A Familiar Name for Supportive Housing

A new building providing supportive housing for veterans exiting homelessness in Washington, D.C., bears a well known and much-loved Smith name.

The John and Jill Ker Conway Residence—named for President Emerita Jill Ker Conway and her late husband, John—was dedicated in mid-January by officials including then U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro and then U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald.

Located just 10 blocks from the U.S. Capitol building, the 124-unit mixed income building supports formerly homeless veterans as well as low- and moderate-income tenants.

President Emerita Jill Ker Conway

The project is a collaboration between Community Solutions, a national non-profit organization, and McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc., a leading property development firm.

Jill Ker Conway—who was Smith’s first woman president, and who served from 1975 to 1985—is a member of the Community Solutions board and has served as the board’s chair. Her lifelong concern for veterans was influenced by the experiences of her father and her husband, who served in the First and Second World Wars, respectively.