Coalition for Nonprofit Housing Development Candidate Questionnaire

Housing and Community Development

1. If neighborhoods are our first concern, how do you plan to encourage private sector developers to work with the community development corporations and other community based non-profit organizations in joint efforts to improve neighborhoods?

In the past few years, the District of Columbia has improved and increased its output of affordable housing stock through the efforts of several key, community-based developers. Of particular note are the efforts of several developers, including Marshall Heights Community Development Organization (MHCDO); Development Corporation of Columbia Heights (DCCH); Home Corporation; W.C. Smith and the Knox Hill Partnership. However, much more needs to be done. Private sector developers who have been reluctant to take on traditionally lower or moderate income development projects, partly because of the belief of a limited return, must be made aware of the potential opportunities that exist with developing affordable housing products. These developers need to be reminded that they owe a certain responsibility to the entire District, and that one way of demonstrating their responsibility is to commit a portion of their time and resources to the development of affordable housing.

Several of our local, primarily for-profit developers have had the foresight to develop non- profit subsidiaries whose missions are to foster the development of affordable housing through partnering with the federal government and taking advantage of programs which offer development assistance. These programs can assist by providing direct construction assistance dollars. That, in turn, will help to lower development costs, thereby keeping the housing product within the reach of our target moderate-income community while still making the venture worthwhile from the developer's perspective. These developers have begun to solve the problem of building a decent, affordable product that meets the needs of moderate-income households and even goes beyond what we would traditionally expect in a finished housing product designed to serve those families.

In addition, the private sector commitment must extend beyond just private, for profit developers to include the private sector lending community. The Williams administration will work with our local lending institutions to obtain their commitment and participation, by partnering with local lenders, my Administration will leverage private sector resources toward our common objective and, through the lenders' participation in counseling and training programs, we will increase opportunities for home ownership for those who have been traditionally left out of this process. Everyone deserves the opportunity to own their own home. We all have a stake in ensuring that this happens.

2. The District paid part of the cost of acquiring the land and constructing the Lorton Penitentiary, which will close in 5 years. Will the District be reimbursed for its share of this cost? What will you do to prevent an outright land grab by Virginia based development interests through their Congressional and state government representatives?

The District’s investment in Lorton dates back to the 1910’s and 20’s when the Lorton facility was acquired and developed by the District and Federal governments for the benefit of the District — not for the benefit Virginia real estate developers. A blanket multi-million dollar give away of Lorton was not part of the deal struck for the federal takeover of D.C.'s prison system. I intend to work with Congresswoman Norton to make sure the District receives fair compensation for its investment in Lorton.

3. How would you more effectively and creatively use the housing resources already available and also leverage private funds to maximize production under your housing policy?

As I have stated on a number of occasions, the District has failed to take advantage of resources already at its disposal, especially the various US Department of Housing and Urban Development program funds made available by the federal government for the benefit of our communities. There is no excuse for the District to be faced, at the end of each fiscal year, with the possibility of having to return federal dollars specifically designated to address the multitude of housing needs in our City. In my administration, this will not occur. Instead, I will require that my agency officials - specifically those at the Department of Housing and Community Development — have in place, with my oversight, an annual housing development program that will enable us to take full advantage of all federal grants and other assistance at our disposal.

In the past, the rule appears to have been to err on the side of caution rather than thinking creatively about tapping into the abundance of resources at our disposal. We are positioned perfectly to develop a stronger partnership with HUD. Any housing project that we contemplate for the District is no farther than a half hour car ride for any HUD official who wants to see what we are doing. It is inconceivable that we would not take advantage of this opportunity. In addition, we are positioned to serve as a model for HUD on any number of projects which could, in turn, be duplicated throughout the United States.

4. What are your top three priorities concerning neighborhood revitalization?

One of the most important components of enhancing neighborhood revitalization is the creation and encouragement of home ownership opportunities, particularly in neighborhoods where the rate of home ownership has been traditionally low. The District can do its part by continuing programs that encourage home ownership in targeted neighborhoods through efforts such as the DC Housing Finance Agency's below market permanent financing program, and the District's Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) and Employer Assistance Housing Program (EAHP). I will also press the banks that do business in the District — particularly the large newcomers to our market — to make greater commitments to our underserved communities.

