FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, April 18, 2021
CONTACT: Parisa Norouzi, Empower DC (202) 553-9326 cell
Racial Equity Briefing on the Draft Comp Plan
Monday, April 19th – Noon-1PM
Held online – register at: www.tinyurl.com/
Grassroots Leaders Give Briefing on Comprehensive Plan, Call out Racial Equity Failures
The DC Grassroots Planning Coalition will hold a virtual press conference on Monday, April 19 at Noon to share its analysis of the Comprehensive Plan ‘staff draft’ released by Chairman Phil Mendelson last Wednesday evening. (The draft can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/
Led by Empower DC, the citywide coalition has engaged over 1,200 residents from all Wards in advocacy to strengthen the Comprehensive Plan over the past 4 years. That advocacy has centered on measures needed to stop the displacement of Black and brown DC residents, require the building of low-income housing, and promote community-led equitable development.
Coalition leaders will discuss whether or not the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan will advance the following goals:
- stop the displacement of Black and brown residents, over 40,0000 of whom were displaced between 2000-2010 alone
- increase the development of housing that is affordable to low income residents (30% AMI and below)
- utilize non-market based strategies to achieve affordable housing goals
- create opportunities for resident-led equitable development
Starting with the Mayor’s proposed changes to the over 1,000-page document, the Comp Plan has been vigorously debated in marathon Council hearings and with councilmembers. The draft comes up for Council markup on Tuesday, April 20, and an expected first reading Tuesday, May 4. The Comprehensive Plan guides the city's development and sets policies that must be followed by the Zoning Commission when it approves development projects. The DC Grassroots Planning Coalition released its Housing Justice Amendments last month, endorsed by over 35 organizations, providing specific suggestions for how the Comp Plan can be strengthened to further racial equity.
Register for the Coalition’s online briefing this Monday, April 19 at noon by going to www.tinyurl.com/
Parisa B. Norouzi
Executive Director
Empower DC
(202) 234-9119 x 100
@EmpowerDC III www.EmpowerDC.org
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