WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of Planning (OP) launched DC 2050 on Monday, announcing the first rewrite of the District’s Comprehensive Plan since 2006.
The plan is a long-term roadmap for the District’s future, providing guidance on a range of city decisions, from housing and job locations to investments in transportation and public resources.
DC 2050 officials called it a “once-in-a generation opportunity to collectively imagine a future that reflects our values.”
“DC 2050 is our chance to lay out a vision for both current and future residents—one that ensures we have the affordable housing, good jobs, and world-class amenities needed to support a thriving city,” Bowser stated. “This plan will help us build on our successes, address challenges, and create a roadmap for a strong and dynamic DC – and we want residents to be involved in the process.”
The Comprehensive Plan was updated in 2021, but will now be entirely rewritten to identify the challenges and opportunities faced by the District – as well as how to meet them in the next two decades.
There has been an increase of 120,000 residents in the District since the last Comprehensive Plan in 2006. Officials said the population is expected to grow from 680,000 to 845,000 by 2050, adding about 235,000 jobs in that same time period.
“As the city grows, we must meet the increased demand for housing, transportation, civic facilities, and environmental conservation. DC 2050 will focus on policies that increase access to housing along with the essential services that make neighborhoods healthy, livable, and walkable,” OP officials wrote.
Not only is DC 2050 a plan to accommodate an increase in city residents and their needs, but it is also an opportunity to “strengthen the District’s long-held commitment to racial equity,” officials noted.
The median income for Black households in D.C. is less than half of the median income for white households. A total of 21% of Black residents also live in poverty, compared to 6% of white individuals.
DC 2050 intends to put D.C. on a path where race and ethnicity do not determine life outcomes.
D.C. residents are encouraged to visit DC2050.com to take a survey and participate in the following upcoming public meetings:
- Saturday, March 22, 11 a.m. at MLK Library (901 G Street NW)
- Tuesday, March 25, 6 p.m. at Barry Farm Recreation Center (1230 Sumner Road SE)
- Thursday, March 27, 6 p.m., Virtually
Timeline:
- September 2024 to December 2024: The OP identified conditions, trends and issues to inform community conversations and develop a racial equity framework that will guide DC 2050’s development.
- January 2025 to September 2026: The OP will ask residents to identify goals and priorities for the new Comprehensive Plan.
- October 2026 to June 2027: The OP will collect public input, refine DC 2050 and prepare the plan for review and approval by the DC Council.
- July 2027 to December 2027: The DC Council will consider approving DC 2050.
- From 2028 to 2050: Agencies in the District will work with federal and community partners to implement the policies and track progress on DC 2050.
