Brief Washington Housing Initiative: Context and Contribution
Margery Austin Turner, Mica O'Brien
Display Date
File
File
Download Report
(504.45 KB)

Launched in 2018, the Washington Housing Initiative identifies and acquires rental properties in neighborhoods facing rising property values in the Washington, DC area, and keeps a majority of the apartments affordable for households with moderate incomes. This report describes the Washington Housing Initiative and its potential contributions in the context of the region’s long-term housing challenges. It addresses four important features of the Initiative’s design, including moderate income targeting, affordable housing preservation, property acquisition in well-resourced neighborhoods, and long-term affordability. This report also explores other available housing preservation and production tools that reflect growing private-sector interest in addressing affordable housing concerns. The Washington Housing Initiative is not a substitute for expanded public sector investment in affordable housing, but can help fill a critical gap in the portfolio of regional efforts to create a housing market that serves all the region’s residents.

Research and Evidence Housing and Communities Tax and Income Supports
Expertise Families Thriving Cities and Neighborhoods
Tags Economic well-being Housing markets Housing affordability Greater DC
Cities Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV