Testimony of Jean Stewart
Sierra Club District of Columbia Chapter
Oversight Hearing on the DC Housing Authority
Committee on Housing
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Chairman White, thank you for the opportunity to testify at this oversight hearing on the DC Housing Authority. My name is Jean Stewart, and I am a member of the Sierra Club District of Columbia Chapter. The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. The DC chapter has about 3,000 dues-paying members.
The DC Housing Authority (DCHA) is a key player for environmental justice in the District, since its public housing mandate is to provide healthy housing for DC citizens in the most need. Unfortunately, DCHA has had very serious lapses in carrying out this key mission for far too many years. Current Executive Director Brenda Donald is of course facing very large challenges in trying to rectify the poor management of this key agency, but according to last fall’s HUD review[1] of the state of public housing, little has apparently changed for the better. We still see existing public housing so unsafe and unhealthy that a large number of units are vacant due to their poor condition. It will require many years and large budget commitments to bring damaged and dangerous units up to code, completely renovate aging and obsolete units that cannot be upgraded, and build new units to replace those that cannot even be renovated.
Mr. Chairman, I see that you will recommend a budget addition of $500 million[2] to upgrade DC’s public housing. We are asking that these funds and other tools be used with four principles in mind:
- One-for-One Replacement: At a minimum, the same number of comparable units should be renovated or built to replace those that are removed from the current supply. Replacements should include sufficient numbers of family-sized units of three and four bedrooms.
- Build First: Renovation and building new units should be scheduled and completed in such a way that existing residents can remain in public housing rather than being forced to use housing vouchers. This is especially important since the voucher system is also broken, with waiting times of months and sometimes years. These two principles are key to preventing permanent displacement of large numbers of the city’s limited income Black residents.
- No Concentration: New public housing should not be built only in DC neighborhoods and wards where it has been concentrated in the past.
- All Electric: New and renovated public housing should be all electric and get their energy from clean and renewable sources.
With regard to the last principle, we feel that this is key to ensuring a healthy environment for all public housing residents. Methane gas is a serious health hazard, since burning it for heating and cooking releases toxic emissions, such as nitrogen oxides and particulates, resulting in indoor air pollution that may contribute to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and cardiovascular effects.[3] This past fall, the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) and the Sierra Club tested the indoor air quality of several kitchens in Potomac Gardens and when gas stoves were in use, every single one had levels of nitrogen dioxide above the EPA’s standards for healthy air. Additionally, current gas-powered HVAC systems in public housing overheat the units to the point that residents have to open windows, and often install window AC units, in the winter. Methane gas containing the carcinogen benzene also leaks from appliances that are not in use, and into the atmosphere, contributing to DC’s carbon footprint. For these reasons, we ask that DCHA ensure that all new and renovated buildings are powered by clean electricity with zero fossil fuels.
In addition, transitioning to fully electric buildings will, over time, be cost effective, as the rates for methane gas increase, and the cost of electric power from renewable sources continues to decline.
Thank you, Chairman White, Council Members, and staff for the opportunity to express the Sierra Club’s views at this very important oversight hearing.