District of Columbia

US Economy Added 678,000 Jobs in February, Wages Changed Little

by Julia Sanders March 4, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 678,000 in February, while the unemployment rate decreased from 4 percent in January to 3.8 percent last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Still, the total nonfarm employment is down by 2.1 million, or 1.4 percent, from its pre-pandemic level in February 2020. The BLS reports that average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 1 cent in February over the prior month, or 0.03 percent. The year-over-year wage increase was 5.13 percent. The biggest job growth was led by gains in leisure and hospitality (+124,000). However, since February 2020, employment in the sector is still down by 1.5 million, or 9 percent. Other notable gains were in professional and business services (+95,000), healthcare (+64,000) and construction (+60,000). Additionally, jobs in transportation and warehousing rose by 48,000 last month and is 584,000 higher than two years ago. Employment changed very little in information and government jobs.

March 4, 2022

District of Columbia Features Southeast Southeast Feature Archive

The Tax Appeal Life Cycle in D.C. Goes Through Three Levels of Review

by John Nelson February 17, 2022

In the District of Columbia, a prudent taxpayer must observe important steps and deadlines to appeal a real property tax assessment. Strict code provisions, government policies and procedures govern the appeal process, so understanding the typical life cycle of an appeal provides a head start in making sure a property is fairly assessed. Here is a look at what to expect as a case advances: Assessment and Notification Assessors reassess all real property in the District each year using a Jan. 1 valuation date that precedes the start of that tax year. For example, Tax Year 2023 runs from Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2023. Thus, corresponding assessed values are as of Jan. 1, 2022. The District typically will mail assessment values and update the MyTaxDC.gov website on or around March 1 each year, sending its estimate of market value to the owners of more than 205,500 parcels. This will be the taxpayer’s first glimpse of the valuation and potential tax liability for the following tax year. These assessed values are released without supporting documentation, however. To determine how an assessor derived the value, the taxpayer or a duly authorized agent must contact the Office of Tax and Revenue …

February 17, 2022

District of Columbia Loans Southeast

MBA: Fourth-Quarter Commercial, Multifamily Originations Increased 79 Percent

by Julia Sanders February 16, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The total amount of commercial and multifamily mortgages originated in the fourth quarter of 2021 were up 79 percent compared to a year prior, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. “The fourth quarter of 2021 was a record end to a record year of borrowing and lending backed by commercial and multifamily properties,” says Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s vice president of commercial real estate research. “Part of the growth from 2020 was a bounce-back from the worst of the recession. However, rebounding property fundamentals and strong valuations, record sales transaction volumes, and low interest rates all fueled commercial and multifamily borrowing and lending activity that easily outpaced previous periods.” The highest increases in commercial and multifamily lending volumes occurred in hotel, office, industrial and retail properties when compared to the fourth quarter of 2020. There was a 167 percent year-over-year increase in the dollar volume of loans for hotel properties, a 122 percent increase for office properties, a 113 percent increase for industrial properties, a 109 percent increase for retail properties and a 57 percent increase for multifamily properties. On the flipside, however, healthcare property loan originations decreased 17 percent …

February 16, 2022

District of Columbia Loans Southeast

MBA Predicts Commercial, Multifamily Lending to Hit Record $1 Trillion in 2022

by Julia Sanders February 15, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The total volume for commercial and multifamily mortgage originations is expected to hit a record of over $1 trillion in 2022, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) forecast released on Monday at the 2022 Commercial/Multifamily Finance Convention and Expo. MBA’s forecast represents a 13 percent increase from 2021’s estimated volume of $900 billion. “2021 was a remarkable year for commercial real estate markets, and we expect 2022 to continue that momentum,” says Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s vice president for commercial real estate research. “Commercial real estate lending volumes are closely tied to the values of the underlying properties. In 2021, those values rose by more than 20 percent, and those increases will fuel further demand for mortgage debt in the coming years. Continued increases in property incomes, and stability in the ways investors value those incomes, should also support solid demand for mortgage capital, even in the face of modest increases in interest rates.” In past years, MBA’s forecast targeted lending by dedicated commercial and multifamily lenders, which excluded mortgages made by many smaller and midsized depositories. The lending volumes in this year’s forecast includes those institutions. Multifamily lending is expected to reach $493 billion in 2022, …

