PRESS RELEASE: At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds Finds Much to Support in Mayor Bowser's Preliminary FY23 Budget Release

March 16, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Contact: Kevin B. Chavous | kchavous@dccouncil.us | 202-724-8064

At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds Finds Much to Support in Mayor Bowser’s Preliminary FY23 Budget Release

The Mayor’s budget contains historic investments in the Housing Protection Trust Fund (HPTF) while creating new mechanisms to help longtime residents remain in the District. 

Washington, D.C. – Councilmember Anita Bonds, Chairperson of the Committee on Housing and Executive Administration, appreciates Mayor Bowser’s FY23 budget, which includes historic investments in affordable housing.  The proposals include:

• A historic $500M contribution to the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) and $41M for project-sponsor vouchers to make housing deeply affordable to low-income residents,
• $110M to rehabilitate or replace more than 1,500 units of public housing over three years,
• $120M in rent and utility assistance across two years, plus $12M for a new Housing Provider fund; and,
• $26M to help low-income, first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance, including increased maximum HPAP grant amounts to $202K per applicant.

Councilmember Bonds also celebrated the addition of initiatives that will help longtime residents stay in the city, as well as services focused on creating equity throughout the neighborhoods, including:

• $1M to assist multi-generational families in maintaining their property after the passing of the original homeowner,
• $10M fund to increase access to homeownership for longtime Black DC residents,
• A 2% senior property tax cap, which lowers the cap on annual increases in property taxes for seniors from 5% to 2%,
• Expanded services for seniors, including $500K for free dental services and $750K for grocery cards,
• New indoor sports complex at RFK Stadium, including facilities for gymnastics, boxing, and indoor track; and,
• $251M to build a new annex to the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a major step towards closing the dilapidated D.C. jail and moving all inmates to the CTF.

“This budget prioritizes the needs of our most vulnerable residents while also providing new resources to our middle-income community and our seniors,” said Councilmember Bonds.  “Expanding access to homeownership to all District residents is very important, and the proposals in this budget will help us accomplish this goal.  I am ready to work with the Mayor, her staff and my Council colleagues to make sure that these initiatives are fully funded and implemented during the next fiscal year.”

###