Category Archives: Data

Development analysis, reporting, data sheets, surveys, facts.

DC4RD Jet Stream Update [Council Hearings]

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DC4RD Jet Stream Update — Winter/Spring 2016

Please visit DC for Reasonable Development on the inter-webs:
www.facebook.com/dc4reality
@dc4reality
www.dc4reality.org/resources

Here’s the next DC4RD informational Update — (did the groundhog see its shadow or not?)

* HOMELESS DC RESIDENTS & FAMILIES
* SAVE UNION ARTS!
* PLANNING & ZONING IN DC
* ZONING REWRITE (ZRR)
* AFFORDABLE HOUSING
* UNITED NATIONS & WARD EIGHT
* DC COUNCIL OVERSIGHT HEARINGS

HOMELESS DC RESIDENTS & FAMILIES

Mayor Bowser gave two-day notice regarding her trumpeted closure of the structurally sound, yet internally neglected DC General — a building, and grounds of which are currently public assets >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WQXeGE1Al0

As a result of the DC General Closure plan, the City keeps only the status quo number of homeless beds, except now homeless DC families will be scattered around the city at random locales >> >> http://tinyurl.com/wapo-2016-dc-shelter-locations

On top of that, the Council has defunded individual bathrooms in the new shelters, telling DC families they didn’t want them to “get too comfortable” in the shelter >> http://www.grassrootsdc.org/2015/11/dc-council-votes-to-lower-the-legal-standard-for-new-family-shelters-whats-wrong-with-us/

Bottom-line: Despite the great costs of demolishing DC General, and leasing new shelter sites around the District, plus the planned privatization of the vast Reservation 13, there is still no net increase in beds for DC’s homeless families and individuals, and the new shelters will be dormitory in nature with several proposed to be sited in strange locations not suited for families.

DC’s homeless numbers are increasing, so if the Mayor’s self-limiting real-estate focused DC General closure plans are pursued, there will be even more homeless folks on DC’s streets in the coming years >>
* http://tinyurl.com/wapo-2016-homeless-counts
* http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2016/01/23/3742195/dc-winter-storm-homeless/

SAVE UNION ARTS!

411 Artist Union seeks collaboration to avoid displacement of an “eco-system” consisting of authentic professional arts and other expert cultural craft. SUPPORT DC’S ARTISTS! Rally & Hearing! February 23, 2016, 5:00 Rally; 6:30 Hearing begins: Testify in support of DC Artists & Art! http://www.artistuniondc.org/events/

Check out the 411 Artist Union open studios this entire weekend. Please be sure to put Feb 23 in permanent marker >>
https://www.facebook.com/events/1110113062353471/

@OPinDC + @OZinDC

The District of Columbia Office of Planning and Zoning agencies will be available for questions/testimony very soon . . . ZONING & PLANNING Oversight Hearing — Wednesday, 3/2/2016, 9:30am – DC City Council Hearing Room 412 – John A. Wilson Building – 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW –  The Committee of the Whole will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing on The Office of Zoning, The Office of Planning & the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) — To Testify, CONTACT: Sarina Loy, sloy@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8058.

#ZRR

The Zoning Regulations Rewrite (ZRR) has left out so many voices and so many needed fixes.  For example, the ZRR never clarified critical zoning definitions into plain language for “habitable space” & “cellar” as well as “adjacent-grade,” among other terms.  Further, the ZRR allows Downtown DC to be tripled in size without the Office of Planning assessing the impacts of this drastic development change against any analysis of the capacity and efficacy of the existing transportation and utilities infrastructure >> twilightzoning.org

Controversial as the #ZRR may be, it is without a doubt a massive overhaul of DC’s development rules which somehow the Office of Planning and Zoning Commission have together over 7 years failed to evaluate through the prism of the Implementation Element of the District of Columbia 20-year Comprehensive Plan.  http://tinyurl.com/dc-comp-plan-ch-25-and-ZRR

Maybe the Mayor should rename it the Zoning Rewrong!

AFFORDABLE FOR WHO?

Right now the DC Office of Planning and so-called smart-growth supplicants are pushing the City to define “affordable” as rent set at $1,200/month for a studio/one bedroom apartment.

That would equate to $14,400 a year for housing costs not including utilities.  Developers would be able to rent this “affordable” unit to someone making about $50,000 a year and in return the developer gets to build bigger and taller buildings.

