twentytwelve domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home1/ceo4uor/public_html/sites/dc4reason/updates/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121Inter-related post :: REDEFINING \u201cAFFORDABILITY\u201d & MORE PRODUCTION<\/strong><\/a><\/small><\/p>\n The issue: Housing in DC, “Affordable” for who? <\/strong><\/p>\n The definition of “affordable housing” vis-a-vis the DC Municipal Regulations, and governing DC Code, is significantly askew, the results of which benefit only a fraction of DC’s longtime families and residents who need affordable housing, and who need it now.<\/p>\n DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Inclusionary Zoning Program, Webpage >> www.dcaffordability.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n First, the term “affordable” must be uniformly defined across all applicable DC regulations, including the zoning regulations.<\/p>\n The DC Office of Planning<\/a> has stated their staff has been working on the Zoning Regulations Rewrite (ZRR) for more than six years, during which the crisis in housing was rising dramatically in the District. Despite the housing alarm bells going off, it is surprising that of the 1000+ pages of changes being proposed in the ZRR by OP, none of the changes directly contend with “affordability’ and production of IZ units. And, the Office of Planning has not yet moved to redefine the definition of “affordable” unit. This signals a complete and utter failure of current planning officials to contend with the number one crisis in the District right now, the lack of affordable housing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Definition of Affordability is Currently Based on the Area Median Income (AMI) Metric<\/strong><\/p>\n Planning officials in the District believe that the Federal HUD funding for DC’s “affordable” housing can only be based on an Area Median Income (AMI) metric (which includes Fairfax and Montgomery Counties), versus using the DC \u201cState\u201d Median Income metric.<\/p>\n DC4RD cannot find a citation showing that DC must use the AMI, and not the DC-only income metric. Neither the Zoning Commission nor the Office of Planning staffers have offered any citations demonstrating that DC’s applicable income metric for IZ and affordable units must be the Area-Media Income metric. And, at least one zoning commissioner has declared it unfair.<\/p>\n Zoning Commission Case #08-06a (ZRR) Transcript dated, November 19, 2013, page 148 to 149. ZONING COMMISSIONER MARCIE COHEN\u00a0 “… the issue of using a metropolitan statistical area for housing income levels, it’s a federal issue,” an issue which “…discriminate[s] against inner cities.”<\/p>\n In response to the Commissioner Cohen, ANC Commissioner Renee Bowser,\u00a0 emphasized how, “… important [it is] to really reduce the 50 and 80 percent [AMI levels],” so that the City gives, “…subsidies to a working-class person that really needs it, someone that makes — for example — the minimum wage.”<\/p>\n Cohen told Bowser, “I don’t disagree with you.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n So just for the sake of argument only, assuming that HUD funding requires DC’s housing to be tied to an AMI metric, we can offer solutions through revisions to the regulatory rules that govern IZ and affordable units which will provide significant impact assistance for our most vulnerable residents in the District.<\/p>\n And, all applicable DC affordable housing regulations must change to reflect much higher required levels of affordable housing production, and ensure units are sized for families, and available for all residents living at incomes across a spectrum of affordability. <\/em><\/p>\n Production of More Affordable Units Needed<\/strong><\/p>\n In DC, developers are currently required to include 8% to 10% of the just the residential gross floor area in new buildings, not calculating any of the commercial space, must be “affordable” units. See 11-DCMR-2600. <\/a><\/p>\n
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