A year before the COVID-19 pandemic made its way across the globe, Muriel Bowser began her second term as D.C.’s mayor — and she had a goal for the District.
Bowser wanted 36,000 new homes built by 2025. After setting the District’s housing goal, she signed a Mayor’s Order on housing and directed agencies to identify new policies and initiatives to help make it happen.
On Monday, Bowser said the goal has not only been met, but surpassed ahead of schedule.
“This is a big day. We hit our goal,” said Bowser. “There are now over 65,000 D.C. residents who are living in their new homes across the city.”
The District invested over $1.3 billion into the Housing Production Trust Fund, which is the District’s primary tool for producing and preserving affordable housing.
“Most importantly, we got the money out the door,” Bowser added.
She said the new housing units that have been built since 2019 have helped the overall price of housing in D.C.
“As we’ve added 36,000 new homes over the past years, the cost of housing in D.C. has grown at half the rate of housing nationwide,” said Bowser. “We have been able to blunt the increase in the cost of housing.”
Another advantage of having more housing options according to Bowser is keeping life long Washingtonians in the District and enticing those that visit to stay.
“Twenty-six million people visit Washington, D.C. every year. That’s the size of Florida. That many people are coming to Washington, D.C. every year to see our monuments, memorials and museums. If we can provide them the product they are looking for in terms of their home, then we are going to keep growing as a city,” said Bowser.
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