The White population of DC is growing, from 217,000 in 2007 to 244,000 in 2010. The black population is declining, from 326,000 to 314,000
Black households usually earn less than White households. More than one in four Black DC residents lived in poverty in 2010 (8.5 percent for non-Hispanic White residents)
Black residents are less likely to be in work than White residents. The unemployment rate for Black DC residents has doubled since 2007, from 10 percent in 2007 to 20.6 percent in third quarter 2011. From 2007 to third quarter 2011, the unemployment rate for White (non-Hispanic) DC residents rose from 1.9 percent to 3.7 percent.
The number of households earning over $75,000 per year has increased, the number of families earning less than $50,000 per year has decreased.
Percentage change between 2000 and 2009
|
Household incomes |
Renters |
Homeowners |
Overall |
|
Less than $50,000 |
-24 percent |
-32 percent |
-26 percent |
|
$50,000 to $75,000 |
Unchanged |
Unchanged |
Unchanged |
|
More than $75,000 |
+81 percent |
+58 percent |
+63 percent |
The number of low cost rental properties has decreased. The stock of low-cost rental stock has shrunk by more than one-third since 2000. The number of rental units with rent and utility costs of $750 or less fell from 69,000 in 2000 to 45,000 in 2007. (all figures are adjusted for inflation to equal 2007 dollars.)
Low-cost homeownership options also shriveled, the number of DC homes valued at $250,000 or less fell from 58,000 to 15,000 between 2000 and 2007.
There is a shortage of housing that people on less than 50% of the Area Median Income can afford.
Certain neighbourhoods are becoming less black and more white.
A growing number of DC households are finding it difficult to afford housing. Nearly 100,000 DC households — or two of five — spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing in 2007 (20,000 more than in 2000)
Four of five DC households with incomes below 30 percent of the Area Median Income (about $28,000 for a family four) spent more than 30% of their income on housing. 62 percent of this group spent half or more of their income on housing in 2007 — up from 50 percent who had housing costs this high in 2000.
In 2009, 24.8 percent of District renter households (34,140 households) had severe housing costs (spending 50 percent or more of their income on housing)
In 2006 the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimated that a full-time worker would have to earn an hourly wage of $24.73 — three and a half times the minimum wage — to afford the rent for a modest two-bedroom house or apartment. The minimum wage is $8.25 per hour in DC. A person making that much would have to work 153 hours a week to afford to rent a two bedroom apartment in the open market.
Funding for all of DC’s major housing programs has been cut in recent years, however, which means that the city is unlikely to have made much progress on the affordable housing problems highlighted in this report. The budget for core housing programs in FY 2010 is $64 million, a nearly 50 percent cut from 2008 and the lowest level since 2004. The Housing Production Trust Fund will receive $18 million in 2010, compared with $62 million in 2008.
The 160 unit Columbia Heights Village development 14th Street and Columbia Road Northwest recently started accepting applicants. It is a project-based Section 8 development that bases tenant rents on their income level. People waited in line for over 4 hours for a chance to put their name down on the list for these properties. One woman in line said
“They are pushing us out! … Average people deserve to live in the city.”
Another said
“I was born and raised here I’m not moving. I will find affordable housing.”
D.C.’s old Capitol Gateway housing project during demolition in 2005
Capitol Gateway today.
Capper/Carrollsburg site in 2006
The unfinished site in 2008
Partially completed in 2010 with properties going “from $781,300”
Dream Housing 
