Southwest rent prices are high, resident concerns are higher

Southwest residents are voicing concerns about the availability of affordable housing amid the rising rent prices of the Waterfront neighborhood.

Rent prices in Southwest have increased by 32% in the last three years, causing a greater demand for affordable housing. Some groups, like the Riverside Baptist Church and the Westminster Presbyterian Church, have addressed the demand, but residents still say that the D.C. Housing Authority should play its part.

The redevelopment of the Greenleaf Gardens public housing complex also is a factor in residents’ concern about the operability of public housing in Southwest.

Rising costs

The Southwest Waterfront neighborhood’s fair market rent has increased 32% median between the 2022 and 2026 fiscal years, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The median fair market rent prices for apartments ranging from efficiencies to four bedrooms have increased from $1,980 in 2022 to $2,620 in 2026.

Resident concerns

Melvin Ellis, a former Southwest resident, previously lived in The Tides apartment building under the Inclusionary Zoning Affordable Housing Program.

Ellis said he didn’t mind the program, saying that it wasn’t “too bad.”

However, Ellis said the “disparity in investment” in complexes across the Waterfront neighborhood is troubling to him.

“It really took me aback,” Ellis said. “Knowing that the Wharf got so much investment, and like not even a couple blocks over where those littler like projects (Greenleaf Gardens) are, there’s such a lack of investment, it’s crazy.”

Ellis said that while the Inclusionary Zoning Affordable Housing program is necessary for residents who can’t afford high fair market rent prices, the D.C. Housing Authority should address the lack of emergency housing.

He said the program’s lottery system prioritizes those who apply first. Leaving those who may not receive housing “sitting on a waiting list.”

“I think the city is in need of more immediate housing resources because of what’s happening in D.C., how people are kind of being priced out of the area,” Ellis said. “Like, this is their homeland.”

Ellis said the lottery system is “like a catch-22,” where people who need affordable housing the most will likely be overlooked for the benefit of those who applied to housing earlier.

Ronee Washington, a Southwest resident, said that access to affordable housing has a good impact on her quality of life.

She said that she was able to move into the recently constructed MDXL Flats in 2024 and feels “wonderful” about living in affordable housing.

Washington said affordable housing has eased her ability to manage finances and find housing.

However, Washington said that D.C. Housing Authority can make an extra effort to provide further affordable leasing opportunities for single residents.

“I feel like D.C. needs more affordable housing down in Southwest, or anywhere,” Washington said. “Market price is over $3,000. I feel like D.C. needs more opportunities for people, especially the ones who don’t have kids.”

Church renovations

Westminster Presbyterian Church and Riverside Baptist Church have tried to address concerns around public housing by including the development of affordable units within the churches’ recent reconstruction plans.

Elder George Kerr of the Westminster Presbyterian Church said that the church is still developing a plan to construct 225 affordable housing units on its property.

“Since COVID, we haven’t been able to get the funding. But were still, were still going to make it happen,” Kerr said. “It’s just going to take us a little longer than we like.”

In the meantime, Westminster Presbyterian church has focused on building relationships within the Waterfront community.

Kerr said that the church has fostered a “great connection” with the residents of Greenleaf Gardens, James Creek, and Syphax Gardens public housing complexes.

This project would mirror the Riverside Baptist Church Redevelopment.

Riverside Baptist Church partnered with PN Hoffman in 2017 to develop a mixed-use building that would be attached to the church.

The redevelopment project included the development of The Banks apartment complex, first-story retail space, and a downsized Riverside Baptist Church.

Construction of the Banks apartment complex was completed in 2019, offering a total of 173 units. Of those, 21 units are affordable housing residences, as mandated under the Inclusive Zoning Affordable Housing Program.

The Inclusionary Zoning Affordable Housing Program, available since 2010, requires new residential developments, like apartments and townhouses, to include affordable units.

Greenleaf Gardens

Greenleaf Gardens, one of the largest public housing complexes in Southwest, was planned for rehabilitation after residents voiced concerns with the safety of the dated buildings.

D.C. Housing Authority changed the process to a redevelopment project after saying that the cost of rehabilitation exceeded the cost of replacement.

Planning for reconstruction originally began in 2017; however, DCHA announced in a 2024 ANC meeting that some units started undergoing redevelopment.

Successful calls from community organizations such as Empower DC and Westminster Presbyterian Church have influenced the DCHA to avoid resident displacement during redevelopment.

The D.C. Housing Authority declined requests to comment.