Focus On: Ward Eight

Ward 8, one of the District’s most historic areas, it is comprised of the following neighborhoods: Anacostia, Barry Farm, Bellview, Buena Vista, Congress Heights, Douglass, Fairlawn, Garfield Heights, Knox Hill, Sheridan, Shipley Terrace, Washington Highlands and Woodlawn.

The most famous neighborhood in the ward is Anacostia. The neighborhood is located in the Southeast quadrant of Washington, east of the Anacostia River and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry has worked to meet the needs of Ward 8 residents and District residents since the 1970’s. The successes of the ward include a CVS Pharmacy One Stop, which was the first public – private regional job training facility in the city. Additionally, the University of the District of Columbia operates a satellite facility in the ward that offers education and job training services for the community. Ward 8 is also home to the state-of-the-art Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, the Anacostia Museum and the Frederick Douglass House.

Ward 8 has experienced a high number of housing starts when compared to the rest of the District, and additional real estate development is underway for that area. Projects in the works for Ward 8 include DC Village and two of the largest Hope VI projects in the city- Wheeler Creek and Henson Ridge. Other sites in Ward 8 that are prime for redevelopment include the 333 acres of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the 25 acre Camp Simms site.

To learn more about Ward 8, visit one of the following websites: East of the River Community Development Corporation and Council member Marion Barry.