State and local governments receiving funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must submit a fair housing plan to HUD. Instead of creating separate plans, eight communities in the Washington, DC area joined together and worked with Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and others on a Regional Fair Housing Plan. The Regional Fair Housing Plan will fulfill this HUD requirement and aims to increase collaboration, innovation, and effectiveness of strategies to affirmatively further fair housing throughout the metropolitan area.

The draft Regional Fair Housing Plan is now available for community input with goals and priorities for the District of Columbia that include:

Creating safe, affordable homes

Local housing programs are the top priority for the DC Department of Housing and Community Development. But we’re also working with our neighbors to ensure better access to affordable homes in the region. The Metropolitan Washington Regional Fair Housing Plan lays out the steps we’ll take together through 2026 to:

1. Reduce unfair housing practices
2. Reverse patterns of racial segregation
3. Improve access for current and future residents

The challenge

It costs more to live in the District than in many other U.S. cities. And as the cost of new buildings and repairs go up, the number of affordable homes goes down.

• Higher rents, more evictions and lack of safe, affordable housing for those who: 
  • Are Black or Hispanic
  • Live with disabilities
  • Earn at or below 60% of MFI (Click here to see which incomes qualify)
• 25% of our residents spend 50% or more on housing, instead of the recommended 30%
• High application fees make it harder for housing voucher holders

The regional fair housing goals

DC and nearby counties lost more than 85,000 units with rents under $1,500 in the last 10 years. To reverse that trend and increase access to affordable housing, we’ll work alone and together with our regional partners to:

1. Create more housing for families earning 60% of the MFI or less (see below to learn more)
2. Change building regulations to increase affordable housing
3. Create new policies to protect affordable housing
4. Help more residents protected by fair housing laws buy homes
5. Protect the housing rights of people protected by fair housing laws
6. Remove barriers and give more help to those with disabilities, so they can live in the community they choose
7. Make public transportation easy to access and afford

Learn more

• Get more details from the Fair Housing Goals and Priorities for Washington DC 
• Read the Metropolitan Washington Regional Fair Housing Plan 
• Read the full Metropolitan Washington Regional Fair Housing Plan