Zoning commission gives preliminary approval to rezoning at 5045 Hannah Place SE

The District of Columbia Zoning Commission voted 5–0 on Jan. 8 to take preliminary action on a map amendment to rezone 5045 Hannah Place SE from R-2 to MU-4, a change the applicant said would allow redevelopment and additional affordable housing.

Ed Villard, the property owner and applicant, told the commission he has owned the corner lot since 2018 and that the existing four-unit building has failing galvanized plumbing. “All tenants are in support of the proposal,” Villard said, and he said “all tenants will be provided with upfront payments that cover the difference in rent at a comparable apartment building during the construction period.” Villard said he plans to pursue a vertically expanded, residential-only project and is not seeking district subsidies.

Office of Planning analyst Joshua Mitchell recommended approval, saying the site’s future land use and generalized policy map…