Delay scuttles affordable housing at 14th and U

In 2005, the Zoning Commission adopted, and the DC Council approved, an inclusionary zoning law. It gave developers the right to build just a little higher in exchange for including affordable units in the development. Then-Ward 4 Councilmember Adrian Fenty strongly supported this law, and used it as part of his platform for Mayor.

Since winning the election, however, Fenty has stalled. It’s now almost a year after the rules were supposed to go into effect. Observers think certain developers, big funders of Fenty’s who have the ear of Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Neil Albert, are pushing to water down the rules.

The delay is creating consequences on the ground. The proposed 14th and U development, which will replacing a parking lot and several ugly mid-century fast-food restaurants, originally planned for inclusionary zoning. But with the delay, they’ve reworked the project. Architect Eric Colbert and developer Bob Moore presented new plans to the Dupont Circle ANC last month with the top two floors gone, some extra mass in the back to make up for it, and no affordable housing units.

As gentrification spreads through our city, there’s a real danger that we’ll become a city of all wealthy white people and young people who are willing to live in very little space. Manhattan has this problem—more and more, only the very wealthy and crowded-in young professionals can afford to live there, while each year more affordable housing turns into market-rate, high-rent luxury condos and apartments.

Our neighborhoods are better with a mix of ages, races, and income levels. We don’t know how to ensure healthy neighborhoods, but inclusionary zoning is one small piece of the answer. Each new building built without affordable units while the Fenty administration drags its feet is another small step closer to an urban monoculture.