Homelessness Grows At Record Pace Even As Oversupply Plagues High-End Multifamily Market NationalAffordable Housing August 14, 2023 Matthew Rothstein, Bisnow Philadelphia  The rising cost of housing is putting more Americans on the street than ever before. The homeless population in the U.S. has increased by 11% this year compared to 2022, according to a preliminary data analysis by The Wall Street Journal. Though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to release finalized… Read more: Homelessness Grows At Record Pace Even As Oversupply Plagues High-End Multifamily Market

Kerry Kemp/Neighborhood Issues/Housing/Community Land Trusts — KK research-July 2023.docx  7/24/23 3:07 PM SUMMARY OF RESEARCH ON COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS (CLTs) In recent days, Kerry Kemp (U Street AIR) has been researching community land trusts (CLTs) as a method for communities to collectively own and control land. Collective ownership of the land allows the community, rather than private interests, to determine how the land will be utilized to serve the community’s needs.… Read more: Another Alternative to Trickle-Down Luxury Housing: CLT’s

DC Zoning Hearing Record 23-02 Map Amendment Link to All Exhibits (Paginated) https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/CaseReport/ViewExhibitsReport.aspx?case_id=23-02   List of some key exhibits (certainly not exhaustive)   Exhibit Number Title Ttl Pages Link   2    OP Setdown Report     25    1/18/2023    View https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/CaseReport/ViewExhibit.aspx?exhibitId=298458 39    OP’s PowerPoint Presentation    9    2/24/2023    View https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/CaseReport/ViewExhibit.aspx?exhibitId=303209 41    Notice of Public Hearing    5    04/05/2023    View https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/CaseReport/ViewExhibit.aspx?exhibitId=307061 43    ANC… Read more: Community Letters and Agency Reports Sent to the Zoning Commission (so far)

Email note dated July 23, 2023 from Longtime Ward Two Resident, Charles Ellis to Ward Two Councilmember, Brooke Pinto. — Dear Ms. Pinto (still awaiting a response): I saw nothing in your recent update about the apparent intention of the Mayor, with your agreement and that of Council Member Nadeau and several ANCs about the city’s support (by way of the Zoning Commission and discussions with real estate developers) of a… Read more: Dear Councilmember Pinto: About that “monstrous apartment project” at 1617 U Street …

BISNOW, July 11, 2023, Emily Wishingrad, Washington, D.C. The D.C. government is steadily overhauling its fire station fleet. Over the past five years, D.C. has put a half-dozen stations in the redevelopment pipeline, with the properties either set to become revamped firehouses with additional mixed-use components or be fully redeveloped with the fire stations moving elsewhere. It is part of an effort by Mayor Muriel Bowser‘s administration to convert aging assets… Read more: 6 Properties Show How D.C.’s Fire Station Redevelopment Pipeline Is Heating Up

The Deputy Mayor’s Office on Planning and Economic Development Hosts:March Madness 2023 Closeup of 1617 U Street, 2023 DMPED: March Madness 2022 Closeup of 1617 U Street, 2022: UpFLUMmed to be “a high density mixed use site” More on DC’s “sordid track record” of public land giveaways — Click Here

<Press Alert> Contact U Street AIR (202) 854-1822 – DensityBegetsDensity@gmail.com Community Produces 1st Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Controversial 1617 U Street Redevelopment; DC Zoning Commission Postpones High Density Rezoning Hearing Until the Fall Washington, DC — July 11, 2023 — Following on the recent news that the DC Zoning Commission postponed a hearing to consider the high-density rezoning of 1617 U Street, U Street A.I.R. (Area Impacted Residents) is… Read more: Premier FAQ on Controversial 1617 U Street Redevelopment Published by the Community

(Version 1.3: updated July 20, 2023)     1. Is 1617 U Street public land? Yes. All 1.88 acres of land stretching between 17th and U and halfway down the block towards 16th Street and back over to V Street is public land, with a police and fire station and a public alley.2. Will the proposed redevelopment of 1617 U Street, NW, mean the end of public control of this site?… Read more: Frequently Asked Questions: 1617 U Street

DC’s primary “affordable” housing program, Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) has failed the city and our vulnerable residents yet serves as the rationale and guise for pro-development advocates and politicos to privatize public land and build more luxury housing at our expense. Below, please read the startling facts of how bad IZ has failed to serve DC’s low income families and residents making the living wage or less. Per this report (click here),… Read more: INCLUSIONARY ZONING #FAIL

The 1617U project and policy approach is more inline with SW Urban Renewal than the gentrification seen in the Dupont neighborhood of the 70s and 80s.  Dupont was more the residual impact of government social-economic policies; whereas SW Urban Renewal and 1617U are large scale government policy efforts.  The difference between SW Urban Renewal and today is the role of large financial markets.   The outsized role of financial markets in neighborhoods… Read more: Comments on 1617 U Street by Ward One Parent, Engineer, and Anti-Displacement Advocate — William Jordan

On Monday, June 26, 2023, the Mayor had expected the DC Zoning Commission to rubber-stamp upzoning of 1617 U Street to high-density, allowing a future building to be constructed at the site of the police station and fire station exceeding 100 feet in height and 80% lot occupancy. As seen in the video above, the Zoning Commission instead postponed the hearing, resetting it down as a “contested case” after receiving comments… Read more: 1617 U Street: Zoning Commission Postpones Hearing Until October

The last decade shows how DC taxpayers have been fleeced in public land lease-aways and sell-offs (see some examples below). News article, “D.C. Does Bad Real Estate Deals” published in the District Dig, by Jeffrey Anderson, on March 17, 2016, https://districtdig.com/2016/03/17/d-c-does-bad-real-estate-deals-but-why/, “Independent appraisals show the proposed sale [of 965 Florida Avenue], at $400,000, to be more than $5 million below real property value.” News article, “A Reimagining in Washington Divides the… Read more: DC’s “sordid track record” of public land giveaways

URBAN TURF ONLINE REAL ESTATE BLOG — “Map Amendment Could Pave Way For Big U Street Redevelopment”  January 25, 2023 by UrbanTurf Staff Excerpt: “The map amendment would enable the provision of more market rate housing and affordable housing, which would help mitigate rising housing costs that affect households of color disproportionately,” an Office of Planning report stated. “It would enable the retention of District public service jobs for which persons… Read more: Map Amendment Could Pave Way For Big U Street Redevelopment

DCCA Membership Says: Public Land Should Be Used For Public Purposes Last night at its June 5, 2023 Monthly Meeting the Dupont Circle Citizens Association (DCCA), following debate, overwhelmingly adopted the attached Resolution opposing the City’s attempt to upzone the site of Third District police headquarters and fire station.  The City proposes demolishing the existing police station and fire station at 1617 U St/1620 V St NW in order to sell… Read more: Public Land Should Be Used for Public Purposes/ Dupont Circle Citizens Association Opposes Upzoning of Police/Fire Station Land

Highlighted excerpt: “Councilmember Pinto joined me in an amendment adding $50,000 to the D.C. Public Library budget to fund a study and community engagement to identify public facilities needs for the area between Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. This is timed to inform the planned redevelopment of public land at 1617 U Street, which provides an opportunity for a new public facility in addition to housing and retention of the police… Read more: Brianne Nadeau Newsletter “Playgrounds, Parking, Park View & Public Library”

ANC1B May 2023 monthly meeting had a special guest: Councilmember Brianne Nadeau.  https://www.youtube.com/live/4tBTbNxMRw4?feature=share&t=3115 During public Q&A, a question was asked: “Why did you decide to UpFLUM the public land at 1617 U Street without community input?” Nadeau responds: “We had a very lengthy discussion when we were going through the Comprehensive Plan rewrite. I had a town hall.” “30% of housing on public land must be affordable.”  “We’ve been able to… Read more: Councilmember Brianne Nadeau: “I had a town hall” to UpFLUM 1617 U Street & “[The project] will NOT go to HPRB”

At the Adams Morgan ANC meeting at the end of May, the Mayor’s Office declared it will not go door to door in the area around the 2-acres of public land at 1617 U Street to talk with neighbors directly about their push to dramatically change this community and the neighbors’ daily lives permanently (without compensation mind you). Nor will the Mayor and Councilmembers pushing the project be directly informing anyone… Read more: Team USA has the only community survey seeking feedback on the game-changing rezoning being compelled onto neighbors

A wonderful article on social rental public housing as it currently works in Vienna, Austria. This article shows that Vienna’s social housing holds down rental prices and improves the quality of life of its tenants.  Lessons From a Renters’ Utopia Lessons From a Renters’ Utopia Worldwide, housing has become a nightmare of expense and speculation. What did Vienna do right?

