The District of Columbia manages its affordable housing goals through its Comprehensive Plan, including a full set of recommendations on housing budgets, production and preservation tools. The District has established a Housing Production Trust Fund to provide rental assistance, low-interest financing of affordable housing projects, and an on-site inclusionary zoning requirement for by-right and special exception residential development proposals.
View more information on the District's full housing programs.
DC Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA)
The DC Affordable Housing Alliance is a broad community coalition of more than 30 organizations and seniors, developers, housing advocates, tenants, people with disabilities, and homeless families, working together for affordable housing in DC, especially for low-income residents.
The Alliance works on relevant policy, legislative and budget issues, and serves as an exchange for education and advocacy.
The Alliance meets on the second Wednesday afternoon of each month, at revolving locations throughout the District.
Read our briefs (PDF) to D.C. 2010 candidates on improving affordable housing policies in the District.
The Campaign for Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning
Inclusionary Zoning, enacted in 2006 in D.C., finally went into effect on August 14, 2009. Long-awaited, this affordable housing law now requires new housing developments more than 10 units to set aside 8-10 percent to be affordable to moderate and low income households. Beginning in 2003, CSG worked with a broad array of advocates, forming the DC Campaign for Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning. By the end of 2006, we achieved our basic goals: a sound Inclusionary Zoning requirement for most DC residential developments. Finally in August 2009, the Fenty administration published the remaining regulations to mark the effective date.
Learn more about D.C.'s Inclusionary Zoning policies.
How it works
Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) requires that all new residential development of 10 units or more are set-aside 8-10 percent as affordable to families earning moderate and low incomes in exchange for the right to build additional units. Units will be affordable to households earning 50-80% of the area median income. For a family of four, this means an income between $51,000 and $82,000. To compensate the developer, the zoning rules allow 20% more housing on site. Thus this program creates new affordable housing opportunities using non-monetary benefits through a zoning density bonus. D.C. residents and people who work in D.C. are given first preference for the affordable units. They apply to become eligible for lotteries conducted by the city through www.DCHousingLocator.com
This kind of policy is practiced by hundreds of jurisdictions around the country including Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington. IZ means that expensive condo buildings will also include some units affordable to people earning moderate incomes. For example, a 70 unit building would likely have 8 percent moderately price condos, or 6 condos. This policy would provide affordable housing opportunities all over the city - wherever housing is being built. The program would be one of the most productive housing programs in the city - providing approximately 170 units a year once the housing market recovers -- at virtually no cost to the city.
In-Depth Resources
For more information on inclusionary zoning and other local, regional and national housing policy, please see:
Enacted in 2006, Effective Date: August 14, 2009
On August 14, Inclusionary Zoning went into effect. On May 15 and August 14, 2009, the final regulations and price schedule were published. Advocates expected IZ to begin on October 1, 2007 but implementing regulations were not issued until August 14, 2009. During this period, the D.C. Council acted twice to set a deadline for the Mayor to issue regulations in order to ensure this housing law was implemented. Between the time when IZ was set to start in October 2007 and April 2009, D.C. Office of Planning reported to the D.C. Council that an estimated 140 affordable IZ units were been lost.
Despite the 2008-2009 recession, D.C.'s home prices have fared better than outer jurisdictions. When D.C.'s housing market recovers, IZ will help ensure that new developments will include an affordable housing component throughout the city for moderate income families. Now that IZ is in place, it will produce affordable units as the housing market recovers, helping maintain the diversity of housing choices in city neighborhoods.
