Reply to "We don't really have housing options." Other cities have proactive land policies

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Reply to ""We don't really have housing options." Other cities have proactive land policies–DC needs them too."

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[quote=Anonymous]This is such a cutting off your nose to spite your face situation. I do not understand anyone whose position is not "DC needs tons more housing, including a lot more subsidized and affordable options." Like it's a shortsighted, indefensible position. The city literally will not function if we can't find a way to do this. Who do you think is going to wait tables and tend bar at the nightlife you enjoy? Who will teach you kids? Who will clean your teeth at the dentist? Pick up your trash? What about civil engineers who work in the public sector? Do you think all the people who do these jobs are conveniently married to a Big Law attorney? No. This city only operates with its working and middle class intact, and they need a place to live.

We need more housing. We need more family housing, specifically. That doesn't have to mean SFHs, and in fact that's the least efficient way to do this. You can keep your SFH, it's fine. But there are lots of housing arrangements that are used all over the world to accommodate families that take up less space while still being functional. Courtyard buildings, for instance. I'd happily live in a courtyard building with my family! I don't mind living in an apartment. But where would I find one? I cannot -- DC doesn't build these. It doesn't build 3 bedroom apartments, actually. It's almost impossible to find them, even though if you had them, it would become a viable option for lots of families. We wanted to buy a 3 bedroom condo a few years back and we could not find one for less than 500k. And that was a few years back -- now it would probably be more like 700k.

I don't understand the opposition. No one wants to take your house. We want to make sure people have places to live. Do you really want the entire working and middle class population of the city to be commuting in from exurbs? Because by the way, close in suburbs, including PG county are increasingly out of reach for us as well.

The truth is, if DC doesn't figure out housing, families like mine (which includes two public servants doing work you need us to do, FYI) won't move to the burbs. We'll just move. To another city. With cheaper housing. The end. You'll miss us a lot more than you think.[/quote]

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