Housing & Commerce.
Stability is the foundation of freedom.
Washington, D.C. is one of the wealthiest regions on Earth. Yet across our city, thousands of residents are living through a deep housing crisis.
Affordable housing in Washington, D.C. should not be a constant struggle for working families, seniors, and young people trying to build their lives in the city they call home.
Nearly 5,000 of our neighbors remain unhoused in the District.
Renters are spending over 30% of their income just to remain housed
Nearly one in three renters pay more than half their income toward rent
The district provides only 32 affordable homes for every 100 extremely low-income families, leaving a 37,000-unit shortfall
This is not a failure of effort by the people of Washington, D.C. It is a failure of structure within our housing system.
Too many residents are caught in what I call the Trifecta of Suffering:
Underpaid
Unemployed
Unhoused
Sometimes all three!
"District Housing Utilization and Family Stability Act."
This legislation reforms the housing voucher structure by creating two distinct tracks:
(NEW) Family Housing Vouchers prioritized for households with children. (Single / Multifamily Houses)
(NEW) Individual Housing Vouchers designed for single residents, seniors, and workers. (Apartments)
New housing construction and major renovations will follow a Green Housing Modernization Standard, aligned with the district’s climate and affordability goals.
When housing becomes unstable, the consequences ripple throughout the entire city. Education is disrupted when families are forced to move. Public safety weakens when communities are uprooted. Healthcare systems strain under the pressure of housing insecurity. Local businesses struggle when workers can no longer afford to live near their jobs.
“District Commercial Revitalization and Enterprise Act”
For too long, we’ve allowed empty storefronts to sit vacant while entrepreneurs struggle to find affordable places to open businesses. This act changes that so every institution and resident can be encouraged to buy locally.
Designate priority commercial corridors in underserved neighborhoods based on vacancy rates, income levels, and business density.
Create activation partnerships between property and local entrepreneurs that authorize:
Temp retail licenses.
Community markets.
Shared workspaces.
Launch a citywide marketing campaign promoting local District businesses establishing:
“Made in DC” Certifications
Tri- Annual “Buy DC Week”