WASHINGTON D.C., DC — It's an ambitious goal aimed at leveling the playing field and ending generations of racial discrimination in D.C. Monday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a plan to boost Black homeownership, hoping to place 20,000 Black families into their own homes by 2030.
Outside of sirens, the sounds of construction are familiar echoes throughout D.C. The signs of progress have excluded far too many of our neighbors. Gentrification not only pushed the Black middle class out of the District but has priced them out too.
“We know we want to add more homes, but we want to be intentional about making sure people can afford those,” said Mayor Bowser who made the announcement at the Howard Theatre.
According to a report gathered by the Black Homeownership Strike Force, once 70%, D.C.’s Black population is now less than 50%.
The report also showed in 2019, only 34% of D.C.’s Black residents owned their own home, compared to 49% of white residents. The task force pointed to a history of discriminatory practices that have prevented Black families from attaining property and generational wealth. This plan attempts to correct both.
“These recommendations are ambitious but are imminently doable if we all work together,” said Vanessa Perry with the Housing Finance Policy Center. The task force issued 10 recommendations including using the Mayor’s allotted $10 Million down payment to help families buy and maintain homes and rezoning neighborhoods to allow for more multi-family housing.
“I am standing before you as a testament that homeownership is possible,” Brittney Freeman told the crowd at the Howard. “I am indeed my ancestors wildest dreams.”
While D.C. native Brittany Freeman celebrated purchasing her first home through city assistance, another Brittany saw her dream of homeownership destroyed.
“I feel like all the work that I put in to be a homeowner was all for nothing,” Brittney Bennett told WUSA9 back in 2021.
The developer of the Talbert Street condos took the city’s money in subsidies and cut corners on construction that were never caught by the former Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Stanton View, LLC has now filed for bankruptcy. Bennet and her neighbors, all Black women, had to evacuate their dangerous homes four years after purchasing. They’re hoping the city will make them whole again.
“They weren’t let down by us they were let down by the people they bought from,” said Mayor Bowser. “All that we’ve done in the last year and a half is try to keep them housed with free rent.”
The Mayor said as the city moves aggressively to implement this plan using more city funds and building more affordable housing, the newly formed Department of Buildings will have to keep up with construction to make sure another developer doesn’t destroy another dream.