We’ve heard the Mayor’s planners, namely Daniel Lyons with DMPED say that the police and fire stations will come back to 1617 U Street in a redevelopment project that will bury them under hundreds of new housing units stacked on top.     It’s hard to fathom this especially in light of recent comments by Ward One and Ward Two Councilmembers (Nadeau and Pinto) suggesting that the police station may move, “it’s… Read more: Police and Fire Stations: Land Use & Design

DMPED has been publicly stating there is no project right now to actually discuss or fund. Yet the DC Department of Transportation and the DC Office of Planning have filed public reports to the DC Zoning Commission with very acute numbers showing that a project program exists somewhere in the halls and rooms of DC planning officials and the Councilmember, Brianne Nadeau. Meanwhile the future of the 3rd District Police Station… Read more: DMPED refrain: “There is no project before us”

ANC 1C PZT May 17, 2023 Recap 1617 U Street project discussion: https://www.youtube.com/live/MXsEYU5jebg?feature=share&t=8941 Commissioner Margaret Stevens had a conversation with the Office of Planning: https://www.youtube.com/live/MXsEYU5jebg?feature=share&t=9026 Is Split Zoning Allowed: “Yes, if Zoning Commission says” “Zoning is guided by the Comp Plan and Future Land Use Map” https://www.youtube.com/live/MXsEYU5jebg?feature=share&t=9027 Other Opportunities for the public to “chime in”: “Other groups (agencies) like HPRB . . . because there are contributing structures are historical surrounding… Read more: ANC 1C Further “Discussion” of 1617 U Street Project starts at 10PM at night!

Here are some quotes from some recent OFFICIAL documents put up on the zoning page for this project: DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) — May 5, 2023 — https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/CaseReport/ViewExhibit.aspx?exhibitId=310442 — “DMPED supports the map amendment which would permit medium to high density mixed-use development by right at this location and would bring its zoning into alignment with that envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map… Read more: DDoT: “It is estimated that a maximum of 408 rez units with 65k SF retail could be constructed on-site if the rezoning to MU-10 is granted”

Delia Goncalves , WUSA9 :: People who live near U Street say they’ve been left out of the process. Some fear the project would do the exact opposite of what the city promises. Video Link: https://youtu.be/PkwrY5nZ15E Watch video

U Street AIR Press alert :: Contact (202) 854-1822‬ ANC Commissioners Speak Against Radical Upzoning at 1617 U Street; Ward One Councilmember Brianne Nadeau Commits Funding to a Project That Doesn’t Yet Exist (unless it already does) May 8, 2023, Washington, D.C.  — In the past couple of months, the Mayor, through the Deputy Mayor’s Office of Planning and Economic Development has been pitching a radical land use change at the… Read more: ANC Commissioners Speak Against Radical Upzoning at 1617 U Street; Ward One Councilmember Brianne Nadeau Commits Funding to a Project That Doesn’t Yet Exist (unless it already does)

How DC can use public resources for the public good   Making Social Housing a Reality in the District Click HERE to read our article, Social Housing in the United States- An Idea Whose Time has Come. This is the final article in our four-part series seeking to examine the root causes of the affordable housing crisis and offering social housing as an alternative development model to solve that crisis. To read the entire four-part… Read more: Making Social Housing a Reality in the District

The DC Generalized Policy Map (GPM) is one of two key DC maps found in the DC Comprehensive Plan (the other being the Future Land Use Map) that drive development and redevelopment projects throughout the city. For our 1617 U Street site, the GPM shows a site that is split between a Mixed Use designation and Neighborhood Conservation Area designation. 10A DCMR 223.5 — The guiding philosophy in Neighborhood Conservation Areas… Read more: Did you know that the Generalized Land Use Map has the north half of our 1617 U Street site designated as a Neighborhood Conservation Area

Original link here. February 1, 2023Letter in Support of a Public Library as Part of 1617 U St. Development Requests that Deputy Mayor Falcicchio include a requirement for a public library as part of the upcoming RFP for the developmentCouncilmember Nadeau and Councilmember Brooke Pinto of Ward 2 have jointly requested that the upcoming request for proposals for the redevelopment the District-owned 1617 U Street NW include a public library. Together… Read more: CM Brianne Nadeau’s Letter in Support of a Library at 1617 U Street

Subdivision & Mixed Zoning at 17th & U Street NW   In considering any proposal for redevelopment at 1617 U Street (Police & Fire Station), many neighbors are asking the city to put density on the U Street side of the block, and much lower density if any along V and 17th Street for obvious reasons (the surrounding area is nearly all in historic districts consisting of two- and three-story homes… Read more: The Split is It: Subdividing the 2-acre public site to grant higher density along U Street, and much lower densities along 17th and V Streets

Join the Movement for Social Housing –  A Real Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis. Greetings, I am excited to officially launch The Center for Social Housing and Public Investment (CSHPI). You can visit our website by clicking here. The primary purpose of CSHPI is to promote social housing as an alternative economic development model to offer a real solution the affordable housing crisis that is currently gripping the United States. In the near… Read more: The Center for Social Housing & Public Investment Unveils Resource Site

Councilmember Janeese Lewis George's Green New Deal for Housing legislation was reintroduced at the DC Council this past week. https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B25-0191 This bill had to be reintroduced this year following a well attended hearing held last year when more than 100 people testified.