From: Luxury Density Begets Luxury Density Begets ? <densitybegetsdensity@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 31, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Subject: Act to Win on RFK Deal — There are votes to still get! Fwd: <RFK Press Alert> DC Residents Call for Social Housing at RFK and Binding Terms for Ward 7 — Council May Vote Tomorrow
Please take a moment to call and write to:
- Matt Frumin — mfrumin@dccouncil.gov (202) 724-8062
- Robert White — rwhite@dccouncil.gov (202)-724-8174
- Zachary Parker — zparker@dccouncil.gov (202) 724-8028
- Charles Allen — callen@dccouncil.gov (202)724-8072
- Janeese Lewis George jlewisgeorge@dccouncil.gov (202) 724-8052
From: Social Housing for All! <socialhousing@savedcpublicland.org>
Date: Thu, Jul 31, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Subject: <RFK Press Alert> DC Residents Call for Social Housing at RFK and Binding Terms for Ward 7 — Council May Vote Tomorrow
To: The1617project <the1617project@savedcpublicland.org>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2025
socialhousing@savedcpublicland.org
Bowser-Mendelson RFK Proposal “Same Old, Same Old Land Giveaways”
DC Residents Call for Social Housing at RFK site and Binding Terms for Ward 7
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the D.C. Council prepares for a first vote on the future of the RFK Stadium site, residents and advocates are sounding the alarm on the Bowser-Mendelson RFK proposal over what they call another massive public land giveaway, maybe the biggest yet—this time to a billionaire NFL owner.
Save DC Public Land has sent a letter to D.C. Councilmembers urging them to secure a Social Housing carve-out in the RFK proposal, warning that without strong protections, the public land and air rights could be privatized for several lifetimes with little benefit to District residents—particularly those in Ward 7.
Under the current proposal, 145 acres are able to be developed. Of that, 80 acres—including the stadium footprint—may be handed over to Commanders owner Josh Harris for just $1/year for up to 99 years, with minimal obligations.
The Bowser-Mendelson-backed deal allows the team to not construct housing until 2040, and even then, the Commanders face de minimis penalties for failure to deliver timely.
Residents are sounding the alarm:
“Social housing will temper the bigtime displacement we expect in the existing neighborhoods around RFK because municipally-owned housing is known to drive down and stabilize housing costs,” said Debby Hanrahan with Save DC Public Land. “What gun does the Council have to their heads to give away the store in a proposal like this without pushing for much more innovation and opportunity for real DC workers and families. It's the same old, same old land giveaways to a billionaire of all people.”
“I'm baffled by how little of the deal actually addresses the needs of Ward 7,” added Lora Nunn of Friends of Kingman Park and Heritage Island. “Without specifics outlined into a binding contract, Ward 7 will be likely left very little.”
The Washington Post Editorial Board has urged the Council to “Reject the Commanders stadium deal” for its immense public subsidy. Read the editorial
The D.C. Council may take a first vote on August 1, with a final vote anticipated in mid-September. https://lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings/
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