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In DC’s single-family zones, the legacy of the Federal Housing Administration’s Jim Crow era endures | Greater Greater Washington

May 21, 2026
  • D.C. Policy Center

On May 19, 2026, Executive Director Yesim Sayin was quoted in Greater Greater Washington:

Here’s Yesim Sayin, the director of the DC Policy Center, in 2019 (emphasis added):

[D]oes the District need to change single-family zoning? Yes, if the city wants to become more affordable and inclusive. Data show us that income distribution in the city and racial composition of its neighborhoods closely follow single-family zoning… legislators should focus on reforming the entire zoning code—and especially zoning for single-family units[.]

Read more: In DC’s single-family zones, the legacy of the Federal Housing Administration’s Jim Crow era endures

Additional reading: Breaking the scarcity-subsidy cycle: A new housing vision for the District of Columbia

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D.C. Policy Center


Established in 2016, the D.C. Policy Center is a non-partisan research and policy organization committed to advancing policies for a strong and vibrant economy in the District of Columbia. Through rigorous research and collaboration, the D.C. Policy Center develops and tests policy ideas, disseminates its findings, and engages in constructive dialogue and debate.

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