Bowser proposes to add over 1,500 new affordable housing units to "Rock Creek West"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

+1

I'm sure the mayor will be happy to learn that the main beneficiaries of her plan are people who live in distant suburbs and can't vote for her.

I'm sure all the thousands of broke DC residents who will be able to live someplace other than Southeast will be happy too.

[Anonymous]

Is the foul-mouthed “doofus” poster an intern in Bowser’s staff? I’m picturing a 19 yr old student in some planning program, possibly at UDC, who’s fond of meme culture

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the foul-mouthed “doofus” poster an intern in Bowser’s staff? I’m picturing a 19 yr old student in some planning program, possibly at UDC, who’s fond of meme culture

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

1. Yes, this is a regional problem. That is why MWCOG has set REGIONAL goals for more housing, esp more AH. Many people in DC itself are progressive, and want to help moderate and low income people around the region.

2. Having more people live closer in will be better for the environment, and mean less cars driving into DC (since closer places have better transit), better for QOL in DC.

3. Not everyone who lives out in the suburbs wants to move closer in. Some people prefer Arlington to DC, Manassas to Arlington, Front Royal to Manassas, etc. You appear to posit that a one dollar decrease in housing prices in DC fills up any increase in new units (what we economists call a perfectly elastic demand curve) That is almost certainly unrealistic. Its possible that MOST people would move closer in if they could, but that will still mean a slight drop in DC prices from new housing If many people won't (if the demand curve is inelastic - IOW if people really have preference for suburban living) then there could be large drops in DC prices.
3.

Yes, everyone has their own particular reasons for living where they do. My only point is that this notion that adding housing units in DC will result in more affordable housing is a lie.

Yes, that is your point. However it is not correct.

Why not? You still haven't given me a clear explanation.

The only way prices can go down is if supply exceeds demand. But that will never happen. There are five million people in the suburbs. If even one percent of them decided to move into the city, that would more than soak up every last additional unit Bowswer is proposing. And certainly far more than one percent would want to move. Have you seen the traffic leaving the city at rush hour? And that's putting aside everyone who doesn't already live in the metro area but who might want to move here. Supply will never come close to catching up with demand.

You can see this effect in New York City. People live in shoeboxes and yet it is still expensive because there are still far more people who want to live there than can be accommodated.

Yeah you definitely need a coherent explanation cause your understanding of what is being done is WAAAAAY out in another galaxy somewhere.

Let's recap and break it down...

Bowser wants to significantly increase dedicated affordable housing options in Rock Creek West, which encompasses some of the city’s highest-income neighborhoods. Her administration has set a goal to bring 1,990 affordable housing units to that part of the District by 2025 — more than four times its current amount of 470 affordable homes.

You with me so far? Okay now take a look at that bolded portion above...you see that? Do you know what that is? Let's break it down...

Dedicated affordable housing is defined as income- and rent-restricted housing supported or subsidized by local and federal programs for households ranging from extremely low-income earning less than 30 percent of the Median Family Income (MFI) up to households earning less than 80 percent of the MFI.

Do you get the gist of what is being said? Look at the bolded portion above...you see that? Do you know what that means. Let's break it down one last time...

Doesn't matter what the exorbitant prices of homes/condos/apartments in certain areas.
There will be XX-number of DEDICATED HOUSING OPTIONS set aside for broke folks in those high-priced areas.

You getting it now?

Maybe the Bowser flack can answer the question of why the existing rent controlled housing stock was deliberately omitted from the reported number of affordable units? Why is this important pillar of true affordability (as opposed to higher income-based IZ units) being ignored?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the Bowser flack can answer the question of why the existing rent controlled housing stock was deliberately omitted from the reported number of affordable units? Why is this important pillar of true affordability (as opposed to higher income-based IZ units) being ignored?!

Maybe you can actually look at the Housing Equity Report before you speak
https://housing.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/housingdc/page_content/attachments/Housing%20Equity%20Report%2010-15-19.pdf

Or maybe you can look back at previous posts in this thread where these graphics which came from the Housing Equity Report were already provided for your viewing pleasure.

Anonymous wrote:Figure 1: where DC'S EXISTING dedicated affordable housing is located by planning area
Figure 2: areas with the biggest shortages of affordable housing targeted for the biggest increases by 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the foul-mouthed “doofus” poster an intern in Bowser’s staff? I’m picturing a 19 yr old student in some planning program, possibly at UDC, who’s fond of meme culture

+1

Name calling is such an effective arguing strategy. Also, who uses the word "doofus"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the foul-mouthed “doofus” poster an intern in Bowser’s staff? I’m picturing a 19 yr old student in some planning program, possibly at UDC, who’s fond of meme culture

+1

Name calling is such an effective arguing strategy. Also, who uses the word "doofus"?