February 15, 2022

Affordable Housing District of Columbia Loans Multifamily Southeast

Merchants Capital Secures $115M in Financing for Two Workforce Housing Developments in D.C.

by Julia Sanders February 9, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Merchants Capital has secured $115 million in total financing for Parkside 8 and Parkside 10, two workforce housing developments located in Washington, D.C. The borrowers, City Interests Development Partners and Ravinia Capital Group, are co-developing the overall project. Bridge Investment Group is managing the Opportunity Zone strategy on behalf of the developers. The construction timeline was not disclosed. Merchants Capital secured $56 million in construction financing through Merchants Bank of Indiana, as well as $59 million in permanent financing through Freddie Mac Non-Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) forward commitments and Freddie Mac permanent loans. Upon completion, Parkside 8 and 10 will feature 230 residential units and approximately 14,000 square feet of retail space. Within the new properties, select units will be reserved for residents earning between 80 percent and 120 percent of area median income (AMI). The multifamily buildings are part of Parkside, a 3.1 million-square-foot master-planned development that will include between 1,500 and 2,000 residential units, up to 50,000 square feet of retail space and 860,000 square feet of office space. Parkside will also feature a one-acre park and a new pedestrian bridge that crosses over Kenilworth Avenue and Interstate 295. Additionally, Parkside offers four neighborhood …

February 9, 2022

District of Columbia Southeast

US Economy Added 467,000 Jobs in January, Much Higher Than Expected

by Julia Sanders February 4, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 467,000 jobs in January, while the unemployment rate changed little from 3.9 percent in December to 4 percent in last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The latest job figures released Friday morning by BLS were significantly higher than Dow Jones’ estimate of nonfarm payroll employment of 150,000, according to CNBC. In addition, BLS revised the job gains for November and December upward by a combined 709,000. In January, job gains increased in leisure and hospitality (+151,000), professional and business services (+86,000), retail trade (+61,000) and in transportation and warehousing (+54,000). Additionally, employment in local government education increased by 29,000 last month but is still down by 359,000 from February 2020, a 4.4 percent difference. Jobs in healthcare increased by 18,000, and there was little change in employment for mining, construction, manufacturing, information, financial activities and other services. Additionally, the amount of employed people who worked from home due to the pandemic increased to 15.4 percent. This follows news of the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and a high number of cases during the holidays in December. The labor force participation rate increased to 62.2 percent, …

February 4, 2022

Affordable Housing Development District of Columbia Loans Multifamily Southeast

Merchants Capital Provides $141M Financing for Mixed-Income Multifamily Development in Southwest D.C.

by Julia Sanders January 21, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Merchants Capital has provided more than $141 million in financing for Waterfront Station II, a mixed-income multifamily development currently under construction in the Southwest neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The development team is a joint venture between Hoffman & Associates, AHC Inc., City Partners and Paramount Development. Construction is slated for completion by winter 2023. Situated at 1000 4th Street SW, Waterfront Station II will have 449 apartments, including 313 market-rate units, 68 units affordable to households earning 30 percent of the area median income (AMI) and 68 apartments affordable for households earning 50 percent of AMI. The development will include a single, 12-story apartment building with approximately 29,000 square feet of retail, educational and commercial space on the ground level with below-grade parking. The commercial tenants include AppleTree Public Charter School, a D.C.-based early childhood education provider, as well as a neighborhood restaurant by Good Company Doughnuts. The project has an additional 7,000 square feet of retail space available for lease. Designed by architect Torti Gallas Urban with interiors by Hickok Cole, the project will include more than 19,000 square feet of outdoor and interior amenity space across four floors. Community amenities will include a coworking and …

