Affordable Housing Preservation in Washington DC

<p><em>Affordable Housing Preservation in Washington DC</em> uses the case of Washington DC to examine the past present and future of subsidized and unsubsidized affordable housing through the lenses of history governance and affordable housing policy and planning. </p><p>Affordable housing policy in the US has often been focused at the federal level where the laws and funding to build new affordable housing historically have been determined. However as federal housing subsidies from the 1960s expire and federal funding continues to decline local governments tenants and advocates face the difficult challenge of trying to retain affordability amid increasing demand for housing in many American cities. Now instead of amassing land financing and sponsors affordable housing stakeholders must understand the existing resident needs and have access to the market for affordable housing. </p><p>Arguing for preservation as a way of acknowledging a basic right to the city this book examines the ways that the broad range of stakeholders engage at the building and city levels. This book identifies the underlying challenges that enable or constrain preservation to demonstrate that effective preservation requires long-term relationships that engage residents build trust and demonstrate a willingness to share power among residents advocates and the government. It is of great interest to academics and students as well as policy makers and practitioners internationally in the fields of housing studies and policy urban studies social policy sociology and political economy.</p>