We want to redefine an “affordable unit” as one which reflects REAL levels of affordability, $500 to $800 a month in rent.  And, we want to push for the construction of more family-size units to meet DC’s a number-one priority >>  http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/172

Developers should not be rewarded for building more cramped studios and junior one-bedrooms using damn cheap materials – this is not helping DC’s affordability crisis.

HELP TO REDEFINE AFFORDABILITY IN THE DISTRICT
* Please attend the hearing on Inclusionary Zoning (IZ), March 3, 2016, 6:30pm, 441 4th Street, NW, Judiciary Square Metro (redline).  Sign up to testify >> http://tinyurl.com/dc-real-affordability

#JUSTICE for #BARRYFARMS

The United Nations recently cited the historic Ward 8 community of Barry Farm as a flash point nationally for how wrong, racist, and classist Gentrification really is on working-families in US cities >> http://streetsense.org/article/united-nations-stands-against-gentrification/

“The process of gentrification has a heavy impact on African Americans who are being displaced from city centers under the argument of the need for new investment and development. In particular, the United Nation’s Working Group was alarmed by incidents of eviction, demolition and conversion of Barry Farm public housing in Washington D.C.”  >> http://tinyurl.com/UN-report-Barry-Farms

Contact Schyla for ways to Empower our movement against demolition of public housing & to seek community-control over our public land!  schyla@empowerdc.org or 202-234-9119

DC COUNCIL OVERSIGHT HEARINGS

It’s that time again (3 to 5 minutes) of “accountability” DC government-style. Here’s the DC Council’s “oversight” hearing calendar >> www.dccouncil.us/calendar

Be there to inform the Council about the services you are getting from City agencies and for you to “grade” agency service to the public.  Sending letters can help >> http://tinyurl.com/testify-dc-council-hearings

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REVIEW OF KEY COUNCIL HEARINGS
http://dccouncil.us/calendar

DC WATER & DGS (Dept of “General” Services)
Thursday, 2/25/2016
12:00pm, Room 500
The Committee on the Transportation and the Environment will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing on the Department of General Services & DC Water. To testify, CONTACT: Nicole Rentz, nrentz@dccouncil.us or by calling 202-724-8062.

DCRA & TENANTS RIGHTS
Monday, 2/29/2016
10:00am, Room 500
The Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABC)
* Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA)
* Department of Small and Local Business Development & Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity
* Office of the Tenant Advocate
(OTA)
To testify, CONTACT: Peter Johnson, pjohnson@dccouncil.us or 202-727-6683.

DDOT, BIKES, AND PEOPLE
Monday, 2/29/2016
11:00am, Room 412
The Committee on the Transportation and the Environment will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:     Bicycle Advisory Council; Pedestrian Advisory Council; District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
to testify, CONTACT: Nicole Rentz, nrentz@dccouncil.us or by calling 202-724-8062.

TWILIGHT ZONING & PLANNING
Wednesday, 3/2/2016, 9:30am
Room 412
The Committee of the Whole will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Office of Zoning
* Office of Planning
* Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
(DMPED)
To Testify, CONTACT: Sarina Loy, sloy@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8058.

DC PRISON SYSTEM & RETURNING CITIZENS
Wednesday, 3/2/2016
10:00am, Room 123
The Committee on the Judiciary will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Department of Corrections
* Corrections Information Council
* Office of Returning Citizens Affairs
* Commission on Fathers, Men, and Boys
* Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice
To Testify, CONTACT: Katherine Mitchell, kmitchell@dccouncil.us or 202-727-8275.

DC HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Friday, 3/4/2016
11:00am, Room 500
The Committee on Housing and Community Development will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
* Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF)
* Rental Housing Commission
To testify, CONTACT: Oscar Montiel, omontiel@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8198

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION & DOES
Monday, 3/7/2016
10:00am, Room 500
The Committee on Housing and Community Development will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTT)
* Office of the People’s Counsel
* Public Service Commission (PSC)
* Department of Employment Services (DOES)

PARKS & RECREATION (not NBC)
Monday, 3/7/2016
10:00am, Room 123
The Committee on the Transportation and the Environment will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Department of Parks and Recreation & Department of Public Works
To testify, CONTACT: Nicole Rentz, nrentz@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8062

THE DC AUDITOR, STATEHOOD, AND COG
Tuesday, 3/8/2016
10:30am, Room 412
The Committee of the Whole will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Office of the District of Columbia Auditor (Kathy Patterson)
* Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG)
* New Columbia Statehood Commission
To testify, CONTACT: cow@dccouncil.us.

