The DC Office of Planning has been working in collaboration with Mayor Williams and leaders from throughout District government to develop a long-range vision for the District of Columbia. The intent of the vision is to outline the major challenges facing the city and present long-range policies and strategies to address these challenges. The strategies will be further developed during the process of updating the District’s Comprehensive Plan, which will occur in 2004 and 2005.                                 

 

To help shape the District's vision, the DC Office of Planning (OP) commissioned eight papers on long-range planning issues in Washington, DC, during the summer of 2003. Authors of these papers were selected because of their expertise in particular fields, such as economic development, housing, and education. Each author was asked to define the major issues in their topic area, assess trends and challenges, and lay out strategies for the future. Maps and data were included in the reports to illustrate key findings.

The policy papers do not represent the official positions or policies of the District of Columbia government on these issues. The authors were asked to present ideas and recommendations for future discussion and debate. They were asked to be candid and objective in their assessments. The views expressed are their own and should not be attributed to the Office of Planning or any other District government agency.