Washington is in a Housing Crisis. The Feds Need a Creative Solution
In this Washington Post opinion piece, Shalom Baranes proposes converting Washington, D.C.'s underutilized pre-World War II federal office buildings into affordable housing units. He notes that these buildings' narrow floor plans and operable windows make them suitable for residential adaptation, unlike postwar structures with deep, inoperable designs. Shalom suggests relocating federal agencies from these prewar buildings to postwar sites, then leasing the vacated spaces to developers committed to creating affordable housing. This strategy aims to address the city's housing crisis, revitalize downtown areas, and optimize federal real estate usage.
Shalom Baranes on Repurposing Federal Buildings for Residential Use
In this WBJ article, Shalom Baranes highlights a significant opportunity to address two seemingly unrelated issues in Washington, D.C.'s real estate sector. The first issue concerns the nature of federal building stock, which is largely comprised of pre-war buildings designed with narrow floor plates to maximize views and access to fresh air. These buildings are inefficient and costly to renovate for modern office use.
Simultaneously, the private real estate sector faces challenges in converting underutilized post-war office buildings with deep floor plates into residential spaces. The article explores the possibility of the government leasing its building stock to housing providers who would commit to renovating them for residential use. This strategy could alleviate the housing shortage, revitalize downtown, and preserve architectural gems.