DISABILITY RIGHTS
Thursday, 3/10/2016
10:00am, Room 412
The Committee on the Health and Human Services will hold a Performance Oversight Hearing. The following agencies will testify:
* Department of Disability Services
* Office of Disability Rights
To testify, CONTACT: Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccouncil.us or 202-741-0909

 

COUNCIL HEARINGS CALENDAR >> www.dccouncil.us/calendar
* Even if you can’t make the hearing, you can send in testimony and letters to help the discussion along >> www.dcfeedback.com/oversight/

JOIN [DC4RD] ON SOCIAL MEDIA
www.facebook.com/dc4reality
@dc4reality
www.dc4reality.org/resources

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Orwell is puking >>
http://dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-launches-private-security-camera-program-part-safer-stronger-dc-initiative

Justice after the Storm Update [dc4rd]

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DC4RD sends this update to show you what isn’t cancelled this week!

REMINDER: TONIGHT 1/27
United Nations Townhall Meeting with DC, MD, VA Black Community >>
https://www.facebook.com/events/1500445823595760/
6:30pm at UNION TEMPLE Baptist Church
1225 W St SE, Washington, District of Columbia 20020

REMINDER: TOMORROW NITE 1/28
Affordable for Who?  The Zoning Commission takes up their IZ program tomorrow night.  Take 5 minutes to send in a note seeking to fix the definition of “affordability” in the District of Columbia. http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/275
Be at the hearing, 6:30pm, Thursday, January 28, 2016, at the Zoning hearing room, 441 4th Street NW, WDC 20001 — Judiciary Sqaure Metro.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 1/29 + 1/30
Service to Justice Conference >> https://www.facebook.com/events/216866925314916/
Jan 29 at 9:00 AM to Jan 30 at 4:30 PM
Luther Place — 1226 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20005

SUNDAY 1/31
Gentrification: the Good, the Bad, and the Incarcerated >> https://www.facebook.com/events/545723382247538/
Sunday, January 31, at 6 PM
Busboys and Poets Brookland — 625 Monroe St NE, Washington, District of Columbia 20017

MONDAY 2/1
#SaveDCArts – The Union Arts building at 411 New York Ave NE is the last collective art space of its kind in Washington, DC — its being threatened with demolition to make way for a luxury hotel.
Monday, February 1 at 6:30 PM
Be at the Zoning Hearing, 441 4th Street, NW, WDC 20009
https://www.facebook.com/events/232235183782617/

TUESDAY 2/2
Black History Kick-Off & Celebration >> https://www.facebook.com/events/1000525560016735/
The African American Civil War Memorial and Museum — 1925 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20001
Tuesday, February 2, at 6 PM – 8 PM

WEDNESDAY 2/3
Washington, DC: ‘TPP is Betrayal’ Action >> https://www.facebook.com/events/102599070123349/
The White House — 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20500
Wednesday, February 3, at 12 PM

###### ARTICLES OF INTEREST ########

Report: Nearly 50,000 East New York Residents Will Face Displacement with City’s Rezoning Plan
http://www.bkreader.com/2015/12/report-nearly-50000-east-new-york-residents-will-face-displacement-citys-rezoning-plan/

DC’s Walmart Problem [Updated] — WCP
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2016/01/22/d-c-s-walmart-problem/

Hemp Fiberboard Poised To Replace Plywood – THC Magazine
http://www.thcmag.com/hemp-fiberboard-poised-to-replace-plywood/

Republicans Push $269 Billion Handout For Millionaire Heirs And Heiresses
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/14/republicans-push-269-bill_n_7061458.html

DC Housing Authority accused of gentrification — WASHINGTON (WUSA9)
http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/dc/2015/11/30/dc-housing-authority-accused-gentrification/76587424/

Prototype Quadrotor with Machine Gun! – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNPJMk2fgJU

D.C. Has A New Zoning Code. Here’s How It Could Change The City’s Look And Feel | WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio
http://wamu.org/news/16/01/15/after_eight_years_of_debate_dc_approves_new_zoning_regulations

What Would MLK Say? Displacement & Disparate Treatment | DC4RD Updates
http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/257#walmart

Hundreds of D.C. homeless families to ride out storm in Maryland motels – The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/hundreds-of-dc-homeless-families-to-ride-out-blizzard-in-maryland-motels/2016/01/22/668e6f30-c082-11e5-83d4-42e3bceea902_story.html

