Creating and preserving affordable housing should be a top priority for Mayor Bowser and the DC Council, given the significant loss of low-and moderate-cost housing in the city. Investing in affordable housing will allow residents of all income levels to continue to...
Jenny Reed
Recent posts by Jenny Reed
Helping DC Students Facing Health and Nutrition Challenges
by Jenny Reed
Low-income children are more likely to come to school hungry or to suffer from a serious illness that impacts their ability to learn. Improving school health and nutrition services reduces missed school days and helps ensure students some to school ready to learn,...
Get Out and Vote!
by Jenny Reed
Today is Election Day! DCFPI encourages all DC residents to vote today. Don't forget, in DC you can register to vote at the polls on Election Day!* Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Helping DC Students Facing Mental Health Challenges
by Jenny Reed
Living in poverty can create tremendous pressure on families, which affects their children and makes it harder for them to go to school ready to learn. In Sunday's Washington Post, DCFPI highlighted how addressing the impact of poverty on children is key to unlocking...
DC Council: Don’t Weaken a Bill That Will Develop Affordable Housing across DC
by Jenny Reed
The DC Council will take an important vote today to use DC-owned land to create affordable housing throughout the District'provided the Council doesn't approve amendments that weaken the bill. One of the possible amendments could potentially remove affordable housing...
Tackling Poverty Is Key to Improving Educational Outcomes in DC
by Jenny Reed
The District's approach to boosting student achievement needs to go beyond improving classroom instruction to also address the challenges that poor children bring with them to school. Low-income children are more likely than others to show up to school hungry or...
Poverty in DC Has Jumped Significantly Since 2007
by Jenny Reed
While the District's economy may appear to be strongly recovering from the recession, a look below the surface reveals a much more troubling trend: the number of people living in poverty has risen by more than 25 percent since 2007. The rise is driven largely by a...
New Census Data Reveals a Big Jump in Poverty Since 2007
by Jenny Reed
What appears to be a strong recovery in the District from the recession is masking a very troubling trend: a growing number of DC residents and families are living below the poverty line. The number of residents in poverty is now 25 percent higher than in 2007, before...
Welcome to DCFPI’s Fall Interns!
by Jenny Reed
I am excited to welcome Marco Guzman and Sean Reilly Wood to DCFPI as interns for the fall. Marco and Sean will be spending their time this fall analyzing unemployment, wage, and health disparities in DC, as well as getting to know the ins and outs of DC government. ...
DC’s Winter Plan: A Step Forward, But Much More Work to Be Done
by Jenny Reed
DC should expect an increase in family homelessness this winter, according to a plan passed this week by the city's Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH). That may not seem especially surprising, but it's actually very important. That's because last year's plan...
Back to Basics: Profiles of DC’s Key Health, Housing and Tax Assistance Programs
by Jenny Reed
Local taxpayer dollars support many important services that help DC residents with basics like healthcare, affordable housing and tax assistance. We at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute have used our summer to update easy-to-read summaries of the largest of these...
In the DC Metropolitan Region, Black Workers Are Being Hit Especially Hard
by Jenny Reed
Black residents in the Washington region have a much harder time finding a job than white residents 'even when they have a college degree. And the gap in earnings between white area residents and Black and Hispanic residents is growing. This suggests that...
Housing Insecurity in the DC Metro Region
by Jenny Reed
A new study released by the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region reveals startling figures on the level of housing insecurity in the DC metro region. The findings highlight both how critical affordable housing is to the region ' and how far we have to...
The DC Council Should Override Mayor Gray’s Veto on the FY 2015 Budget
by Jenny Reed
Mayor Gray vetoed the fiscal year 2015 Budget Support Act on Friday, in part over concerns about changes to income and property taxes for seniors. Yet it is important to note that the budget adopted by the DC Council expands DC's already substantial property tax...
Maximizing DC’s Public Lands for Affordable Housing
by Jenny Reed
A DC Council committee voted this week to bolster a novel tool to get more affordable housing throughout the city. The bill would require developers to include affordable housing any time they buy land from the city for residential development. We urge the full...
Making Sure the Minimum Wage Increase Reaches Workers’ Pockets
by Jenny Reed
Thanks to legislation championed by a coalition of low wage workers, advocates and allies that was passed by the DC Council at the end of last year, DC's minimum wage went up from $8.25 to $9.50 today. While this means that many minimum wage workers will see...
DC Council Takes Final Vote on Fiscal Year 2015 Budget
by Jenny Reed
As of this past Tuesday, the DC budget for fiscal year 2015 is done! (That's pending Mayoral and Congressional approval, of course.) During the Council's final budget vote, it reaffirmed its plan to extend the sales tax to more services, including health clubs, as...
DCFPI, the Federal City Council and DC Chamber of Commerce Send Letter to the Council Supporting the Expansion of the Sales Tax to Cover Health Clubs
by Jenny Reed
June 23, 2014 The Honorable Phil MendelsonChairman, Council of the District of ColumbiaThe John A. Wilson Building1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Room 504Washington, DC 20001 Dear Chairman Mendelson, On behalf of the Federal City Council, the DC Chamber of Commerce and...
Bursting the Bubble: Five Charts that Show the Challenges of Working and Living in the Washington Region
by Jenny Reed
From the outside, the Washington area economy appears to be doing very well. Unemployment is lower here than in the rest of the US and incomes are comfortable for many. But a closer look reveals that, in fact, most of the region's residents are struggling. Wages are...
5, 4, 3….It’s Time to Open the Door DC!
by Jenny Reed
The DC Council made important investments to help homeless families, individuals and youth in its budget vote on May 28. But the need is far greater. The DC Council can further its commitment to reducing homelessness by making targeted investments if additional...