Comments on Passionate testimony fills 4-hour Housing Task Force hearing - Greater Greater Washington

Comment by LRL

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:31:09 EDT

@Kolohoe
All of the Maryland suburbs of DC have public housing authorities that administer public housing and other types of subsidized housing including Prince George's County, Montgomery County, and the City of Rockville.

Comment by Tom Coumaris

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 10:18:00 EDT

surprised me- but I found this link that evidently cities can possibly require private owners to impose some durational residency requirement for their below-market units:

http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=ealr

While I understand and support this for city-owned units, I think it's dubious how strict they can be on private owners. Certainly smacks of a commerce clause violation and a right of travel infringement.

Comment by Drumz

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 00:17:47 EDT

Tom,
Most cities already require you to have been living in the city that you're applying for.

Comment by Tom Coumaris

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:35:00 EDT

Can cities require that not only a certain % of new-built private residential buildings be reserved for lower income tenants but also that they be current residents of that city??

Alexandria may be the only suburb to have city-owned public housing, but even if so, other places probably have more reserved-for-low-income private units.

Comment by Kolohe

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:32:39 EDT

Alexandria is the only 'suburb' (of DC) I think that has a public housing authority (and public housing)

Comment by drumz

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:50:09 EDT

Not to derail the discussion about DC into one about northern Va. but I remember reading that Arlington was fairly unique in that you aren't required to already be an Arlington resident to qualify for the income based housing in Arlington.

Comment by AWalkerInTheCity

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:52:07 EDT

and, no, thats neither a complaint about the blog, nor a promise to post about FFX housing policy myself ;)

Comment by AWalkerInTheCity

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:51:20 EDT

It might be helpful if we had more posting here about efforts to provide affordable housing in the suburbs. I know Arlington has an active program, its a matter of controversy there and in City of Alex. FFX program is far weaker and still elicits controversy. I am unaware of any such program in LoCo.

I too agree that we need not only nationwide housing policy, but a nationwide approach to poverty. But in the absence of that, local govts should act. I would certainly like to see it become less of a burden for DC.

I suspect Mr McDermott, who is probably a long time DC resident, was not thinking in terms of people from outside DC when he said "anyone". Still, its certainly reasonable to craft DC housing policy to ensure it addresses DC needs and does not draw in folks from outside DC. Beyond that, other jurisdictions in the region need to pitch in.

Comment by oboe

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:37:37 EDT

"We need an equal and balanced approach," he said...

Totally agree...

"[Where] everyone who needs housing can get it."

I don't understand why DC needs a housing policy stipulating that anyone in the region (or in the country) who needs housing will have it provided by DC taxpayers. Makes no sense to me.

DC should not be single-handedly trying to come up with a substitute for a reasonable national housing policy.