Washington DC

The growing demand for housing in Washington D.C. has made it difficult for low- and moderate-income households to afford to live in the district. Specifically, more than 70,600 renter households in 2019 were burdened by housing costs, meaning they spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing. To... Read more

COVID-19 has greatly disrupted the regional economy in Washington D.C., leaving thousands of residents unemployed and forcing many businesses to close or dramatically shift their operations. About 150,000 people have lost jobs in the hard-hit hospitality and leisure industries, creating a critical need for residents to be retrained for jobs... Read more

Washington D.C. is working to increase the availability of affordable housing for its residents, with more than one-third of all households in the district spending more than 30 percent of their income on monthly housing payments and utilities. To help ensure equitable housing options for residents, district officials have prioritized... Read more

Washington DC’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) helps reduce violence and improve public safety by fostering community-based programs. In support of its mission, ONSE has been working to develop a Safer, Stronger Cities pilot program. This city network will use nonviolent interventions and strong government-community relations to help... Read more

In Washington DC, one in eight adults is justice-involved, and many need access to behavioral health services. To reduce recidivism, the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is working to provide a stronger continuum of services for justice-involved individuals, from pre-arrest through post-incarceration. To this end, DBH developed a Forensic Services... Read more

Leaders in Washington DC want to make local government more responsive to the needs of residents. To support this goal, the district enlisted FUSE executive fellow Hua Wang to help bolster accessibility, ease of use, and digital capabilities associated with the provision of public services.   To determine how to prioritize... Read more

Washington DC has a real-estate portfolio worth more than $11 billion, making it the second largest real-estate owner in the district. The Department of General Services (DGS) oversees the district’s land assets and ensures that publicly owned properties are used for maximum community benefit. To work toward this mission, DGS... Read more

FUSE Executive Fellow Lisa Gans focused on changing the strategic approach of the Washington D.C. Promise Neighborhoods Initiative (DCPNI), a local coalition providing youth development support to ensure that children in the Parkside/Kenilworth neighborhood reach adulthood ready to participate in the economic and civic life of their community. During her... Read more

Paul worked with the senior leadership team at America's Promise Alliance to define, engage, and mobilize a national network of business and education leaders to improve all phases of children's lives from birth through high school. His research surfaced that more than 400 local and statewide organizations exist to link... Read more

Thousands of Washington D.C. residents come to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) for help with building permits, inspections, and business licenses. DCRA partnered with FUSE executive fellow Jon Quimby to improve the customer experience of residents. Jon focused on the housing inspection process, working with employees at... Read more

To help small business owners, especially those that are struggling, maintain, rebuild, or grow their businesses, the District of Columbia Business Capital Program (DC BizCap) was established by The Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB). FUSE executive fellow Flavian Marwa worked with DISB to assess current programs, optimize the... Read more

FUSE Executive Fellow Dan Correa was based at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he worked closely with senior officials, agency partners, and in collaboration with leaders from industry and the philanthropic sector on a number of issues related to innovation and entrepreneurship in science and... Read more