City Cast DC logo
June 15, 2026

Why Plummeting Rents Could Kill DC’s Housing

City Cast DC

Why Plummeting Rents Could Kill DC’s Housing

00:00:00
View all City Cast DC episodes

DC is facing a double-barreled housing crisis where nothing is getting built. No one is building regular houses apartments because of the grim DMV economy. And no one is building subsidized “affordable” housing because epidemic rent nonpayment makes builders think they’ll never break even. In a city where housing is still super expensive, this adds up to a big problem. Emilia Calma is the author of a new report on this for the Brookings DMV Monitor and she’s here to explain. 


Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. 


Learn more about the sponsors of this June 15th episode:

Folger Shakespeare Library

DC Department of Behavioral Health

National Museum of the American Indian

Alliance Française Washington DC

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey DC

Get smart about D.C. with our news roundup and analysis.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
July 17

Historic Artifacts in Danger, Reckoning with the Viral Metro Photo, and Best World Cup Final Parties

We’re talking about the problems at the Lincoln Memorial undercroft, that viral July 4 photo of a woman on the Metro, and World Cup speci...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 16

D.C. Dates Under $15

Dating in D.C. can get expensive fast. But romance doesn't have to come with a $300 price tag, which yes that is how much some people are...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 15

D.C. Fights Over Whether to Allow Waymo

Waymos—the autonomous, self-driving ride-hailing vehicles—are already cruising around D.C. with one big catch: under current D.C. law, th...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 14

Inside the Controversy Tearing Apart A Prestigious D.C. Theater

Arena Stage is one of D.C.’s most prestigious theaters, but this month its biggest drama happened offstage: The theater’s artistic direct...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 13

Lonnie Bunch and the Smithsonian Take On Trump

A new Trump administration report says the Smithsonian institution is run by radicals who aren’t trustworthy. And while the report focuse...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 12

'Your City Could Be Better': Does DC Have a 'Perfect' Airport? — Presented by City Cast DC

There’s lots to love about DC, but being able to get in and out of it easily and cheaply can be an underrated metric of its livability. A...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 10

DC's Coming Wealth Tax Debate, a Controversial Makeover for Rock Creek Tennis, and Waymo's Shady Robo-Caller

We’re talking about new taxes for D.C. residents, the politics of our fountains, and whether Rock Creek Tennis Center is going to be the...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 9

What Does It Take To Make Our City Safer?

What does it take to make a dangerous street safer? That's what we're talking about today with Dan Reed. Dan is a transportation planner...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 8

The Antidote to Your Humdrum Metro Rides

Have you ever sat on the Metro and wished it could transport you anywhere you dreamed? In her new novel Retro, D.C. author Jessica Goldst...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
July 7

Trump’s Fourth of July, Reflecting Pool Charges, and an Historic Hotel Demolished

City Cast’s Emma Uber and contributor Marc Fisher are here to talk about the Fourth of July weekend in retrospect, the latest on the Refl...

City Cast DC podcast episode art