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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There’s a rent control coalition that is mobilizing and will soon hold a large rally to oppose Bowser’s giveaway plan to big developers.

[Anonymous]

Disgusting. Her developer beholden activities are just disgusting. I remember when she was a Councilmember and never visited any of the charter schools in her own ward. Development and the $ it brings in seem to motivate everything she does.

[Anonymous]

Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

[Anonymous]

If Bowser was a Republican, Democrats would be in high dudgeon over her coziness with developers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Bowser was a Republican, Democrats would be in high dudgeon over her coziness with developers.

+1

Corruption is obvious...but I guess it's fine when "we" benefit from it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

So it Ward 3 has an estimated 8000 rent controlled units which tend to rent to low income people, why would Bowser’s Office of Planning ignore that completely to claim only 450 or so “affordable” units in Rock Creek West? I can’t imagine it’s the case but you don’t suppose all of that rent controlled housing undercuts Bowser’s political narrative that it’s necessary to upzone much of Ward 3 to add more affordable housing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

So it Ward 3 has an estimated 8000 rent controlled units which tend to rent to low income people, why would Bowser’s Office of Planning ignore that completely to claim only 450 or so “affordable” units in Rock Creek West? I can’t imagine it’s the case but you don’t suppose all of that rent controlled housing undercuts Bowser’s political narrative that it’s necessary to upzone much of Ward 3 to add more affordable housing?

plus, all the affordable housing just over the border in PG county

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

So it Ward 3 has an estimated 8000 rent controlled units which tend to rent to low income people, why would Bowser’s Office of Planning ignore that completely to claim only 450 or so “affordable” units in Rock Creek West? I can’t imagine it’s the case but you don’t suppose all of that rent controlled housing undercuts Bowser’s political narrative that it’s necessary to upzone much of Ward 3 to add more affordable housing?

It’s actually closer to 12,000 units in Ward 3 that are rent controlled.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

Yup I have a friend exactly like that! But Bowser is flipping all the lower.middle class, long term worker rent control units to ABOVE standard rate units for homeless that will THEN go free market. She is pretty much wasting resources and hurting everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

And enriching her crony developer friends in the process. She’s such a sleaze.

Yup I have a friend exactly like that! But Bowser is flipping all the lower.middle class, long term worker rent control units to ABOVE standard rate units for homeless that will THEN go free market. She is pretty much wasting resources and hurting everyone.

[Anonymous]

And Bowser is enriching her crony developer friends in the process. She’s such a sleaze.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rent controlled units do NOT provide afforable housing to the people who truly need. Rent control is not means tested, so someone making 200k a year can live in rent control forever. Its probably the most inefficient ways to deliver affordable housing.

That's probably less than 3% of rent controlled tenants in DC. I've lived in rent controlled apartment in DC - they are safe and habitable, put usually quite dated and ugly. No dishwashers, no in-unit washers and dryer. I left my rent controlled apartment for a nicer place once I made enough money.

The vast majority of people (80%+) who are in rent controlled apartments would probably be homeless or leave DC if you took away their homes. Further, rent controlled apartments in DC remain under the rent control system forever. I can go get a rent controlled apartment today, if I want. They are freely available. Ward 3 easily has 8,000+ rent controlled units.

The good thing about rent control in DC that it rewards long term residents who (1) work for a living and (2) make a moderate income. These are people who can stick to a budget and, since they have rent control, they stay put. They become pillars of their community because they are so invested in their neighborhood for the long run.

So it Ward 3 has an estimated 8000 rent controlled units which tend to rent to low income people, why would Bowser’s Office of Planning ignore that completely to claim only 450 or so “affordable” units in Rock Creek West? I can’t imagine it’s the case but you don’t suppose all of that rent controlled housing undercuts Bowser’s political narrative that it’s necessary to upzone much of Ward 3 to add more affordable housing?

It’s actually closer to 12,000 units in Ward 3 that are rent controlled.

All of which were ignored in the Bowser/OP housing paper. Why?

—Bowser and OP in fact are undermining rent control through policies that convert rent controlled units into market units.
—Rent controlled buildings are the most likely development opportunities available through upzoning areas like Ward 3.
—counting rent controlled units, especially in Rock Creek West, muddies the mayor’s disingenuous argument that Upper NW has minimal affordable housing.

And what is the mayor’s prescription? Why upzoning and other regulatory changes that will create luctative development opportunities for her cronies and contributors. It’s likely that only 10% of new housing units would be affordable, and these are so-called inclusionary zoning units which are at a higher income point than rent controlled housing. Trickle down crumbs from building luxury development will not solve DC’s affordable housing problem. Preserving and enhancing the current affordable housing stock, by contrast, will help. losing significant rent controlled housing would set DC back.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is they have been offering above market rate vouchers for homeless to rent control landlords, effectively flipping the switch on these units from rent control status forevermore. In the short term, someone homeless gets housing and in the long term rent control lessened. Is this the case, or do I have the facts wrong?