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Sierra Club urges council to require all‑electric affordable housing; opposes repeal of Greener Government Buildings Act
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Summary
The DC Sierra Club told the Committee on Housing that affordable housing financed with public dollars must be all‑electric to meet the city's climate goals; it also urged the council to resist mayoral proposals it said would roll back the Greener Government Buildings Act.
At the Committee on Housing budget oversight hearing on June 9, climate advocates urged the committee to ensure District‑funded affordable housing contributes to the city's climate goals.
Jean Stewart of the DC Sierra Club testified that many affordable units are in older, gas‑heated buildings that need weatherization and structural upgrades. The group urged DCHD to fund electrification, weatherization and building retrofits that reduce utility costs and health risks for low‑income tenants. Stewart said the mayor’s proposed budget included proposals that would “essentially repeal the Greener Government Buildings Act (GGBA)” and urged the council to maintain the GGBA standards for publicly financed housing and for district government buildings.
The Sierra Club also asked the committee to ensure that Housing Production Trust Fund dollars supporting new construction require all‑electric design and to work with the Councilmember leading climate work to block any rollback of District rules that the Sierra Club said would lock the city into fossil fuel infrastructure.
Ending: The committee requested follow‑up from DHCD on how the department plans to integrate electrification and energy‑efficiency budgeting into HPTF‑funded projects and whether design standards for publicly financed affordable housing will be strengthened in FY26.
