D.C. Faces a Private Investment Crisis, Not Just a Housing Shortage
As mayoral candidates compete on housing affordability platforms, DCBIA CEO Liz DeBarros warns in the Washington Business Journal that D.C.’s deeper problem is a private investment crisis. With regional job losses topping 100,000 and construction activity at a 15-year low in 2025, capital is already migrating to Virginia, Maryland, and the Carolinas.
“When the pencil doesn’t move, the capital does,” DeBarros writes. She argues that the next mayor must do more than set housing goals — they must restore D.C.’s reputation as a predictable, welcoming environment for development. That means eliminating regulatory barriers, ending frivolous appeals that kill financing for approved projects, and recognizing that landlords and tenants are economic partners, not adversaries.