Category: District of Columbia

Tips for testifying in support of an inclusive neighborhood

Tips for testifying in support of an inclusive neighborhood

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

This is your guide to testifying virtually at the DC Zoning Commission for:

Case No. 23-02: Chevy Chase Neighborhood Mixed Use Zones on April 29, 2024 at 4pm

How to sign up to testify:

In order to testify at the hearing, you MUST sign up to testify at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing date.

  • Sign up to testify virtually by April 28 at 4pm at https://dcoz.dc.gov/service/sign-testify 
  • To sign up you need to search for the hearing date — April 29, state that you are a “proponent” and swear to tell the truth. 
  • Submit written comments (if you haven’t already sent a letter) in advance of the hearing date. Send an email of your comments to zcsubmissions@dc.gov
  • Note: The hearing is 100% virtual. There is no in-person testimony. You can either call or appear on video for your testimony. 

What to expect when testifying

  • After signing up to testify, you will be sent a link from the D.C. Office of Zoning with the information to log in to view the hearing, and testify when your name is called. 
  • On April 29, the hearing will start at 4pm, but plan on 5pm to start with proponents’ testimony. At 4pm, the Zoning Commission will discuss preliminary matters, and hear a presentation from the DC Office of Planning. It’s possible that this case could require several public hearings and will not hear from all proponents at the first hearing date. 
  • Your testimony:
    • Prepare to speak for three minutes. 
    • State that you generally support what’s being proposed. If you want to make suggestions for how something can be better, be sure to always declare your overall support, and then say you have recommendations to make it even better. 
    • Always be polite and formal, and only speak for your allotted 3 minutes. 
    • It’s a formal proceeding but the commissioners are very respectful of all the people who make the effort to testify and they generally listen attentively to what you have to say and occasionally have a question for you.

View our full tips for testifying guide:

How-to-testify-for-Chevy-Chase-Rezoning_4.29.24Download

For more background information, check out our Chevy Chase Zoning Explainer.

Understanding the New Mixed-Use Zoning for Chevy Chase DC

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

These zoning changes fulfill the guidance of the Comprehensive Plan, Chevy Chase Small Area Plan, and the Housing Equity Report which call for increased affordable housing opportunities in Chevy Chase. Currently, Ward 3 has less than 1% of D.C.’s dedicated affordable housing. The zoning changes are also intended to support moderate density mixed use development that creates an active, pedestrian-oriented commercial corridor with a convenient mix of neighborhood serving shops and services. 

Testimony: Low Income Housing Tax Credits – bond cap crisis must be addressed

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

We should all be alarmed that little to no new rental housing projects are being financed as of August 2023 – for an indefinite period. In August, DHCD (not HFA) announced that the District hit the federal ceiling on private-activity bond issuance, known as the “bond cap” which effectively limits the allocation of 4% Low Income Tax Credits (LIHTC). This shocking announcement brought numerous shovel-ready affordable housing projects to a sudden, abrupt halt.

Testimony: Performance Oversight for the Department of Housing and Community Development and Housing Production Trust Fund (DC)

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

We wish to express our strong support for the HPTF, and urge the Council to remain committed to this essential tool for addressing our acute housing affordability challenges. Without it, we would be so much farther behind, leaving thousands of families without the homes they now enjoy. DC’s strong commitment to preserving and producing affordable housing is one of the leading efforts in the country. While our housing affordability challenges are severe, the HPTF provides irreplaceable capacity to address our needs. 

Testimony: NHP Elm Gardens Redevelopment (DC, Support)

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

We wish to express our strong support for Case No. 23-19. We are pleased to support this Planned Unit Development (PUD) to facilitate a tenant and non-profit-led redevelopment of an aging 36-unit rental apartment building into a new, 4-story 100% affordable, accessible 80-unit building. These units would include 36 replacement units and 44 new homes. The 44 new units would serve households earning 50% MFI or less. Eight units in the building would be reserved as permanent supportive housing to formerly unhoused people.

Testimony: Reducing parking requirements for affordable housing near transit (DC, Support with amendments)

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

We wish to express our support for Case No. 23-17 in two ways.
1) We support the recommended text amendment to reduce parking requirements for publicly assisted affordable dwelling units near transit, though we urge the commission to revise upward the threshold for relieving small projects of a parking requirement burden to 50 units rather than the 40 units proposed.
2) We ask the Zoning Commission to take a more significant step by eliminating parking requirements for affordable housing units, at least near transit.

Testimony: Support for bills voiding exclusionary covenants (B25-480, 482, 481)

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

We wish to express our support for B25-480, B25-482, and B25-481. We commend Councilmember Frumin and the other co-sponsors for bringing this legislation forward. This legislation advances the immediate goal of clearing obstacles to adding approximately 100 units of affordable housing for households earning 30-80 percent median family income to the Chevy Chase library site. Our affordable housing goals for the site is part of a shared statement with Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) and Ward3Vision. 

Testimony: Proposed rezoning of the U Street police/fire station sites (DC, Support)

Posted on by Ayesha Amsa

We want to again express our support for the proposed rezoning for the U Street police and fire station sites from MU-4 to MU-10. This proposal follows the land use designation change adopted in the 2021 Comprehensive Plan amendments and will make the site’s zoning consistent with the Future Land Use Map (FLUM).