Mayor Introduces Affordable Housing Plan In D.C.

"In July, Fenty announced to the interfaith network that his administration would allocate $117 million yearly to protect and create affordable housing. He pledged to require that 30 percent of new units built on city-owned land be affordable for low-income residents. He also called for a partnership between the city and the interfaith network to build 5,000 homes as part of a project to create housing for residents who make $25,000 to $60,000 a year. Planning and construction for the first 500 such homes will begin next year at three sites in Southeast and one in Northeast."

"Last night, the mayor said the goal is to help a range of District residents, from the chronically homeless, to those who struggle to pay rent, to those trying to save for a down payment on their first home."

"Under the mayor's plan, 350 homeless people who primarily live on downtown streets would be moved into existing apartments and other units. With that housing would come an array of social services, officials said. Another 150 units of so-called permanent supportive housing would be built by Catholic Charities USA on vacant city-owned land at Fourth and H Streets NW. That project would also house the chronically homeless, as well as low-income residents."