Southwest DC’s inequality and gentrification are a major topic of discussion for our newspaper. Gentrification attracts wealthy people, so prices increase, restaurants target affluent newcomers, and the area becomes unaffordable for many residents who have lived here for a long time. Not only that, a large group of families that are currently able to sustain their Southwest live are not be able to once their family expands and bigger housing is required. My wife and I moved out of Southwest DC a few weeks ago since we cannot afford a house here in DC. We are both very fortunate to have good jobs, but the cost of living is simply too high if you want to reside somewhere that is not a studio or 1-bedroom apartment. We barely know anyone personally that can buy or rent a house in Southwest DC.

Based on my household income and the number of people in my household, the Pew Research Center classifies my wife and I in the upper income tier. That indicates that Southwest is slowly becoming an exclusive neighborhood that is inaccessible to people with incomes less than the top tier of the upper class. These ever-increasing disparities between the super wealthy and the rest of us can be attributed to a market-led “liberalization of society”. Liberalization for the rich that is, less freedom for all other earthlings. Tackling increased inequality and gentrification should be a top priority for the DC city council. Of course, I understand that it is a complex task because of all the different forces at work in DC. That said, adhering to the Fair Housing Act and the DC Comprehensive Plan should be low hanging fruit.

Numerous affordability and equality safeguards are currently in place but not enforced or adhered to. Affordable homes are scarce in Southwest and it is threatening a true liberalization of society. We all agree that financial freedom equals freedom. It is important for the city to work hard to ensure that people can afford to live here. If they don’t, and this process escalates even further, DC will become a city for the super-rich.