The U Street Corridor: Past Glory, Present-Day Questions

February 20, 2026

Long-time U Street corridor resident Gregory Adams and other members of Black Neighbors of 1617 U Street are challenging development plans in their historically Black Northwest D.C. neighborhood, arguing that proposed upzoning and new construction threaten to worsen displacement and fail to guarantee truly affordable housing. The group successfully lobbied to modify a zoning proposal for land near Third District police headquarters, though the compromise resulted in fewer total and affordable units than originally planned. As the D.C. Office of Planning undertakes a comprehensive rewrite of the city's development plan through the DC 2050 process, community advocates are pushing for social housing programs and questioning "gentle density" proposals that would subdivide single-family homes without explicit affordability requirements.

Who is affected

Gregory Adams and other long-term Black residents of the U Street corridor who have lived there for over 40 years
Former residents who were economically forced to leave the neighborhood
Black Neighbors of 1617 U Street coalition members (Adams and seven other residents)
Black churches in the neighborhood
D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau
ANC 1B (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) Chair Miguel Trindade Deramo
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Francois Barrilleaux
Housing advocates and members of Save DC Public Land coalition
Karen Gaal, public safety director of the MPD Third District Citizens Advisory Council
Historian and journalist Briana Thomas
Black-owned businesses along U Street (only three remain: Ben's Chili Bowl, Lee's Flowers, and Industrial Bank)
New Black business owners who cannot afford to stay in the area
D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (Ward 4)
D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds (At large)
D.C. Councilmember Robert White (At large)

What action is being taken

The RFP (request for proposals) process is getting underway for the 1617 U Street development site
Adams and other members of Black Neighbors of 1617 U Street are pushing for what they deem affordable housing and advocating for a social housing program
The D.C. Office of Planning is working on DC 2050, the first full rewrite of the District's Comprehensive Plan in 25 years, in collaboration with elected officials, D.C. residents, and community organizations
Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, including ANC 1B, are participating in the DC 2050 process
Briana Thomas is conducting tours along U Street NW and collaborating with the National Association of Realtors to highlight the area's history
Adams is taking up the mantle for social housing advocacy

Why it matters

This situation highlights the ongoing tension between urban development, housing affordability, and the preservation of historically Black neighborhoods in D.C. The U Street corridor, once known as "Black Broadway" with over 300 thriving Black-owned businesses, now retains only three such establishments, representing dramatic cultural and demographic displacement. The controversy matters because it illustrates how development decisions can either exacerbate or mitigate gentrification and displacement of marginalized communities. Without guaranteed affordability requirements and meaningful community input, new housing development may accelerate rather than slow the economic forces pushing long-term Black residents out of their neighborhoods. The case also demonstrates structural challenges in urban planning processes, where community voices struggle to be heard and where zoning compromises can reduce rather than expand affordable housing options. As D.C. undertakes its first comprehensive plan rewrite in 25 years, these debates will shape housing access and neighborhood character across the city for decades to come.

What's next

The RFP process for the 1617 U Street development site will continue
The D.C. Office of Planning will continue developing DC 2050 with ongoing community engagement
More community engagement is planned regarding "gentle density" and other aspects of the Comprehensive Plan
Adams and Black Neighbors of 1617 U Street will continue advocating for social housing programs as development proceeds

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer