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Deputy Mayor Alpert outlines GrowDC FY2027 package: capital projects, targeted incentives and new federal-property fund
Summary
Deputy Mayor Nina Alpert presented the Mayor's FY2027 GrowDC proposal to the Committee on Human Services: approximately $297M in capital for selected projects, $40M operating for DEMPd, new workforce-housing and federal-property tax tools, and $7M for Vitality/Tech funds; council members pressed DEMPd on cuts, project timelines and program design.
Deputy Mayor Nina Alpert framed the Mayor's FY2027 GrowDC package as an effort to grow the economy, keep families and create a business environment that attracts investment. She said DEMPd's FY2027 operating request is roughly $39–40 million and the capital program is about $297 million. Key components she highlighted included a permanent, dedicated $6 million hotel-tax-backed allocation for the Washington, D.C. Economic Partnership; $7 million combined for the Vitality Fund and Tech Ecosystem Fund to support business attraction and incubators; $6.5 million for Great Streets and citywide grants; and $2 million for special events and activations.
Alpert also described new tools in the Budget Support Act. Beginning 10/01/2026, property tax and possessory interest taxes from former federal properties will flow into a federal-property tax fund intended for revitalization and may be used for long-term abatement eligibility for large former federal buildings. The administration proposed a workforce-housing opportunity abatement (a geographically-unlimited program focused on workforce affordability between 60% and 100% of area median income) intended to bridge financing gaps on projects that can deliver mixed-income units. Alpert said many FY27 operating reductions reflect the expiration of federal grant dollars and one-time council appropriations in FY26; she emphasized DEMPd's priority is preserving core programs while making targeted investments to ready projects for when private capital returns to the market.
Committee members tested specifics throughout a multi-hour Q&A: they asked about timing for the WHO abatement (officials said program set-up and market readiness drove an FY29 implementation projection for program awards), the treatment of inclusionary zoning in Metro and WMATA joint-development projects, re-programming of Capital One Arena capital amounts because the developer accelerated construction, supermarket incentive boundaries and criteria, and Office-to-Anything/HID technical edits. Alpert and agency staff answered with a mix of data (capital allotments and project lists) and commitments to return with requested follow-up materials and financial analyses.
