DC’s new mayor and council need to know three things about affordable housing (opens in new tab)

The Urban Institute originally published this article on May 15, as part of the 2026 DC Election Briefing Book: What Mayoral and Council Candidates Need to Know series. Residents of Washington, DC, are facing a shortage of affordable housing options. An Urban Institute survey found that 1 in 10 people in DC experience housing insecurity. Despite significant investments in housing over the past two decades and many policies to advance housing stability, housing remains unaffordable for many pe...