The Affordable Housing Progress Report: What the Washington, DC Region's Jurisdictions Can Do to Combat the Crisis

Washington Area in Major Affordable Housing Crisis New Report Reveals Ways Cities/Counties Can Address the Need

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A new study released today, The Affordable Housing Progress Report: What the Washington, DC Region"s Jurisdictions Can Do to Combat the Crisis, shows that the region"s governments are falling behind affordable housing needs and could meet much more of the need strengthening existing policies and adopting successful policies practiced in other parts of the country. "We have a tremendous housing problem and thus far securing affordable housing in this region has been a story of one step forward and two steps back," noted Cheryl Cort, Executive Director of WRN. "For every new initiative, there are cuts to affordable housing programs and spikes in market demand for housing. We are offering four actions jurisdictions should take to increase the amount of affordable housing." The Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities (WRN), a non-profit organization working to promote smart growth in urban communities, compiled the report to document the region"s gaps in affordable housing, and point to actions local government could take to address the crisis. Need for Affordable Housing The report found a significant need for affordable housing for the very low income but also for many in our community with moderate incomes, such as teachers, sales people and daycare workers. The report also found a great disparity in the amount of affordable housing in each jurisdiction relative to its population. The District of Columbia and Prince George"s County account for nearly half of the affordable units in the region though they only have 1/3 of the region"s population. While, Fairfax County has only 12 percent of the affordable housing with 23 percent of the region"s population. "Fairfax County falls the farthest short in providing affordable housing. This pushes families with low to moderate incomes farther from their jobs," said Cort. Fair Share of Affordable Housing One of the regional solutions called for in the report is a fair share of affordable housing in each jurisdiction to support the needs of residents and employers. Forcing people to live far from where they work due to housing costs increases traffic, raises overall household expenses, and reduces access to jobs. Chris Zimmerman, Arlington County Board Member said, "Ensuring that each of our jurisdictions provides a fair share of housing for low- and moderate-income residents is clearly the right thing to do. It"s also a key component of a regional solution to traffic congestion and air pollution problems. In Arlington we"re working to preserve and increase affordable housing opportunities throughout our community, and especially in those areas with the greatest access to transit." Policies to Ensure Affordable Housing for Everyone WRN"s report highlights four nationally recognized affordable housing policies that if adopted by local jurisdictions can significantly contribute to producing affordable housing in the Washington metropolitan area. Inclusionary Housing " Requiring market-rate developments to include a percentage of low to moderate-income housing. Dedicated Funding for Affordable Housing Trust Funds " Allocating a reliable source of funding to produce and preserve affordable housing. Zoning for Housing Choices " Zoning that encourages a diversity of housing types. This can include allowing accessory apartments or "granny flats" as well as encouraging transit-oriented development. Affordable Housing Preservation - Policies aimed at stabilizing affordable housing supply during rapidly changing markets, including property tax relief, anti-displacement efforts,tenant right to purchase, and moderation of rent increases. David Flanagan, President of Elm Street Development, noted, "As a developer who has worked with Montgomery County"s inclusionary zoning requirement, I know that these kinds of policies can work for local government, low income families and for the developer. With proper legislative requirements on both the government and the developer, we can both make money and provide affordable housing for those in need." "Affordable housing is a national crisis, but as WRN has noted in its report, there are ways for local governments to help every family have access to housing it can afford, whether you are a retail clerk, a teacher or a business executive," said Noreen Beatley of The Enterprise Foundation. No Jurisdiction has a Comprehensive Affordable Housing Strategy The final finding of the report noted that while a few jurisdictions have adopted some policies to address affordable housing, no jurisdiction in our region has a comprehensive affordable housing strategy. "While we have some successes to point to, until each jurisdiction adopts a comprehensive affordable housing strategy, many of the region"s workers from sales clerks and daycare workers to teachers and administrative workers will be forced into long commutes and unaffordable housing," said Cort.