(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser cut the ribbon at DC Health’s new headquarters in the Anacostia neighborhood of Ward 8. The new DC Health headquarters means that approximately 700 DC Health employees join a growing network of health care partners and providers in Ward 8. The move is also part of the Mayor’s efforts to locate more DC Government agencies in neighborhoods East of the River to serve as catalysts for economic growth.   
  
“DC Health’s new headquarters are part of a growing health care corridor in Ward 8 that also includes the new urgent care, the new Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center – and next year, we will open the state-of-the-art Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health on the St. Elizabeths East campus,” said Mayor Bowser. “Together, we’re making sure more people get the right care at the right time so that we can improve health outcomes for Washingtonians.” 
  
In addition to the economic benefits, DC Health’s move reflects Mayor Bowser’s commitment to improving health outcomes for communities in Wards 7 and 8. DC Health joins the Cedar Hill Urgent Care GW Health facility in Anacostia, which opened in October 2022 and is now serving over 12,000 patients a year. In 2023, the District also celebrated the opening of the new Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center at the St. Elizabeths East campus. Last month, the Mayor announced a plan to bring new emergency services to Ward 7 on the Fletcher-Johnson campus. And in 2025, the District will open the full-service Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health on the St. Elizabeths East campus. 
  
“We’ve been overwhelmed by how the local residents and businesses have welcomed the nearly 700 members of the DC Health family into the Anacostia neighborhood. As we plant our roots within this community, we are eager to engage our neighbors in a meaningful conversation about how we can address the public health and equity issues and together, build healthier communities,” said DC Health Director Dr. Ayanna Bennett. “And while we celebrate this new headquarters, we also recognize the very important work that is happening every day in the clinics, food pantries, volunteer centers, and 90 current partner organizations where we provide funding and expertise.”  
  
DC Health’s new headquarters are located in Reunion Square, a redevelopment project supported with the first-ever Tax Increment Financing in Ward 8. At full build-out, the multi-phase, 1.5 million-square-foot development will have 950,000 square feet of office space; 130,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail; and a 480-unit multi-family residential development, including affordable and senior living units. The facility includes contemporary office spaces, well-lit hallways, and a state-of-the-art Command Center equipped with a dedicated emergency generator. Additionally, it features a fitness center, radiant pantries, conference rooms, versatile multipurpose rooms, a media room, various collaborative spaces, two outdoor terraces and a shared courtyard.   
   
“This nearly $50 million project offers a warm welcome center to receive residents for DC Health,” said Department of General Services (DGS) Director Delano Hunter. “We are also proud that 106 District residents were involved in the construction of the project, with 59 coming from Wards 7 and 8. As we continue to build, maintain, and sustain the District’s facilities, we are proud to work with the DC Health in supporting the health and wellbeing of District residents.”  
  
In 2019, Mayor Bowser signed a Mayor’s Order directing the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and DGS to first identify potential relocation properties in Wards 7 and 8 when considering office space for District government agencies. The order focused on the District government as a powerful tool for investing in the economic vitality of communities. In 2023, the Bowser Administration celebrated DGS’s new headquarters in Ward 7 as the first government office building to open utilizing the Mayor’s East of the River leasing strategy. 
   
At today’s event, Mayor Bowser was also joined by representatives from Martha’s Table to announce that the second round of direct cash assistance payments through the Strong Families, Strong Future DC pilot program will begin going out today to 118 participating mothers residing in Wards 5, 7, and 8. The pilot was designed to improve maternal and child health outcomes, utilizing direct cash assistance to create a stronger financial foundation for mother and child and empowering mothers with financial autonomy. Mayor Bowser’s FY24 budget invested $1 million in the program, and her FY25 budget proposal includes another $1 million to provide a third and final year of assistance to the mothers, making the pilot a three-year program from start to finish. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development partnered with Martha’s Table to implement the program, which this year will provide $626 per month for one year. The participants were new and expectant mothers when the program launched, with the goal of having them enrolled through the first three years of their children’s lives.  
 

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