The Office of Planning (OP) is gearing up for an eventful fall, as we reach a number of critical milestones on our most important work. The DC Council is scheduled to hold its final vote on the Framework Element of the Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) on October 8th. OP is now able to move forward with the amendment process, so on October 15th, Mayor Bowser will release to the public the remaining 24 elements and two maps. In preparation for that, OP has released a report that summarizes the results of the DC2Me Values Survey and engagement we conducted earlier this year. As we work hard to produce an amended Comp Plan that represents all DC residents, we are excited find that the most important concepts in the Comp Plan align with the values most important to residents. You can read more about the DC Values Report below.
Also, on October 15th, Mayor Bowser will release housing production targets by planning area. The Mayor challenged everyone to think differently and find innovative solutions to housing affordability when she announced a bold housing production target of 36,000 housing units by 2025, with 12,000 affordable to low-income residents. She followed this up by signing a Mayor’s Order on housing in May that directed multiple agencies to work together to determine how to equitably reach these goals. The Housing Framework for Equity and Growth is a partnership effort between OP and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the report is our first response to her challenge. It analyzes how our housing and affordable housing are distributed and includes housing targets by planning area. The report kicks off a series of reports and releases that includes both analyses and policy changes, including updates to the Comp Plan.
This month, I am also excited to share a new umbrella initiative for our numerous Public Life Initiatives, which include several studies, guides, and projects. These efforts all support a vibrant public life in DC to promote health, safety, civic engagement, economic opportunity, and connected communities. The latest addition to the Public Life portfolio is the Tenleytown Public Life Study.
Stay tuned as future newsletters promise to be full of updates and planning news. Please feel free to share with others, who can sign up here. In addition, you can follow our work on Twitter at @OPinDC.