After months of drafting, commenting, redrafting, and final production, the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Comprehensive Five Year Plan is available for your perusal (a couple days after the promised May 18th date; apparently their web person was away). It’s actually a fascinating overview of the District’s housing situtation, and all the moving parts within the giant agency that manages it. The part that caught my eye, after my story this week, was the bit about the Housing Production Trust Fund:

As the primary source of support for affordable housing construction and rehabilitation in the district, the decline in funding could be a significant factor in DHCD meeting its projected goals.

That’s right before setting out a lot of ambitious goals:

As the lead agency for low-to-moderate housing opportunities in the District of Columbia, DHCD has confirmed through its consultation and analysis that its focus over the coming years should remain on supporting low-moderate income residents with:

  • the preservation, rehabilitation and production of affordable housing
  • incentives to include development of housing for very loow to moderate income residents; for the homeless; and for special needs populations
  • promoting homeownership opportunities, and
  • supporting neighborhood commercial and economic revitalization

Anyway, the full report is also available at public libraries and a number of housing agencies. DHCD has scheduled a hearing on June 3rd for further comment, after which it will put together a final final draft for the federal department of Housing and Urban Development in August.