Policy & Tools: Community Benefits Agreements and Policies | The Partnership For Working Families
http://www.forworkingfamilies.org/resources/policy-tools-community-benefits-agreements-and-policies

Why a bright idea for growing food in the city had to move . . . to the country – The Washington Post >> https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/why-a-bright-idea-for-growing-food-in-the-city-had-to-move–to-the-country/2016/01/25/81f96816-bfd2-11e5-9443-7074c3645405_story.html

How to View Five Planets Aligning in a Celestial Spectacle >>
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/20/science/space/five-planets-align-mars-jupiter-mercury-saturn-venus.html

DC Public Banking Center – Welcome to the DC Public Banking Center
http://dcpublicbanking.org/

Do You Live Within 50 Miles of a Nuclear Power Plant? | Science | Smithsonian
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/do-you-live-within-50-miles-nuclear-power-plant-180950072/

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STAY TUNED! Get at us on social media!
www.dc4reality.org
www.facebook.com/dc4reality
@dc4reality

 

Missing-you DC, Summer Update

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Missing-you DC, Summer Update [edited June 15, 2015]

It’s been two months since our last update.    We don’t like bombarding you, but we’ve been a little too quiet.  It’s got to be a loud summer if the people of DC want to preserve and protect the culture, people, history, and public interest of our City.

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Menu:

1) CITY BUDGETING – LAST VOTE JUNE 30
2) SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MCMILLAN PARK
3) DCRA & CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS
4) ZONING REGULATIONS REWRITE DROPS
5) IMPORTANT ARTICLES
6) UPCOMING EVENTS

————

1) CITY BUDGETING – LAST VOTE JUNE 30th

The main thing that has occurred since DC4RD’s last update has been the City’s budget discussions.

Mayor Bowser submitted her budget to the Council in early May.   The Council has since approved the spending numbers, largely unchanged.

A good analysis of the budget came by way of Justice First, located here in the District >> http://justicefirst.nationbuilder.com/analyzing_mayor_bowser_s_fy16_budget

The voting on our budget isn’t over. 

On June 30th, the DC Council will vote on a bill that informs the Mayor on how to specifically spend or funnel some of the City’s budget allocations.  It’s called the FY2016 Budget Support Act.  DC’s Chief Financial Office summarizes the key components of the BSA here >> http://tinyurl.com/cfo-fy2016-bsa

DC for Reasonable Development working with the Citywide Friends of McMillan Park invite you to join us in asking the Council to include language that defunds the demolition of the park until a full inquiry can happen as to the ethical and planning breakdowns that surround this humongous public land giveaway.

There are two ways to use this last budget vote to protect McMillan now:

  • Put on your calendar to attend the last Council session on the FY 2016 Budget Support Act next Tuesday, June 30th, and demonstrate why McMillan is so important to save from destruction and the clutches of privateers.   We will meet at the Wilson Building, outside of Room 500 at 11am, Tuesday, June 30th.  RSVP, Chris O., 202-810-2768, dc4reality@gmail.com
  • Please send a letter to the Council today regarding McMillan, particularly to CM Elissa Silverman who campaigned on a platform declining corporate contributions so she can objectively review the City’s land deals, like McMillan >> http://www.dcfeedback.com/mcmillan/letter

 

2) SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MCMILLAN PARK

The Save McMillan Action Coalition has found and announced some truly disturbing features of the McMillan Park scandal, for instance:

* The City has paid for a private PR firm to “neutralize” public opposition to the McMillan giveaway, and to give “cover” to elected-officials about this bad deal;

* $500,000 District dollars has been spent on legal services from Holland and Knight, a premier private zoning law firm to push the McMillan land deal forward;  And,

* Most recently, it has come to light that the City will be paying more than $75 million to destroy McMillan and prepare it for private development, but only get $27 million dollars to sell the land to the private developers.  The DC Tax Office has evaluated our 25-acres of public space about 1 mile from the Capitol at about $100 million dollars.  We believe the land after it is privatized and developed will be worth beyond $2 billion.

* And, the City will be paying for the so-called amenities at the site, like the recreation center, and public right-of-ways.  These are amenities that are supposed to be paid for by the developers in return for sweetheart deals.

