How Social Housing can Work in DC

Andria Chatmon, a community organizer from Empower DC, and East Peterson-Trujillo, campaign director at the Green New Deal for DC, discuss strategies to address DC's affordable housing crisis. We discuss the severe underfunding of DC's affordable housing programs and the need for a new approach. Despite the creation of new housing units, the specific goal for affordable housing has not been met. Social housing may be the alternative solution that includes mixed-income government-owned properties with a focus on environmental sustainability and tenant empowerment. Also discussed was successful models like the The Laureate in Montgomery County, MD. The challenges and benefits of public-private partnerships in housing, the necessity of tenant involvement in management, and the legal obstructions faced in DC are also examined. The conversation ends on a personal note, discussing the speakers' backgrounds, motivations, and the impact of the new federal administration on their work.

Andria Chatmon is a Community Organizer at Empower DC, a grassroots organization committed to building the organized political power of black, brown, and low-income District residents to fight displacement and expand affordable housing in the District.

​East Peterson-Trujillo is a climate justice advocate and campaign strategist dedicated to advancing environmental equity and sustainable transportation. They currently serve as the Campaign Director for the Green New Deal for DC (GND4DC), a coalition focused on racial justice, climate resilience, and economic equity in Washington, D.C.

As discussed on the Podcast links:

D.C. meets goal to add 36,000 housing units ahead of schedule

Empower DC Social Housing Info Session and Talk Back