 2019 and again in 2024; and |
|---|
| 30 | 34 | | |
|---|
| 31 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Wesley Housing's comprehensive development strategies include plans for new construction and renovations to continue meeting the evolving needs of the community; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 32 | 36 | | |
|---|
| 33 | 37 | | RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Wesley Housing, a leading provider of affordable housing in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; and, be it |
|---|
| 34 | 38 | | |
|---|
| 35 | 39 | | RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Wesley Housing as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the organization's vital mission and life-changing contributions to residents of Northern Virginia in need. |
|---|