There are many activities around McMillan Park to help you engage on this critical public land deal and to expose the ethical lapses verging on fraud in our City politic.  See this page >>  https://www.facebook.com/dc4reality

3) DCRA & CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is the City agency charged with reviewing building permit applications and ultimately ensuring that construction is safely done in the District >> http://dcra.dc.gov/

It would seem DCRA has fallen down on their job, bigtime.

DCRA officials have ignored pleas from residents to protect their neighborhoods (https://www.facebook.com/stopthepopdc), and continues to issue permits with lackadaisical oversight (http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Orders-Brand-New-Condo-Building-Torn-Down-Citing-Dangers-to-Water-System-302480421.html), and blows off residents who are hurt by impatient and unsafe construction practices (http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/05/southeast-neighborhood-blames-breathing-problems-on-nearby-demolition-fights-d-c-housing-authority–.html).

Interim DCRA director, Melinda Bolling, awaits confirmation from the DC City Council and there is a public roundtable scheduled to hear your comments this week on Thursday, June 18, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 500 of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. 

BE THERE — Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to testify at the public roundtable are asked to contact Ms. Faye Caldwell, Special Assistant to the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs, at (202) 727-6683, or via e-mail at fcaldwell@dccouncil.us

DCRA has been told to keep issuing the permits to overdevelop at all costs, and simultaneously continues to ignore the lurking issue of DC’s very real infrastructure collapse >> http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/category/updates#up3

4) ZONING REGULATIONS REWRITE DROPS

The highly controversial Zoning Regulations Rewrite has been dropped into the DC Register, and conveniently the Office of Zoning and Planning has ensured the public only has the summer while we are vacationing with our families to review the 1000 pages of changes >> http://www.dcoz.dc.gov/ZRR/ZRR.shtm

ANC’s are being asked to resubmit their prior ANC resolutions about the ZRR.

The bottom-line is that these zoning regulations have been found to be arbitrary and capricious by many people, including lawyers and its one-size-fits-all philosophy is not based on any meaningful studies or jurisdictional reports.  It’s all a gamble with the future of our City.  For more details of its impacts and lack of due process see this blog >>  http://dczoning.blogspot.com/

Check out the archive of the terrible process of review and how the Office of Planning has rankled people across the City >>
http://dcfeedback.com/zoningchanges/venus/press.php

Listen for more information and ask your ANC’s to weigh in soon!

5) IMPORTANT ARTICLES



6) UPCOMING EVENTS

 

  • Our RFP — Parcel 42, Saturday June 13, 10:00am
    The Mayor wants to try out her new RFP process regarding public land deals, starting with Parcel 42.  If this RFP process is anything like Hine School or the West End deals, then the taxpayer will be paying for the costs of amenities and privatizing the land. So be there this Saturday to witness more semantic word play and call it out!  FMI: http://dmped.dc.gov/OURRFP_Parcel42
 
  • Support EmpowerDC, June 15th
    Donate to an amazing grassroots organization fighting to protect the residents of the historic Barry Farm community in Ward 8.  They need your help to keep 400 families from being displaced by DCHA into homelessness.Link >> http://www.empowerdc.org/index.php?page=donate
 
  • DC Ferguson, June 16th, 7:00pm
    WHAT: DCFerguson Movement protest against racist, militarized policing in Washington, D.C. and across the nation.
    WHEN: June 16, 7:00PM
    WHERE: Mt. Vernon Sq.
    FMI: https://www.facebook.com/events/865978560116129/
 
  • The Marriot Marquis Coverup, June 19th, 10am
    http://www.onedconline.org/juneteenth?utm_campaign=juneteenth
    Location: United Black Fund, 2500 MLK Jr Ave SE.
    The City spent hundreds of millions of dollars to build a hotel, and got a paltry number of jobs for locals in return.  Be there at OneDC’s press conference which will expose this TIF sham.
  • Hipster Fascism Art Opening, June 20th
    The Fridge opening Reception Saturday,  June 20, 6 – 11pm, free and open to the public >> http://www.thefridgedc.com/

§ 1–306.01. District elements of comprehensive plan prepared; purposes.

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§ 1–306.01. District elements of comprehensive plan prepared; purposes.

(a) It is hereby declared that:

(1) The District of Columbia has prepared, through an exhaustive process of research, analysis, and review, including citizen involvement and consultation with affected federal, state and local governments, and planning agencies in the National Capital region, District elements of a 20-year Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital as required by § 2‑1002(a) and by § 1‑204.23(a).

