Builders Patch | HousingCount: District of Columbia affordable housing data and latest news

District of Columbia

Summary

District of Columbia state is facing an acute affordable housing crisis. For every 100 low-income renter households, there are 58 units available that are affordable to them. The median rent in the state has risen by 64% since 2010, while median household incomes have grown by 61%. Currently, the state is short over 22,634 low-income housing units, meaning rental units that are affordable to households earning ≤60% of AMI.

58.5%
share of renter households
41.7%
share of low-income households
43.7%
share of rent-burdened households

Renter population data

Renters vs homeowners

Households	% share
Renter households	181,384
Homeowner households	128,720
Total households	310,104

Low-income renter households

Households	% share
Extremely low-income (≤30% AMI)	38,298
Very low-income (31-50% AMI)	15,902
Low-income (51-80% AMI)	21,458
All low-income households (<80% AMI)	75,658

Rent-burdened households

Share of income spent on rent	Households	% share
Moderately rent-burdened (30.0–34.9%)	16,924	9.3%
Rent-burdened (≥50.0%)	37,858	20.9%
All rent-burdened households	79,200	43.7%

Affordable housing shortage

Description	Amount ($)
Median household income in 2010	40,030
Median household income in 2021	64,645
Increase (2010–2021)	61.5%
Median rent in 2010	971
Median rent in 2021	1,595
Increase (2010–2021)	64.3%
Supply (current stock)	31,566
Demand (total units needed)	54,200
Shortage	22,634
Supply/Demand ratio	58.2%

Finance institutions

District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency

District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency
815 Florida Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001

LIST OF loan programs

QAP document (Qualified Allocation Plan)

QAP
District of Columbia
The QAP is a document that states, and a few local agencies, must develop in order to distribute federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs). Each QAP must spell out a housing finance agency’s (HFA’s) priorities and specify the criteria it will use to select projects competing for tax credits.

Housing news

How Fed Rate Cuts Impact the Housing Market

The Federal Reserve’s recent rate cuts will influence the housing market but the effects won't be immediate. Although lower rates make borrowing more affordable, the ongoing housing shortage and existing conditions in the market remain tough obstacles.

Key Takeaways:

Lower Mortgage Rates: Fed rate cuts have already reduced the average 30-year mortgage rate.
Home Sales: As rates decline, more homeowners might be encouraged to sell.
Ongoing Supply Issues: Despite lower rates, housing supply shortages will persist, especially in high-demand areas.

States With the Largest Homeless Populations

In 2023, the number of homeless individuals in the U.S. reached approximately 653,000, representing a significant increase compared to 2020.

Here are the top 10 states with the largest homeless population:

California (181,399)
New York (103,200)
Florida (30,756)
Washington (28,036)
Texas (27,377)
Oregon (20,142)
Massachusetts (19,141)
Colorado (14,439)
Arizona (14,237)
Pennsylvania (12,556)

The homebuying affordability gap is widening across the country

The worsening housing affordability crisis in the U.S. has broken several records, with only 63% of counties now affordable for median-income households, compared to 94% in 2019.

Homelessness, already at a record high last year, appears to be worsening among workers

Homelessness is rising in the US, with a growing number of employed people now unable to afford housing due to high rents. Experts call for increasing rental assistance and building more affordable housing as some solutions.

Shortage statistics for ELI & VLI renters

S&D ratio = Supply & Demand Ratio
List of counties
Rental population
ELI & VLI (<50% AMI)
Rent-burdened
Affordable housing
Name
Households
% share
Households
% share
Households
% share
Shortage of units
S&D ratio
County statistics coming soon...