D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray’s transition team is recommending a major overhaul of agencies that guide economic development in the District, including establishing an outside organization to take over the city’s major development projects. Economic development — which includes attracting marquee businesses, building housing and ensuring job growth — has been too muddled by changing political tides and an overly complicated licensing process that has hindered business growth, the transition report said.
| Development report highlights |
| Real estate: Create quasi-governmental entity that focuses on major projects |
| Regional economy: Make it easier to do business in D.C. by streamlining licensing and permit process |
| Housing: Focus on creating mixed-income neighborhoods in D.C.’s “most distressed communities,” make Wards 7 and 8 a priority |
| Labor: Create more jobs in the service industry, which has suffered greater unemployment than higher-skilled labor. |
Recommendations include establishing a “quasi-governmental” agency to oversee major development projects and reorganizing the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development office to focus on attracting and retaining businesses.
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