Press Releases

Today, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) led Members of Congress representing the National Capital Region, including Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Don Beyer (D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), David Trone (D-MD), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), in writing to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge in support of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' (COG) application for Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) funding.

“On November 6, 2023, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) applied to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) funding,” wrote the Members. “The proposal also builds on COG’s regional housing initiative adopted in September 2019. Led by the local elected officials in our region, this initiative set ten-year production targets for the amount, location, and affordability level of the housing needed in the metropolitan Washington region.”

“The most challenging and persistent barrier to housing equity and opportunity in the metropolitan Washington region is the lack of affordable housing. Thus, PRO Housing funds will directly support implementation of the regional air housing plan, which has broad support from community residents most impacted by the lack of affordable and fair housing choice as well as governments and elected officials across the region,” the Members continued. “The local governments in this region are already making the types of changes necessary to allow for the increased production of affordable housing. PRO Housing funding will accelerate other proposed actions and leave a lasting impact.”

"Thank you for your consideration of COG's proposal to the PRO Housing program, which would contribute to transformative investments in housing policy reforms in the metropolitan Washington region," the Members concluded. "The members of the National Capital Region Congressional Delegation welcome further engagement on this crucial issue and hope for continued partnership with HUD."

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Fudge:

We appreciate your commitment to advancing housing opportunity and ensuring that all Americans have a safe and healthy home they can afford. As members of Congress representing the individuals living in the National Capital Region, we recognize the immense housing challenge affecting our region’s communities and request assistance in alleviating barriers to housing production.

On November 6, 2023, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) applied to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) funding. This regional application includes COG as the project manager and its partner local governments: the District of Columbia; and in Virginia, the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County; and in Maryland, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and the City of Gaithersburg.

COG’s application builds on a recently completed regional fair housing plan, the first in 25 years, and includes shared goals from that plan which advance the aims of the PRO Housing program. These goals include: increasing the amount of affordable housing, particularly in areas that have historically excluded it; preserving affordable housing and preventing displacement; and working across jurisdictions to identify opportunities for zoning alignment and reforms to increase the overall supply of housing.

The activities included in the COG application have been thoroughly vetted by a robust, multi-year community engagement planning process that informed the development of the regional fair housing plan. The most challenging and persistent barrier to housing equity and opportunity in the metropolitan Washington region is the lack of affordable housing. Thus, PRO Housing funds will directly support implementation of the regional fair housing plan, which has broad support from community residents most impacted by the lack of affordable and fair housing choice as well as governments and elected officials across the region.

The proposal also builds on COG’s regional housing initiative adopted in September 2019. Led by the local elected officials in our region, this initiative set ten-year production targets for the amount, location, and affordability level of the housing needed in the metropolitan The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge Page 2 Washington region. The local governments in this region are already making the types of changes necessary to allow for the increased production of affordable housing. PRO Housing funding will accelerate other proposed actions and leave a lasting impact.

Thank you for your consideration of COG's proposal to the PRO Housing program, which would contribute to transformative investments in housing policy reforms in the metropolitan Washington region. The members of the National Capital Region Congressional Delegation welcome further engagement on this crucial issue and hope for continued partnership with HUD.

Sincerely,