(2) Ten District elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital are contained in this part: General Provisions; Economic Development; Housing; Environmental Protection; Transportation; Public Facilities; Urban Design; Preservation and Historic Features; Downtown; and Human Services.

(3) The District elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital contained in this part do not extend to any federal or international projects and developments, or to the United States Capitol buildings and grounds, or to any buildings and grounds under the care of the Architect of the Capitol.

(b) The purposes of the District elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital are to:

(1) Define the requirements and aspirations of District residents, and accordingly influence social, economic and physical development;
(2) Guide executive and legislative decisions on matters affecting the District and its citizens;
(3) Promote economic growth and jobs for District residents;
(4) Guide private and public development in order to achieve District and community goals;
(5) Maintain and enhance the natural and architectural assets of the District; and
(6) Assist in the conservation, stabilization, and improvement of each neighborhood and community in the District.

Fresh Start Solutions for the DC Housing Crisis :: REDEFINING “AFFORDABILITY

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DC is in the depths of a major affordable housing crisis!

View more “affordable” housing information here:
http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/168
http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/179

 

In order to assist thousands of families and residents who need housing right now, we can and must redefine the term “Affordability” across all applicable DC Regulations, including — DC’s Zoning Regulations, DC’s Housing Production Trust Fund Regulations, DHCD’s IZ Implementation Regulations, as well as DC Code.

See DC’s Zoning Code dedicated to Inclusionary Zoning.

THE FOLLOWING ARE POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL HELP THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN DC RIGHT NOW!

RESET “AFFORDBILITY” LEVELS

  • 0% to 30% AMI =  [AFFORDABLE LOW INCOME HOUSING]
  • 30% to 50% AMI = [AFFORDABLE MODERATE INCOME HOUSING]
  • 50% to 80% AMI = [WORKFORCE HOUSING]
  • 80% plus = [MARKET RATE or LUXURY HOUSING]

INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION

  • Require at least 25% of all the new Residential Gross Floor Area in any new development (or substantial renovation) in projects with three (3) or more units be set aside as an affordable social benefit.
  • Require at least 10% of all the new Residential Gross Floor Area in any new development (or substantial renovation) in projects with three (3) or more units be set aside as workforce housing with 3 or more bedrooms.

COMMERCIAL SPACE AFFORDABILITY

  • Require At least 30% of all the new Commercial / Retail GFA be considered an affordable benefit for small businesses / startups / incubator space controlled and specifically rooted in the local community.

REDEFINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING (Affordable to Whom):

  • Affordability means that no more than 30% of your annual income is spent on housing costs (rent/mortgage plus needed utilities and other housing amenities or condo fees).
EXPLANATION :: FURTHER DETAILS

 

I) We Must Guarantee a Spectrum of Affordability in All New and Renovated Buildings

If “affordability” in DC absolutely cannot be based on the DC’s State Median Income metric, and we must use the inflated Area Medium Income (AMI) metric, then the definitions of income levels and affordability should simply be revised as follows.

Strike the current definitions of income levels across all applicable regulations and amend all regulations as following:

IZ AMENDMENT (AFFORDABILTY: TABLE 1)

  • 0% to 30% AMI =  [LOW INCOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING]
  • 30% to 50% AMI = [MODERATE INCOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING]
  • 50% to 80% AMI = [WORKFORCE INCOME HOUSING]
  • 80% plus = [MARKET RATE or LUXURY HOUSING] *

* Currently, the Area Medium Income (AMI) is derived by taking the median incomes of DC & VA (Fairfax County), and MD (Montgomery County).  If we want to get to an AMI closely representing that of DC only, then we must reduce the 100% AMI by at least 20 points.

Redefining the terms “affordability” levels as labelled above ensures that housing is built with a genuine mix of incomes and diversity, purposely planned as part of each new construction or renovation project in every neighborhood around the City.

Developers will have to simply calculate into their costs the citizens rightful expectation that we build an inclusive City that emphasizes the importance of economic and social diversity in DC neighborhoods per the DC Comprehensive Plan.

II) We Must Increase “Affordable” Housing Production for Families
(a) Increase Production of “Affordable” Units
(b) Build “Affordability” Across a Spectrum of Incomes
(c) Build “Affordable” Units to be Inclusive of Families

(II)(a) Increase Production of Affordable Units

In the midst of an affordable housing crisis, DC’s “inclusionary housing” production is rather poor, with only 8% to 10% of the gross floor area of residential space required to be “affordable” in new buildings, depending on the construction type (stick vs. steel frame).