Who's arguing?
The D.C. Council unanimously signed off on amendments to the D.C.’s Comprehensive Plan which will open the door to more housing construction across the District and help Mayor Muriel Bowser move closer to her goal of building 36,000 new homes by 2025. The edits to the Comprehensive Plan have concrete measures to prioritize affordable development which evidently losers and whiners don't like or don't understand, but there's no argument.
It's happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the Bowser flack can answer the question of why the existing rent controlled housing stock was deliberately omitted from the reported number of affordable units? Why is this important pillar of true affordability (as opposed to higher income-based IZ units) being ignored?!

Maybe you can actually look at the Housing Equity Report before you speak
https://housing.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/housingdc/page_content/attachments/Housing%20Equity%20Report%2010-15-19.pdf

Or maybe you can look back at previous posts in this thread where these graphics which came from the Housing Equity Report were already provided for your viewing pleasure.

Anonymous wrote:Figure 1: where DC'S EXISTING dedicated affordable housing is located by planning area
Figure 2: areas with the biggest shortages of affordable housing targeted for the biggest increases by 2025

Exactly. The so-called Equity Report did not include rent controlled units.

Perhaps it is because this really ins't about affordable housing. It's about picking and choosing the numbers to justify a massive up zoning of ward 3 under the pretext of "affordable" housing. This will benefit developers and other cronies who contribute to the mayor and are salivating at getting denser, taller zoning in a lucrative market. First to fall to the bulldozer will be the numerous Class B apartment buildings west of Rock Creek Park that contain the District's largest number of rent controlled units by ward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the Bowser flack can answer the question of why the existing rent controlled housing stock was deliberately omitted from the reported number of affordable units? Why is this important pillar of true affordability (as opposed to higher income-based IZ units) being ignored?!

Maybe you can actually look at the Housing Equity Report before you speak
https://housing.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/housingdc/page_content/attachments/Housing%20Equity%20Report%2010-15-19.pdf

Or maybe you can look back at previous posts in this thread where these graphics which came from the Housing Equity Report were already provided for your viewing pleasure.

Anonymous wrote:Figure 1: where DC'S EXISTING dedicated affordable housing is located by planning area
Figure 2: areas with the biggest shortages of affordable housing targeted for the biggest increases by 2025

Exactly. The so-called Equity Report did not include rent controlled units.

Perhaps it is because this really ins't about affordable housing. It's about picking and choosing the numbers to justify a massive up zoning of ward 3 under the pretext of "affordable" housing. This will benefit developers and other cronies who contribute to the mayor and are salivating at getting denser, taller zoning in a lucrative market. First to fall to the bulldozer will be the numerous Class B apartment buildings west of Rock Creek Park that contain the District's largest number of rent controlled units by ward.

Well as previously stated, the public review period of the plan runs through Dec. 20 so if you got objections I suggest you get off DCUM and go find yourself a drawing board to get a plan together to poke some legitimate holes in the plan prior to that date - otherwise IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

THIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

THIS.

Eh...I’m still looking forward to seeing the end of class segregation in Ward 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

THIS.

nope not this but close

by building below market rate housing in desirable areas you are letting people live there who have no business being able to afford to

so basically everyone paying full rate are chumps and building the additional housing still won't lower prices because of the below market set asides

the reality is if don't make as much money you can't live anywhere you would like. It's life no matter what some crazy liberal white guilt folks would have you believe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

THIS.

Eh...I’m still looking forward to seeing the end of class segregation in Ward 3.

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehood or derisions
Golden living dreams of vision
Mystic crystal revelations
And the mind’s true liberation
Ward 3! Ward 3!

[Anonymous]

What responsible gov attempts to KEEP its least productive and most dangerous residents, ie, the people Bowser is trying to help with this proposal? And at the expense of its most productive, least needy residents, to boot. If anything, the gov should be paying the least productive, most dangerous residents to leave (forever), not stay. In any event, we need 2 more decades of intense gentrification and proposals like this will be a thing of the past -- mayors will be different and responsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone could give me a coherent explanation of how these affordable housing ideas are supposed to work.

There seems to be blind faith that adding housing units will lower prices, but that just seems wrong.

There's five million people in the DC suburbs. If you add 30,000 units in DC, that will immediately be soaked up by people in, say, Arlington looking for better commutes. That in turn will open up places for people to move to Arlington from, say, Manassas who are looking for the same thing. That will open up places in Manassas for people who live in, say, Front Royal.

The end result is lower housing prices in Front Royal. Ok, that's great for people who live there but why should DC residents have to sacrifice so that people in Front Royal enjoy slightly lower housing prices?

THIS.

nope not this but close

by building below market rate housing in desirable areas you are letting people live there who have no business being able to afford to

so basically everyone paying full rate are chumps and building the additional housing still won't lower prices because of the below market set asides

the reality is if don't make as much money you can't live anywhere you would like. It's life no matter what some crazy liberal white guilt folks would have you believe

So true. So true.