January 21, 2022

District of Columbia Retail Southeast

Holiday Sales in 2021 Increased by 14.1 Percent from 2020, Says NRF

by Julia Sanders January 18, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Retail Federation (NRF) has reported that retail sales during last year’s holiday season totaled $886.7 billion, a 14.1 percent increase from 2020 ($777.3 billion). The 2021 numbers were greater than what the NRF had predicted and sets a new record despite ongoing problems such as supply chain issues and the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. Retail sales were tracked from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 and exclude data from automobile dealers, gas stations and restaurants. Retail sales fell by 2.7 percent seasonally adjusted in December from November but increased by 13.4 percent unadjusted year-over-year. The sector with the biggest sales gain during the holidays were clothing and clothing accessory stores, which saw an increase of 33.1 percent. Additionally, sporting goods stores were up 20.9 percent; general merchandise stores were up 15.2 percent; furniture and home furnishings stores were up 15 percent; building materials and garden supply stores increased its sales by 13.5 percent; and health and personal care stores were up 9.6 percent. Also online and other non-store sales were up 11.3 percent, which falls in line with NRF’s prediction made in October of a growth rate between 11 to 15 percent. “Consumers were …

January 18, 2022

District of Columbia Retail Southeast

NRF Supports Supreme Court Decision to Halt Vaccine Mandates for Non-Healthcare Related Businesses

by Julia Sanders January 17, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Retail Federation released a statement on Thursday, Jan. 13 saying the organization agreed with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision about vaccine mandates. The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Biden administration from passing a bill that would require employees at large private companies to either get the vaccine or get tested regularly for COVID-19, as well as wear masks in the workplace. The Biden administration’s vaccine mandate would require vaccinations for those who worked at a company with 100 or more employees. In a separate ruling, the court allowed a vaccine-mandate for healthcare workers in a ruling of 5-4. NRF joined more than 26 other trade associations last week to present oral arguments before the court on the legality of the mandate. “While NRF has maintained a strong and consistent position related to the importance of vaccines in helping to overcome this pandemic, the Supreme Court’s decision to stay OSHA’s onerous and unprecedented [Emergency Temporary Standard] ETS is a significant victory for employers,” says David French, NRF’s senior vice president of government relations. Many were worried that with vaccine requirements, some employees may rather quit than get the vaccine, ultimately causing higher unemployment numbers. After …

January 17, 2022

Acquisitions District of Columbia Florida Healthcare Southeast Top Stories

NREA, Catalyst Acquire Two National Healthcare Portfolios Totaling 1.2 MSF

by Taylor Williams January 17, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. AND PENSACOLA, FLA. — A joint venture between Washington, D.C.-based National Real Estate Advisors (NREA) and Florida-based Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate has acquired two national healthcare portfolios totaling approximately 1.2 million square feet Together, the portfolios comprise 40 properties across 13 states, the majority of which are located in Sun Belt markets. At the time of sale, the portfolios had a combined occupancy rate of 92 percent. Of that 1.1 million square feet of occupied space, about 88 percent is leased to regional healthcare systems and physician groups. The acquisition and recapitalization represent a total investment of approximately $420 million. The sellers were also not disclosed. “These transactions underscore our commitment to investing in highly competitive, diverse markets that seek to generate long-term, healthy returns for our clients,” says Jeffrey Kanne, president and CEO of NREA. “This acquisition not only significantly scales our medical office portfolio but furthers our geographic diversification.” “Our joint venture strives to positively impact healthcare delivery by investing strategic capital with a partnership-like mentality,” adds Chad Henderson, founder and CEO of Catalyst. “The closing of the portfolios was a significant first step for our joint venture and paves the way for the future of …

January 17, 2022

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