Repositioning Downtown Washington, D.C., for Housing, Growth and Investment

Major cities have been competing for residents, investment and talent by pairing bold planning with predictable rules, and the District of Columbia is no exception. Land use attorney Kyrus Freeman and Washington, D.C., Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert discuss how the District is working to revitalize downtown, expand housing production and use public-sector tools to attract residents, companies and investors. Ms. Albert points to D.C.'s goal of adding 15,000 downtown residents by 2028, Mayor Muriel Bowser's affordable housing investments and the Gallery Place Chinatown Task Force as examples of how targeted planning, coordinated agencies and focused regulatory reform can help transform downtown into a more active mixed-use center for housing, entertainment and economic growth.