Testimony of, Charisse Lue, Attorney, and Brittany K. Ruffin, Legal Director, Systemic Advocacy and Litigation, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless envisions a District of Columbia where housing is a human right, racial justice is a reality, and all people have true and meaningful access to the resources needed to thrive.
There are concrete economic and affordability challenges facing the District of Columbia and the nation. Now, it is more critical than ever that D.C. Council remain steadfast in its commitment to create and preserve affordable housing. The proposed budget neglects to recognize that housing is stability, healthcare, and public safety. Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget makes no investment in housing vouchers to end homelessness or the creation and preservation of affordable housing. While D.C.’s median rent is approximately fifty-four percent (54%) higher than the national median, an estimated forty-four percent (44%) of D.C. residents are rent burdened. Over eighty-seven percent (87%) of those that are rent-burdened live below 30% AMI. Recent data shows homelessness remains above pre-pandemic numbers and the United States Marshall Service reported that the 2025 eviction filings increased by two-hundred fifty percent (250%). If D.C. permits these trends to continue, it will undoubtedly cause an avalanche of socio-economic devastation for residents. Black D.C. residents are ninety-one percent (91%) of those experiencing homelessness and will continue to be the most impacted. D.C. Council must use all available tools to stop the harm and slow the displacement of current residents.
Currently, the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) is the primary resource for the creation and preservation of deeply affordable housing for residents with extremely low incomes (0-30% AMI). It is the most effective tool to remedy the dearth of deeply affordable housing in D.C. D.C. Council must protect and strengthen the progress D.C. has made over the last few years to prioritize the creation of deeply affordable housing. The proposed budget fails to invest in the HPTF, despite increased barriers to housing access for D.C. residents. A lack of investment in the preservation and creation of deeply affordable housing will only exacerbate D.C.’s affordability crisis.
The latest Housing Profile report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) shows that over 59,000 D.C. renters have extremely low incomes (0- 30% AMI) with housing costs up 5% from the previous year. The dearth of affordable housing for the extremely low-income is currently as severe as -37,000, with only thirty-seven deeply affordable homes available per one hundred renter households. These grim statistics do not even account for the additional barriers that the lowest-income tenants face within the housing market when in need of accommodation for large families and/or accessible units for those with physical disabilities. Deeply affordable housing (0-30%AMI) is the most needed and the least created.
The existence of deeply affordable housing is more crucial for D.C. residents than it has ever been. We urge D.C. Council to recognize the distinct housing needs of the lowest-income residents and make meaningful investments to support access to housing. D.C. Council should oppose any legislative efforts to de-prioritize the creation and preservation of affordable housing for residents in the 0-30% AMI bracket and maintain the legislative commitment to use fifty percent 50% of the funds to create and preserve affordable housing for the most vulnerable. The Council must also create additional legislative protections and enforcement mechanisms to ensure funds intended for 0-30% AMI are spent appropriately, including separating fifty percent 50% of the funds intended for extremely low-income housing to ensure better transparency and compliance with the allocation of funds. The Council must maintain sufficient LRSP matching operating funds. Additionally, increased transparency and oversight measures are needed, and the council should require that the DHCD is compliant with all existing reporting requirements and incorporate expanded requirements into the Housing Production Trust Fund Transparency Amendment Act of 2021.