Image by Jerrel Catlett licensed under Creative Commons.

“Growing inclusively means that individuals and families are not confined to particular economic and geographic boundaries but are able to make important choices — choices about where they live, how and where they earn a living, how they get around the city, and where their children go to school. Growing inclusively also means that every resident can make these choices — regardless of whether they have lived here for generations or moved here last week, and regardless of their race, income, or age.”

What a great statement. That’s an official “vision” from the District’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2006. DC leaders committed to this goal more than a decade ago, and the need is even more acute today as the economy has boomed, held on through a huge recession and boomed again. Those booms haven’t benefited everyone, but they should.

In 2006, home prices rising out of reach wasn’t the big problem; there was a lot of vacant property in most wards of the city. Attracting people to the District was still a challenge. Now, growing numbers of neighborhoods are out of reach to even middle-class residents with well-paying jobs, let alone those with lower incomes. Our challenge is continuing to welcome everyone while protecting those already here, who have lived for decades in their homes and fear being displaced.

Continue reading my latest column in the Washington Post.