After years of dramatically rising rents, relief for D.C.'s renters may have finally arrived. A weakened local economy combined with a glut of new properties on the market (and more coming) will lead to more leasing discounts for area residents.
"Since the start of 2012, nearly 10,000 new apartments have been added to the local market, a level of new supply not seen since the peak of the prior building boom," writes Erica Champion, a senior real estate economist with CoStar Group in D.C. "Although the supply is not far beyond the typical volume of demand, which has historically handled about 1,500 units per quarter, recent leasing activity has not necessarily been tracking at historical levels because hiring has slowed and the local economy has been taking some well-known lumps recently."
"As a result, it could be a renter’s market here in the near term," she notes. "With more available units than renters to fill them, landlords are expected to pull out bigger incentives in order to lure tenants to their properties. While rents may appear to be just as expensive on the surface, the concessions offered should become more generous, and most of that will likely come in the form of free rent."
FULL STORY: Increase in supply of apartments bodes well for D.C. area renters

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)