The GW Hatchet, June 25, 2021, Mapping D.C. Neighborhoods
The District is composed of more than 100 neighborhoods, each home to its own unique cultural heritage and history.
The D.C. Office of Historic Preservation has designated more than 20 of D.C.’s neighborhoods as historic districts in an effort to prioritize the cultural identity of the District and support long-time residents and business owners found within its neighborhoods. But D.C. is experiencing some of the most intense gentrification in the country, according to a study released by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. Rising rent prices, the influx of residents from outside the District and the pandemic have forced many long-time residents to relocate, threatening the cultural identities of each neighborhood.
The Hatchet sat down with elected officials, community activists, business owners and long-time residents of neighborhoods throughout D.C. to provide their expertise on how each neighborhood enriches the District’s culture and the need to acknowledge and preserve the history of neighborhood identities.
