Posts by Claire Zippel — Guest Contributor
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Where are DC’s affordable homes being built? Hint: Not in wealthy neighborhoods
The District has made substantial investments in affordable housing in recent years, though levels are still far short of what is needed. Where have those investments gone? And which income levels are being served? DCFPI’s new interactive map lets you explore affordable housing that has been newly created or preserved since 2015. Keep reading…
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The Housing Production Trust Fund is helping people, and its problems are fixable
Last week, we learned about some very serious problems with how DC runs its Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF), a financial tool used to create and preserve affordable homes across the District. That's bad news no matter how you slice it. The good news, though, is that these issues might not be as pervasive as they first seem, and that the problems that do exist are fixable. Keep reading…
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To build more housing, DC needs more data
A coalition of business groups, tenants' groups, developers, affordable housing advocates, faith groups, and over 250 residents have unified to support more housing, more affordable housing, and targeted support for communities as DC rewrites its Comprehensive Plan. One of those priorities: improve data collection and transparency. Keep reading…
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Why affordable housing doesn’t stay affordable forever
We often hear that DC is losing affordable housing. In most cases, that means existing dwellings hitting a point where rents go up or building owners sell at market rates. Here’s how “expiration dates” for affordable housing work. Keep reading…
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As DC has grown, so has its racial prosperity gap
DC’s economy has grown substantially since the Great Recession, but the number of residents below the poverty line is actually higher than it was in 2007, and people of color aren’t making more money. That’s according to US Census Bureau data that came out last week. Keep reading…
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DC’s housing affordability crisis, in 7 charts
Renting in DC is getting more and more expensive. These seven charts take a by-the-numbers look at what’s causing DC’s affordable housing crisis and its consequences for renters. 1. DC’s population growth is driving demand for more housing The District’s population is growing. That’s good for our economy, but it also means demand for… Keep reading…