Apr 18, 2025, 10:40
by
Hannah Jane Costilow
Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of public policy issues and headlines from around the Northern Virginia Region, the Commonwealth, and Capitol Hill.
by Danielle Finley, Associate Director of Political Engagement
Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines. In this Issue: 1. Powell says Fed remains in wait-and-see mode; markets processing policy shifts 2. HUD and GSA announce collaborative effort to identify new headquarters for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 3. Northern Va. ‘trophy’ offices will likely stay valuable in turbulent times, analysis finds 4. After a Year, Accessory Dwellings Get a Final OK 5. 'Homes Not Stadiums' pushes back on RFK stadium plan with affordable housing campaign.
By Howard Schneider and Ann Saphir, Reuters
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday the Fed would wait for more data on the economy's direction before changing interest rates but cautioned that President Donald Trump's tariff policies risked pushing inflation and employment further from the central bank's goals.
By U.S. General Services Administration
Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the addition of HUD headquarters to the accelerated disposition list in order to engage the market and explore HUD’s relocation options. Currently, HUD is located in the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building near L’Enfant Plaza in Washington DC HUD headquarters’ addition to the accelerated disposition list will allow the GSA to more effectively right size the federal real estate portfolio to reduce the burden on the American taxpayer while also delivering space that enables HUD to achieve its mission.
By Scott McCaffery, ARLnow
Though federal workforce reductions will likely cause fluctuations in office space this year, Northern Virginia’s most sought-after properties are expected to remain valuable. A new data analysis from Savills US notes some “encouraging signs of recovery” in the first quarter of this year but anticipates a bumpy ride for the region’s commercial properties as shakeups at the federal level play out.
By Nicholas F. Benton, Falls Church News-Press
After almost a year of town halls, public comments, surveys, petitions and governmental agency deliberations, recommendations and votes, the Falls Church City Council came together this Monday for a surprising unanimous vote adopting an ordinance permitting the construction of accessory dwelling units on residential properties.
A group called "Homes Not Stadiums" is pushing back against the construction of an NFL stadium at RFK – saying they want D.C. voters to weigh in on what should happen at the defunct site.