• By Angela Dupont
• November 20, 2019

Planning for the Future of the Region’s Economy

The draft Federal Workplace Element talks about how federal workplaces are evolving, which poses many important implications for the future of communities and the region–specifically to development patterns and the regional economy. The federal government has long been the National Capital Region’s largest employer, property owner, and contributor to the region’s economic health. However, the region’s economy is rapidly diversifying, and tech companies like Amazon are propelling changes. Despite these changes federal facilities and installations remain important parts of their communities.

On September 13, as part of the 2019 American Planning Association’s National Capital Area Chapter Planning Conference, NCPC participated in a panel discussion to discuss the future of the region’s economy and how to continue to plan for growth and diversification. I moderated the session that included Jeannette Chapman from the Stephen S. Fuller Institute for Research on the Washington Region’s Economic Future at George Mason University; Paul DesJardin from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; Katie McConnell from Arlington Economic Development; and Peter Tatian from the Urban Institute.

The federal government remains a vital component in the region’s economy, and we had a great conversation about how the economy is responding to changes in the federal presence. As the government reassess its space needs and consolidates into more federally owned properties the region has to adapt. One example was the impact of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) in Crystal City and Arlington and Alexandria’s efforts to fill the empty office space, which resulted in the announcement that Amazon’s HQ2 would locate there.

The group agreed that planning for the future of the region’s economy requires coordination between multiple jurisdictions and a region-wide approach to address growth, diversification, and the imbalance between the location of jobs and housing. A reoccurring theme heard throughout the conference was how to address the region’s housing needs, including the importance of having enough affordable housing.

NCPC staff is currently addressing comments received during the Federal Workplace Element’s public comment period and is coordinating with federal and District agencies to refine the draft polices. We anticipate bringing the final element to the Commission for adoption in early 2020.