SEE DCMR 11-2603 — IZ Set Aside Requirements

Also, right now all affordable housing requirements are waived for projects located in “Downtown” DC. See 11-DCMR-2602.3.

To increase production of affordable units, we must revise the rules that regulate “affordability” production.

IZ AMENDMENT

For any new construction project, or substantial renovation of a property with three (3) or less housing units, then the following rule applies:

At least one “affordable” unit consisting of at least two bedrooms, shall be constructed and made available to residents, or families with incomes set at 30% AMI or below (aka “Low Income” housing as defined above).

IZ AMENDMENT (AFFORDABILTY: TABLE 2)

For any new construction project, or substantial renovation of a property that results in the creation of three (3) or more housing units, then the following rules apply:

  • At least __30___ % of the residential gross floor area (R-GFA) shall be considered “affordable” in order for the developer to receive an added development bonus density at the rates currently offered in the regulations; Or, developers can choose to dedicate a minimum of __25__% of the residential gross floor (R-GFA) area as “affordable,” but then may not receive any development bonus density.
  • And, at least 30% of commercial gross floor area (C-GFA) shall be considered “affordable” and reserved for local small business operators who make, or expect to make less than $250,000 in gross annual sales receipts.
  • All of the affordability production requirements slated above shall be applied equally to all zoning districts across the entire City, including Downtown DC;
  • And, all the R-GFA dedicated to “affordable” units produced by the requirements above will remain permanently affordable for the life of the project.

(II)(b) Build Affordable Units Across a Spectrum of Incomes

Right now, DC’s regulations allow developers to choose to market their “affordable” units to people making the 80% AMI income of $60,000 a year.

As such, this means a developer can rent/sell their “affordable” studio/one-bedrooms to wealthy singles who are comfortable forking over $1,500 a month for their housing costs, either as rent or as a mortgage & fees.

This is why DC’s regulations, as currently written, are not serving to mitigate our severe housing crisis which has been in full-on displacement mode.

Revisions to the DC Municipal regulations must require the developer to ensure that their “affordable” housing units are available across a spectrum of incomes and bedroom-sizes.

IZ AMENDMENT (AFFORDABILTY: TABLE 3)

Using the re-definitions demonstrated above in Table (1) above, we can revise all relevant affordability regulations as follows:

  • At least 60% of the residential gross floor area (R-GFA) of a new project must be dedicated as “Low Income” housing;
  • At maximum, 40% of the R-GFA may be dedicated to “Low to Moderate Income” housing;

(II)(c) Build Affordable Units to be inclusive of Families

Right now, DC regulations force a developer to build “affordable” unit sizes at the same ratio of bedroom sizes as that of the market-rate units.

See 11-DCMR-2605.02, Development Standards – The proportion of studio, efficiency, and one-bedroom inclusionary units to all inclusionary units shall not exceed the proportion of market-rate studio, efficiency, and one-bedroom units to all market-rate units.

That is to say, if most of the market rate units are studios/one-bedrooms, which most developers target to build in new buildings, then the affordable units can only be studios/one-bedrooms.

Hence, there are no new “affordable” units being built for families in DC right now, nary an “affordable” unit with two-bedrooms.

IZ AMENDMENT: (AFFORDABILTY: TABLE 4)

DC must revise the regulations across the board to guarantee family sized “affordable” units are incorporated in all new projects and renovations, as follows:

  • At maximum, 10% of the “affordable” R-GFA may consist of studio/one-bedroom units;
  • And, at minimum, 40% of the “affordable” R-GFA shall consist of four-bedroom units or bigger;

Conclusion

The revisions found in the aforementioned Table (1), Table (2), Table (3), and Table (4), taken together would ensure that when politicians and developers tout how much affordable housing they are building, we know they are talking about truly affordable housing across a spectrum of income levels.

The above suggested amendments and re-definitions of “affordability” would immediately open up access to many family-sized housing units which would be truly affordable, and mitigate parts of DC’s troubling housing crisis.

If the above suggested amendments to IZ are adopted, this stroke of the pen would represent immediate assistance to thousands of longtime DC families who are struggling to keep pace with DC’s soaring housing costs.

View more “affordable” housing information here:
http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/168
http://www.dc4reality.org/updates/179