A city’s budget document is more than a list of inscrutable numbers—it reflects the city’s priorities.
Each year during the annual budget oversight process, the Council of the District of Columbia invests in affordable housing and homeless services. These investments fund a variety of important programs in multiple agencies. Since these funds are spread across the government, it can be difficult to capture the full magnitude of D.C.’s commitment to affordable housing and homeless services.
The Office of the Budget Director assesses the District’s investments with the release of “The District’s Commitment to Affordable Housing.” This new infographic provides a comprehensive look at D.C.’s operating and capital budget investments in affordable housing and homeless services.
The infographic reveals that the District invests $840 million in programs to expand affordable housing and combat homelessness in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. These investments include:
$310 million to homelessness prevention, programs targeted at youth, shelter and supportive services, and housing supports and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness;
$245 million to build, maintain, and finance affordable housing units by supporting the Housing Production Trust Fund, funding repairs to public housing buildings, and other key initiatives;
$95 million in rental assistance to low-income residents through multiple programs, including tenant- and project-based vouchers, along with subsidies that help populations most in need, including seniors; and
$190 million of tax expenditures to promote homeownership and increase the supply of affordable housing across the city.
Over the past 15 years, the Council also invested $535 million through the capital budget to address housing affordability and homelessness. This funding has increased the supply of affordable housing, redeveloped or maintained thousands of public housing units, built new family shelters across the District, and provided shelter services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
The infographic is available here.