This month, Mayor Muriel Bowser presented her Fiscal Year 2020 (FY2020) Budget and Financial Plan to the Council of the District of Columbia as part of the District’s annual budget process. The $15.5 billion budget proposal includes investments in affordable housing, education, families, transportation, public safety, seniors, protecting DC values, and more.

"I pledged, coming into office, that I would spend $100M annually to create and preserve affordable housing in our city - and it paid off to the tune of 7,200 affordable units," said Mayor Bowser. "With this budget, we will capture more from commercial real estate transactions and, therefore, be able to invest more in affordable housing."

The fair shot budget is focused on ensuring all incomes can call DC home! The Housing Production Trust Fund increased to $130M for up to 1,300 new units; $15M was delegated for the Preservation Fund to leverage $45M in private investment to preserve 1000 units of affordable housing;  $20M for workforce housing to leverage $180M in private investment to create 1000 units of workforce housing for middle-income households; $5.2M of new property tax relief to low and middle-income renters and homeowners through the Schedule H income tax credit; $26M of new funds for Homeward DC, which will help 260 families, 345 individuals, and 68 youth; and $11M to open 3 new short-term family housing sites, which will create 252 units of short-term family housing.

Thank you to all the residents who participated in the budget engagement forums. We are looking forward to the coming year in the District!

Regards,

Deputy Mayor Brian T. Kenner

#ObviouslyDC #DMPEDdelivers

On March 26, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) Brian Kenner hosted the fifth annual March Madness, a special preview of new and upcoming development projects that will provide more quality affordable housing, support for small businesses and job opportunities for all District residents. The event included special guests U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) highlighting the federal Opportunity Zones program, which can be leveraged to support economic growth and inclusive development in underserved communities.

“We are using every tool in our toolbox to create economic opportunities for residents and small business owners across all eight wards. Through the Opportunity Zones program and the development projects we introduced today, we’re doing more to meet the needs of DC residents right now and preparing for our collective future,” said Mayor Bowser. “These projects are about much more than just putting up buildings, they’re about ensuring that every neighborhood has an opportunity to rise and every Washingtonian an opportunity to thrive and prosper.”

A recent study by Yardi Matrix found that the District of Columbia is the most attractive opportunity zone investment area on the East Coast and the third most attractive in the country. The Administration identified 25 zones, with most East of the Anacostia River. During March Madness, Mayor Bowser announced three new initiatives to help leverage the program.

• The OZ Community Corp., which will enable community organizations and small businesses to tap into pro bono advice from lawyers and other experts.
• An online Opportunity Zone marketplace that anyone – project sponsors, fund managers, investors and community members – can access and where projects can be submitted online.
• A commitment of $24 million to projects that support affordable housing, workforce development, and the growth of small businesses.

For more information about Washington, DC’s Opportunity Zones, visit oppzones.dc.gov

Mayor Bowser also announced the recipients of the Dream Grants, a program administered by the Department of Small and Local Business Development that supports microbusinesses owned and operated by residents in Wards 7 and 8. For fiscal years 2018 and 2019, 34 grantees were awarded a total of $300,000.

Deputy Mayor Kenner revealed more than a dozen projects soon to be available to Washington, DC’s development and construction community as well as the release of the next round of funding for the Neighborhood Prosperity Fund, which supports job creation in high unemployment areas in DC.

DMPED announced two upcoming development opportunities: Engine 22 at 5760 Georgia Ave. NW, in Ward 4 and Fletcher-Johnson, 4650 Benning Rd. SE, in Ward 7. Additionally, DMPED announced plans to gain insight on the potential redevelopment of Poplar Point and the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center on U St. NW.

To learn more about March Madness, visit dmped.dc.gov.

During the week of March 11, Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner and that his team traveled to Austin, TX to host the #WeDC House at South By Southwest's major tech event. 

In two days, the #WeDC House at SXSW hosted nearly 4,500 attendees to experience all the the Capital of Inclusive Innovation has to offer across technology, social impact, art and entertainment, while highlighting our communities and culture.  #WeDC celebrates the diversity and talent of the city's public and private sector leaders, hosted a record number of programs, and have set the tone for the future of the #WeDC campaign. 

We celebrated technology companies like TwentyTables, the first Washington, DC-based startup to be crowned a special award for "Best Bootstrap" during the SXSW 2019 Pitch.  For the first time at SXSW, the #WeDC House implemented analytic technology, adapting mounted cameras to measure the number of attendees throughout the day, via a partnership with Kerb.

Covering a variety of topics from fashion to aerospace, media diversity to smart cities, workforce development to mobility, while providing a platform for networking, the #WeDC House was the place to be. See you next year, Austin!

On March 29, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner celebrated the groundbreaking of The Brooks and Vale Buildings, the first new construction on the historic site, future home to 400,000 square feet of new housing and retail on the upper Georgia Ave corridor.

“Today is another celebration for the Walter Reed project, as it represents many firsts for the campus - first new construction, first home ownership opportunities and first retail on the new Parks at Walter Reed,” said Mayor Bowser. “Through transformative development projects like this one, we are taking land that was once closed off and unused into turning them into vibrant, thriving communities delivering jobs, affordable housing and community amenities.”

The Vale will contain 301 apartments, with 30 affordable, and 18,000 square feet of retail facing Georgia Avenue and The Brooks will include 89 condominiums facing the historic great lawn on the interior of the campus. The buildings will share a new 390 space underground parking structure. The buildings will be located at the southwest corner of Georgia Avenue, NW and Aspen Street, NW. 

On March 30, Mayor Muriel Bowser kicked off Phase 2 of construction of The Wharf with a community celebration on the new mile-long waterfront neighborhood in Southwest DC.

At full build out, Phase 2 of The Wharf will complete the remaining 1.25 million square feet of new mixed-use development, including office, residential, hotel, marina, and retail space, as well as parks and public places. The community celebration included a “Truck Touch” featuring DC Government and construction vehicles, live music by Pebble to Pearl and Batalá Washington, a performance by the Amidon-Bowen Elementary School Choir, kids craft activities and sidewalk games by DC Fray.

“The Wharf is one of the most transformative projects in the District creating a new waterfront destination with a full mix of uses and amenities including affordable housing, retail, restaurants, entertainment and more,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner. “The Wharf is a prime example of what we can accomplish when public and private partners come together with the common goal of expanding inclusive prosperity and providing opportunity to DC residents.”

Mayor Bowser cut the ribbon on Phase 1 of The Wharf in October 2017, the 3.2 million square-foot development that will produce nearly 6,000 permanent jobs at completion. The Bowser Administration invested approximately $200 million in tax increment financing and secured agreements with The Wharf to hire at least 51 percent of Washingtonians – 20 percent designated for residents from Ward 8 and 30 percent of apprenticeships for residents from Wards 7 and 8. The Wharf also invested $1 million in workforce training for DC residents.