Charisse Lue, Attorney, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Testimony of Brittany K. Ruffin, Legal Director, Systemic Advocacy and Litigation,
Since 1987 the Legal Clinic has worked towards a just and inclusive community for all residents of the District of Columbia–where housing is a human right and where every individual and family has equal access to the resources that they need to thrive.
The District of Columbia is currently facing unprecedented challenges, including the most economically devastating proposed budget that D.C. residents have had to face in decades. Unfortunately, D.C. public housing residents have had to endure deplorable and dangerous conditions for decades, including during robust D.C. budgets and despite their longstanding advocacy for change. D.C. Housing Authority is now executing plans for a large-scale public housing demolition and renovation of many of its properties. DCHA must aggressively lower its vacancy rate in its public housing properties. The proposed budget invests $32 million in public housing repairs in the FY27 Budget, but residents need more, too much of the public housing infrastructure is dilapidated, unsafe and unlivable. We, along with our Fair Budget Coalition, ask D.C. Council to add to that investment for a recurring $60 million commitment to DCHA’s public housing preservation, renovation, and rehabilitation process.
DCHA needs to dramatically improve operations, its delivery of services, and develop accountability mechanisms for the benefit of its residents. To restore resident trust in DCHA and to ensure that residents can rely on the agency to provide quality, deeply affordable homes D.C. Council must heighten its oversight. D.C. Council should adopt legislation that creates a more effective, accountable, and independent Board of commissioners and a thoughtful confirmation of a permanent DCHA executive director. It is important that D.C. Council ensure all DCHA leadership is committed to a resident informed redevelopment process and willing to engage and prioritize residents The D.C. Council should also require DCHA to issue a quarterly report that demonstrates how funds are utilized and result in positive outcomes for residents in DCHA properties. It is also critical to the success of DCHA’s repositioning plan that the D.C. Council utilize its authority to codify residents’ right to return and reintroduce and passing the Public Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Amendment Act of 2020 and include its language in the BSA.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of all D.C. households are extremely low-income, with an income within 0-30% AMI (currently $44,000 or less).. Seventy-four percent (74%) of those households are currently severely cost-burdened. All while there is a shortage of over -37,000 deeply affordable homes to meet this need. DCHA is a critical access point to housing stability in D.C. through its provision of public housing and its administration of D.C.’s local and federal housing vouchers. Currently, DCHA reports that it no longer has funds to support voucher-holders with security deposits to obtain housing. Residents who are eligible for vouchers cannot reasonably be expected to have the funds to provide a security deposit without assistance. It serves no one to deem a resident eligible for a voucher and create another financial barrier to using it. D.C. Council must use its budgetary and oversight powers to enhance access by providing specific funds through DCHA or DHS for security deposit assistance for those with local vouchers. It is more vital than ever that D.C. Council makes deeply affordable housing and an efficient voucher process nonnegotiable priorities.
D.C. Council also needs to fund a greater number and greater diversity of housing vouchers, especially since so many are losing vital resources, and especially since HUD has not funded any HCVP vouchers. The Mayor’s proposed FY27 budget makes no investment for any housing vouchers to end homelessness for D.C. residents in FY27, families or individuals. It does, however, include terminations and budget cuts to housing programs that are currently keeping residents housed. D.C. desperately needs voucher funding for all types of vouchers. Specifically, D.C. needs increased availability through Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP) tenant vouchers directly from DCHA and DHS-based vouchers. In recent budgets, D.C. Council has funded some vouchers, but DHS’ lack of transparency reduced this number to less than D.C. Council intended and allocated. D.C. Council must fund more vouchers and make sure that misappropriation and/or reallocation from DHS or DCHA does not happen again.
Now is not the time for D.C. Council to abandon its purported values and fail to invest in its residents’ fundamental housing and human needs. We urge the D.C. Council to use its budgetary and legislative authority to ensure DCHA becomes an agency that D.C. residents can rely on to provide safe, healthy, and affordable housing for those who rely on it.