Citizens will naturally view themselves as investors in a neighborhood if they have a direct stake, through ownership, in its vitality and a vested interest in the strength of the community. Statistics show that neighborhoods in which the majority of the residents are homeowners experience a dramatic decline in crime rates and an overall improvement in the quality of life. Home ownership is the foundation of neighborhood stability and provides low and moderate-income families access to wealth and a tangible stake in the future and success of their neighborhood and the District.

Of course, creating home ownership opportunities, in and of itself, is not enough to stimulate neighborhood revitalization. A second key component to completing this equation is ensuring that our communities are safe. Citizens need to feel that they can live and raise their families in a safe environment. And, neighborhood policing, or community empowerment policing, is essential to providing access to affordable, quality housing.

Finally, once neighborhood revitalization is taking place through increased home ownership, we must play a significant role in encouraging the development of neighborhood services and businesses within easy access to growing neighborhoods. We must encourage new business development and relocation of existing businesses into neighborhoods that experience upturns in the levels of ownership. Several key business corridors desperately need revitalization of this sort:

• Minnesota Avenue, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Sheriff Road;
• Good Hope Road;
• The commercial sections of Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.;
• The H Street corridor, extending from 3rd Street to Benning Road;
• 7th Street, beginning at O. extending along Georgia Avenue; and
• 14th Street, NW, continuing the work that has begun at the Nehemiah Development and extending north.

Neighborhood development includes more than simply the production of housing. Citizens must have a comprehensive reason for selecting a neighborhood. Retail development will play as important a role as the creation of housing stock.

5. A recent HUD report indicated that in the Washington area 68,000 families spend more than SO percent of their income on rent and 45,000 people are eligible for housing assistance but can't get beyond long waiting lists. If you are elected mayor, what will you do to alleviate this affordable housing shortage?

We must move beyond the notion that obtaining housing assistance is the equivalent of negotiating a downhill obstacle course. We are here to provide a service to our citizens. A consumer-friendly system for gaining access to our resources is key. The work of the various nonprofit housing counseling services is one step toward achieving this goal. However, these organizations need the full commitment of the Mayor's Of fice to further their efforts. The Williams Administration will ensure that this is the rule. Many citizens become frustrated by the demands of the obstacle course. We cannot allow this to happen, especially when resources and programs are available to help our citizens.

We will combine available financial and counseling resources with expanded community outreach efforts. Additionally, we will identify funding for expanding tax incentives for rehabilitating and constructing housing designed to serve the low and moderate-income population. Many citizens who spend upwards of 50% of their monthly income on rental housing could make the transition to home ownership. By doing that they will fare better economically because of the tax benefits associated with home ownership, while also building a better quality of life for themselves and their communities. Many families who have made this transition are already living in the new affordable housing developments built by nonprofit developers referenced in Question 1.

To those families who are either not prepared or choose not to own a home, the District government owes a commitment to provide decent and affordable housing through a customer- friendly process. Despite the fact that the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is currently under the control of the Federal Courts, as Mayor I will nonetheless work diligently with the Receiver to ensure that the process for our citizens does not deter program participation. It can be difficult enough for a person to seek assistance, whatever the reason. People should not face the additional burden of a demeaning and difficult process just to gain access to basic services and assistance. This will not be acceptable in my administration. Thus, an ongoing dialogue with DCHA will be an important part of my comprehensive improved housing initiative for the District.

6. This City is in the process of revitalizing the downtown area to attract and benefit middle and upper income residents. This has a negative impact on low income and homeless people, such as displacement and a lack of affordable housing. How do you plan to address these negative consequences?

