A joint venture of Somerset Development Company (Somerset), New Community Partners (NCP) and Jonathan Rose Companies(JRCo) has closed on unique transaction that serves as a model for how to use zoning density increases to preserve and grow affordable housing in rapidly gentrifying areas. The joint venture is commencing construction today on a project that allows not only for the doubling of affordable apartments at Portner Flats, a new 96-unit affordable housing high-rise to be built on the former site of Portner Place Apartments, but also for an increase of zoning density that will permit the construction of 288 market rate apartments on the balance of the site located in the 1400 block of U and V Streets, NW in Washington, DC.