Council Moves Tommy’s Affordable Housing Clearinghouse Directory Forward

On Tuesday, April 15, 2008, Council's Committee of the Whole gave initial approval to the “Affordable Housing Clearinghouse Directory Act of 2008.” The bill was introduced July 10, 2007 by Councilmember Wells. Councilmembers Marion Barry, Chair of the Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, and Kwame Brown, Chair of the Committee on Economic Development, co-introduced the measure with Mr. Wells.

“I’m very glad to see the sense of urgency that the Council, the administration and the community has shown to move this proposal forward quickly,” commented Mr. Wells. “I hear developers say they have trouble finding families to fill the affordable units they create and I hear working families say they have trouble finding the affordable units in the community – this bill puts the two together,” added Mr. Wells.

The legislation creates a directory of current, planned and future development projects receiving public funds and assistance – whether through tax abatement, subsidy, or other means – with key information about the affordable housing units they are creating.

“One of the frustrations I hear from constituents in Ward 6, and across the city, is that with all the development projects taking place in different corners of the District, residents don’t have one central place where they can find information about the affordable housing units coming online,” commented Mr. Wells. “As we are faced with the increased demand for affordable options, we are all challenged to find ways to connect families in need with the options available to them. Especially in light of the economic pressures our working families face day in and day out, this is a bill whose time has come.”

The directory would become a resource for District residents to learn where affordable units exist, and when new ones will be created. In addition, the directory will provide information on income qualifications (such as whether the unit is available for households at a certain level of Area Median Income), type of housing, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, accessibility for disabled individuals, and contact information. The legislation also calls for this directory to be maintained online, but also have print copies made available at several public and agency offices across the city to ensure that everyone has access to this critical information.

The legislation will come before Council on May 6th for its first reading and vote.

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