We must develop alternatives to ensure that rampant displacement does not result from downtown revitalization through the development of higher-end housing. One approach would be to require downtown developers to commit to developing, by themselves or through partnerships with nonprofit or smaller developers, affordable housing in targeted neighborhoods throughout the District. This could be achieved through a variation of the current transferal of development rights or TDR requirement. This program requires developers to deliver so many units of housing as a percentage of a total downtown development project. Thus, downtown housing development could be achieved, but not at the expense of existing residents who potentially could be displaced by higher-end development projects in the downtown corridor. This is a "win-win" plan because the developer meets its objectives; new development opportunities are presented to the affordable-housing development community; and potentially displaced residents are made whole.

7. Would you consider requiring that all development projects on city owned sites or developments requiring substantial government assistance have a neighborhood community development corporation as a developer partner in order to enable CDCs to increase capability and be able to apply profits earned to development projects in their respective communities?

As is the case with a number of the existing community development corporations (CDCs) in the District, CDCs provide services extending beyond the development of housing. Clearly, with every extensive community development project, services must and do extend beyond building homes. In many cases, these same developers provide an abundance of services including day care, employment counseling and job search assistance, and ancillary services such as landscaping and maintenance. They have also assisted with local business development which, in turn, has helped spur new business creation. We would need to treat each project individually so that the comprehensive needs of each community are met. In some instances, the community-based entity could very well assume a significant partnership role in the physical development of the site. At other projects, the CDC's role might better enhance the overall project's development by providing the additional services described above.

Economic Development

8. How can you improve licensing requirements and renewal of it for restaurant managers?

As we all know, the licensing process in the District is broken. In a Williams administration, agency managers will be accountable to me for making sure that licensing programs are run fairly and efficiently. As Mayor, I will review the studies conducted to date, consult with the business community, and improve the process. We will set out a short, medium, and long-term plan to fix licensing problems and deliver results, as I did as Chief Financial Officer.

9. What, if any, plans do you have to ensure that DC’s neighborhoods receive a fair share of private and public investment dollars?

In the past, economic development planning in the city has been haphazard and overly focused on the downtown corridor. As Mayor, I will work closely with community groups and neighborhood associations to set out specific goals and timetables for achieving those goals, incorporating them into a city-wide economic development strategy that focuses our resources on specific neighborhood results.

10. If elected Mayor, what are your plans, if any, to restore the emergency assistance and other human service funds to the DC budget? Emergency assistance funds are used to pay for rent or mortgages and utilities to keep families in homes. Since 1995 when these funds were eliminated, one in every 200 families in the District has applied for shelter.

When I arrived in the District government to address the fiscal crisis, the accumulated deficit stood at close to $500 million. In order to reduce this deficit, I had to make difficult decisions. But now that we have generated a surplus due to improved tax collection and enforcement, we must begin to invest in our future. This means investing in human services to aid our children, seniors, low-income families, and other vulnerable people in our city. Housing and neighborhood stability are keys to quality of life. Our human services programs must reflect that fact.

11. How do you plan to address NIMBYism in the District in reference to low income housing and special needs housing?

Housing discrimination is illegal and will not be tolerated. While most people use governmental processes in good faith to address land use issues, there is a significant minority that abuse the process and use it to improperly slow or stop low and special needs housing development. I plan to address this issue by improving management and accountability in DCRA which administers many of our land use laws. Managers will be charged with ferreting out improper and unfair NIMBY challenges, and working to dispose of them quickly. Similarly, my appointments to the BZA, the Zoning Commission, and other public boards will be people who represent the broad interests of our community and are committed to fair and open housing opportunities for everyone.

12. What efforts would you make to assure an adequate stock of affordable housing for low-income residents and the special needs population (for example: the mentally ill, people in recovery, people with disabilities, the elderly and youth)?

Investing in quality special needs housing benefits all of us. It provides some of our most vulnerable populations with decent and reliable housing, while avoiding the need for expensive makeshift and emergency measures. It also helps stabilize at-risk groups so that we can better deliver social, medical, and educational services to them. To address these needs, I plan to work closely with the District's many community and national organizations dedicated to solving problems for special needs groups. A Williams administration will be committed to making sure government and private grant money is available and tapped for the construction and expansion of special needs housing. Equally important, and as mentioned in my response to Question 11, I plan intend to make sure that good projects are not stopped by discrimination, ignorance, and NIMByism.

