cirrus42 t1_isyj4gb wrote on October 19, 2022 at 5:10 PM

> more than one in four of D.C.’s roughly 8,000 public housing units that sit vacant, at an average length of about two years

So 2,000 empty units, temporarily.

That's a drop in the bucket compared to demand. We could put tons and tons of resources into getting those 2,000 units filled a few months faster, at great expense, and it would make no discernible difference to the overall issue.

Maybe we should do that. It would help 2,000 people. Fine. But don't pretend like this is an argument against the massive need for more housing units in the region. All of these unfilled units put together add up to like 1% of the need.

shamaniacal t1_isyoqk4 wrote on October 19, 2022 at 5:46 PM

Genuinely asking. Who is saying this is an argument against the need for more housing?

cirrus42 t1_isz38v8 wrote on October 19, 2022 at 7:19 PM

There's loud opposition to new housing everywhere, and a common talking points among housing opponents are that there are lots of empty units. I don't have examples of people citing this article because it's new, but anticipate that it will happen, and am pre-emptively saying it will be BS if/when it does.

Carldon60 t1_it0u4k5 wrote on October 20, 2022 at 2:43 AM

I mean, speaking as class C multifamily AM, it really wouldn't take that much investment to fix this issue. If they cut the bullshit they'd probably fill these units for cheaper than what they're currently paying to "vet" the applicants.