Percent of Households Burdened by Housing Costs

ACS 1-year estimates are based on data collected over one calendar year, offering more current information but with a higher margin of error. ACS 5-year estimates combine five years of data, providing more reliable information but less current. Both are based on probability samples. Some racial and ethnic categories are suppressed to avoid misleading estimates when the relative standard error exceeds 30%. Data Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 1- & 5-Year Estimates Why This Matters Housing is a basic necessity, and affordable housing is essential for individuals and families to live and thrive in DC. The rising cost of housing threatens residents’ access to safe and stable housing as well as their ability to cover other essential expenses like food, transportation, and childcare. Racial segregation, housing discrimination, and racist urban renewal programs, among other policies and practices, have meant that Black residents and residents of color in the District disproportionately experience the effects of rapidly rising housing costs. The District's Response Leading the nation in policies and investments for low-income rental households. Target of 12,000 new affordable housing units by 2025. Steps taken to preserve and expand affordable housing include the Housing Production Trust Fund, the Affordable Housing Preservation Fund, and the Home Purchasing Assistance Program, among others.