13. What are your views on the elimination of the TAP (Tenant Assistance Program)? Do you propose any other forms of rental subsidies for low-income residents?

While we suffered through the worst of the District's financial crisis, brought on by neglect and mismanagement of our government, valued programs were unfortunately cut to balance the budget and work to regain full home rule. Now that the worst has passed, we can again begin to invest in programs that help our citizens and our communities. As I have said, our priorities should be to expand home ownership and affordable decent rental housing for low- income citizens. If housing is not affordable, then government programs must provide appropriate relief to make the housing affordable.

14. How do you plan to address the housing needs of large low-income families?

My Administration will address the housing needs of large low-income families in much the same way as those of other low-income citizens. We will seek to expand home ownership through existing government programs and cooperation with the private sector; we will streamline and restructure government agencies responsible for low income housing; and, through law and incentives, we will move developers to increase low income housing stock. Obviously, a certain proportion of private and government-owned low- and moderate-income housing units must be sized for large families.

15. Would you as a mayor be supportive of a referendum to set up a District of Columbia school tax to assist our schools with technology resources and improve the quality of education in the District? If schools are a priority, what reform issues are in place and is their a timeline and list of persons responsible to effectively carry out these tasks?

The answer for the public schools is not another tax. The public schools must be restructured so they are properly managed, and so money goes to students and programs that work for them, not needless administrative costs. In the District, too many children attend schools where teachers lack the tools they need to teach, where roofs leak and violence fills the halls. Through the Mayor's authority and responsibility to propose the District's budget, I will submit a comprehensive budget based on the following principles:

• Teachers must be equipped to teach. They must have textbooks, training, aides, supplies and administrative support to teach kids effectively. Adequate resources must go to support school-based management, rather than unnecessary overhead.
• School grounds must be safe. Police and security guards must be assigned to school grounds to ensure that classrooms, playgrounds, and surrounding neighborhoods are safe places for children.
• School buildings must be fully functional. In my administration, a multi-year capital improvement program will fund repairs to school buildings to make them places where children can focus on learning.

In addition, we must all work together — educators, parent s, community leaders and businesses — to provide safe places for our children to spend their time outside school hours, develop their skills in math, science, the arts and other subjects, and pursue enrichment opportunities that develop the social skills necessary to succeed.

16. Maryland and Virginia have both positioned their state universities as integral elements of their business and job creation efforts since 1980. Meanwhile, the District has slashed the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) budget by more than 50% since 1990. How do you propose to integrate UDC into similar public/private partnerships to generate business and job opportunities within the District? What will you do to help change the perception of UDC as an “expensive luxury” into a perception as an essential investment in the economic and social future of the District of Columbia?

A successful future for UDC is an important piece to rebuilding the city. And we can guarantee it in two ways. First, we must build upon the strengths of UDC. Second, we must overcome the problems and obstacles that have perennially plagued UDC.

Building on a Foundation of Strength

UDC has one thing that no other university in DC has. It is a land grant historically black public university. While this has in many ways contributed to an unfocused mission in the past, it can be a strength for UDC. First, it is a land grant institution serving the DC community. Secondly, it serves the African-American community and their specific interests. Third, it is a public institutions and often serves the populace that can least afford to attend an institution of higher education. These are noble purposes. UDC must focus its mission on meeting the specific needs of these populations.

Overcoming Present Challenges

The second step for UDC is to overcome the current challenges that it faces. The challenges are related, but distinct enough that they can be resolved separately. First, UDC must strengthen its core mission. Underutilized and redundant programs should and must be eliminated to free up precious resource dollars for programs in high demand. Furthermore, the University President and the Board of Trustees must work to create a new academic structure that not only meets the core mission of the university, but also ensures long-term fiscal stability.