D.C.'s Record Construction Pace Credited for Easing Rents

Washington, D.C. joins Denver and Seattle as locations credited with slowing the rising cost of housing by building an abundant new supply of residential units.

1 minute read

February 5, 2016, 1:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

"In 2015, DC permitted more new housing units—4,956, to be exact—than in any year since the Census started keeping track in 1980," according to an article by John Ricco, "and there's reason to believe it's helping to slow rent increases."

According to Ricco, "The record-setting year is most likely due to both long-term factors (a shift towards city-living among young professionals) and short-term, cyclical ones (federal government job growth having recovered from the sequester)."

Ricco offers a lot more detail about the D.C. market and how it compares to other cities. Importantly as well, Ricco concludes by citing three separate sources that have found evidence that rent increases are slowing in Washington, D.C.:

Chloe Johnson, writing for Bloomberg Business
Maeve Gallagher, writing for The Washington Post
Cha'Mia Holloman, writing for Multifamily Executive

FULL STORY: DC added record housing in 2015. That’s slowing down price increases.

Thursday, February 4, 2016 in Greater Greater Washington

Housing Urban Development District of Columbia Washington D.C. Housing Prices housing affordability Supply Supply and Demand Housing Supply View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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