As we move into the next stage of DC 2050, I wanted to take a moment to look back on what we’ve heard from residents so far and share a bit about how we plan to keep the conversation going.
When we launched DC 2050 in March 2025, we spent six months engaging residents on their vision for the District. From September 2025 to June 2026, we worked closely with residents and community partners as we introduced Place Types – a simple way to describe the different kinds of places that make up our city. During this period, we also developed a draft Future Land Use Map which outlines where different types of housing, businesses, and community spaces could be located across the District.
Through four public open houses, 19 focus groups with targeted populations, and community partner-led events we reached over 6,000 people across all eight wards.
We heard support for homes near bus routes and Metro stations. We also heard a desire for affordable homes across all eight wards, including more family-sized homes and homeownership opportunities.
We also heard concerns about potential changes to neighborhoods. People asked whether longtime residents would be able to stay, whether new buildings would fit the character of the community, and how growth might affect schools, traffic, and everyday life. Our team is working to craft policies that respond to what we’ve heard, and we look forward to sharing those soon.
Earlier this year we began partnering with community organizations to connect with residents that are sometimes harder to reach. Thank you to all who participated and served as community partners helping us connect with residents who don’t always have the chance to participate in planning conversations.
We know how important it is to stay connected with DC’s many diverse communities. We’re committed to continuing to listen and reflect our shared priorities in the upcoming draft of DC 2050. To that end, we’ve released our strategy for developing small area plans for every part of the District after DC 2050 is finalized and implemented.
If you have ideas on how we can connect with you and your neighbors for future updates, please reach out to [email protected]. I encourage you to subscribe to our project newsletter, follow us on social media, and keep checking our website for upcoming events.