Housing segregation increases.
Draft of the New Metro Washington Regional Fair Housing Plan Finds Housing Segregation has Increased
An Executive Summary of the Regional Fair Housing Plan, the result of a partnership between the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and eight local jurisdictions, stated that: “Segregation is on the rise in our region,” reads an executive summary of the plan. “The ‘Dissimilarity Index’ measures segregation in housing. In other words, it shows how unevenly distributed two different groups are within a city or metropolitan area. The higher the index, the more separate the two groups are. We have high levels of segregation between Black and White residents. … But, for all groups, the Dissimilarity Index has risen since 2010.’”
The study also measured the Isolation Index - which measures the extent to which people live near others who are similar to them - and the Exposure Index - which measures whether people live near others who are from different racial and ethnic groups. All indicators revealed increasing levels of segregation. A representative commented “This divide has been long-standing,” she said. “That is not new. But it has intensified over time, rather than plateaued or stayed stable or decreased as it has in other places in the country.”
The 2023 Regional Fair Housing Plan is the first time in over 25 years that D.C. and surrounding communities have together made a shared housing strategy toward the same goals. In addition to the District, the other governments involved are Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Montgomery counties, and the cities of Alexandria and Gaithersburg.
The plan examines housing needs across economic, racial and ethnic breakdowns, as well as the housing needs of area residents with disabilities. It proposes seven regional goals, with local goals for each jurisdiction, as well as guidance on how the region can reach them.
The Plan is available for the public's review and comment until March 31st. View the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Fair Housing page here. Outreach flyers are available in the following languages:
Social media graphics promoting the public comment period of the plan are available via this file download.
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Source: Read the February 23, 2023 Washington Post article.
Read the January 31, 2023 Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's press release.
