Across Washington, D.C, many residents who live in public housing are facing unsafe living conditions while hundreds of government-owned apartments continue to sit vacant. Something meant to provide stability for low-income families has now become a symbol of neglect.

The D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) is the government agency in charge of maintaining public housing across the District. DCHA is being continuously criticized for the deteriorating living conditions and the growing number of empty units. After years of ignoring these problems with empty promises and new laws, residents say they are the ones paying the price for DCHA’s responsibilities.

Councilmember Brooke Pinto, a member of the D.C Council’s Committee on Housing, said the situation is unacceptable. “Public housing should be safe and accessible for District residents,” Pinto said.

The D.C Housing Authority manages upwards of 8,000 public housing units and more than 12,000 housing vouchers for low-income residents. Its stated mission is to provide “quality affordable housing to extremely low- and moderate-income households.” The agency serves some of the city’s most vulnerable populations.

Many tenants claim deteriorating conditions that make everyday life almost unbearable. D.C resident Joshua Moore, 25, who now lives in The Carrolton, describes his experiences with the building. “Almost every single day that I walk into my building, there is a horrendous smell. In my first building the property manager stole our rent and now in my new one its safety and health concerns.” He continued, “No matter where we go it seems D.C is going to have some type of housing problem.”

He continued, “There have been mice running through my apartment, and when I put in a maintenance request, there was no response. After a little over a month, they put down one blue thing, which did nothing, and put something under the door that doesn’t work if they’re chewing through walls,” said Moore.

Unfortunately, these problems have been ongoing. A 2022 federal inspection found that nearly half of the units DCHA inspected failed basic standards. Inspectors discovered rotting floors, malfunctioning smoke detectors, and other hazards that rendered the apartments unfit for habitation.

According to city data, more than 800 units are unoccupied and will remain “offline.” The waitlist for affordable housing has been frozen for years, leaving families unable to apply.

D.C. resident Timothy Rice, 27, said that, despite all the required conditions being met, he cannot secure housing. “ I can give them 2x times the rent in cash right now, and I have a good credit score, but I’m being left out to dry with no calls back.”

He continued, “I have a son that I would give anything for, and I can’t even live with him because they won’t give me a space. I’m living with my mother until I can find a place and take care of my son,” said Rice.

Vacant units have been a recurring theme in Council oversight hearings. Pinto stated that the numbers have improved slightly but are still too high. “In May of 2023, over 1,900 public housing units were vacant.”

She continued, “As of September of this year, over 800 units of public housing remain vacant and more oversight from the Council’s Committee on Housing is needed to ensure units can come online and families can move into these spaces.”

White recently held a Council hearing examining issues in voucher program. Advocates testified that families are waiting months for approvals. Unfortunately, landlords are refusing to accept vouchers despite legal requirements.

The D.C. Housing Authority has faced criticism for a lack of accountability through the years. In late 2022, HUD released an audit that found failures in financial management, leadership oversight, and property maintenance. It cited DCHA leadership for failing to ensure minimum living standards and misusing millions in federal funds.

Following the HUD audit, the D.C. Council created a Stabilization and Reform Board to oversee DCHA operations. The proper authority monitors spending, enforce maintenance deadlines, and intervene when the agency fails to meet standards.

Despite multiple attempts, DCHA declined to comment.

In response, the D.C. Council enacted the Housing Authority Accountability Emergency Amendment Act of 2022, which was co-sponsored by Councilmember Pinto. The law requires DCHA to file monthly reports detailing maintenance progress, vacancies, and housing placements.

Many issues raised during the 2022 audit remain unresolved. Residents continue to report delayed repairs and limited communication from property management. Councilmember Pinto said the Council will continue to push DCHA to take quicker, more transparent steps.

“Too many units remain vacant,” she said. “More oversight from the Council’s Committee on Housing is needed to ensure units can come online and families can move into these spaces.”

With D.C. facing some of the highest housing costs in the nation, the need for functional, affordable housing has never been greater. For now, many residents remain stuck, either in deteriorating apartments or on a waiting list that shows no end in sight.