Preservation Strategy Advisory Council Named

Preservation Strategy Advisory Council named as pressures mount to save housing affordable to District residents

Washington, D.C. – NeighborhoodInfo DC and the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) are pleased to announce the formation of a new Preservation Strategy Advisory Council charged with advising and overseeing a plan to preserve the affordability of the 35,000 housing units assisted by federal or local funding and the 80,000 rent controlled housing units in the District of Columbia.

“Preservation is fundamentally important to the District’s housing policy,” said Susanne Slater, President of CNHED’s Board. “We are honored to have an esteemed group of leaders in the affordable housing field fully engaged in overseeing the development and implementation of a plan to preserve affordable housing for our District residents.”

The Advisory Council and emphasis on preservation can help change the trajectory of the District’s housing situation.

“By implementing a robust strategy, backed up by key partnerships and data, Washington, DC could emerge as a national leader in affordable housing preservation.” Peter Tatian, Senior Fellow, the Urban Institute/ NeighborhoodInfo DC.

The Advisory Council will oversee a Preservation Strategy Steering Committee that is devising ways to implement the goals of the Preservation Strategy report. The Preservation Strategy report, Advisory Council, and Steering Committee all grew out of the DC Preservation Network (DCPN) – which, in addition to affordable housing developers, housing counseling organizations and legal services providers, also includes government entities such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, DC Department of Housing and Community Development, DC Housing Finance Agency, DC Housing Authority and the DC Office of Tenant Advocate. DCPN maintains a database of approximately 35,000 assisted affordable rental units and meets monthly to review those properties that may be at risk of losing affordability. The new Advisory Council and Steering Committee are positioned to devise specific preservation tactics and advocate to the District government for their implementation.

“We will not build our way out of the housing affordability crisis – we must employ all of the strategies at our disposal,” said Stephen Glaude, Executive Director of CNHED. “Preserving the existing housing that is affordable to the low-income District residents is a critical element in our overall vision to ensure housing and economic security for all.”