• Proposed RFK Stadium Deal Promises Thousands of Affordable Housing Units

• City Council Passes Major Rental Reform to Address Housing Crisis

• Ruling by DC-Based Federal Judge Halts Mass Deportations of Immigrants with Protected “Parole” Status

• Delayed History Preservation Project Aims to Honor Black LGBTQ+ Historical Leaders

• Social Compact Podcast Available

• Free NASW Webinar on Federal Loan Forgiveness in 2025 Scheduled for Aug. 21

• NASW Opposes Trump Executive Order on Cruel Treatment of Unhoused People, Forced Institutionalization of the Mentally Ill

• NASW Action Alert: Call Congress to Support the Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act  

Affordable Housing: Details of the RFK Stadium are still being examined by DC housing advocates, but they have been reassured that a large percentage of the 6,000-plus planned new homes will include thousands of much-needed affordable residential units for DC residents who meet certain income requirements. The units will be constructed in phases with the aim of opening the first homes in 2030, alongside the opening of the stadium. Additional units will roll out annually between 2032 and 2040. Parks, open green space, eco-friendly construction materials, and watershed protections also are part of the $$3.65-billion deal. City Council members will vote a second and final time on the bill September 17.

Affordable Housing: DC City Council approved a revised version of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s transformative RENTAL Act July 29 in a 10-2 vote that tackles two major rental reform barriers to resolution of the District’s affordable housing crisis. Among the bill’s key provisions are an accelerated timeline for evictions of residents who continue to not pay rent and a reshaping of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act that may trigger more multifamily investment. Seventy percent of DC residents rent their homes, and rising monthly rates have been blamed for a growth in homelessness numbers and a spike in cost of living. Housing Committee Chair Robert White called the act critical to “stabilizing the rental market.”

Immigration: A U.S. District Judge in DC has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from conducting mass deportations of immigrants granted temporary status known as “parole” in a lawsuit brought by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the UndocuBlack Network, and CASA. Judge Jia Cobb scolded the Department of Homeland Security in her August 1 ruling, saying that it exceeded its authority by using “expedited removal” to avoid allowing immigrants on granted parole to receive a full court hearing first. The Trump administration recently halted the parole protection and permitted federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to arrest such immigrants who entered America within the last two years, primarily Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The department is appealing the decision.

LGBTQIA2S+: A Black LGBTQ+ History Preservation Project report to honor and uplift the contributions and experiences of Black LGBTQIA+ historical leaders has been rescheduled for completion in September, according to the Center for Black Equity and several other involved organizations. A website will launch soon for community members to submit stories to this “hub of all things in Black LGBTQ history.” The project emerged from a 2024 law that DC City Council approved in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, which said it is not only about history, but also justice and the dignity of being remembered and seen. In addition to the report, organizers say they will create exhibits, hold public forums, and conduct other promotional activities. 

Social Compact: Have questions about the progress of the Social Work Social Compact? As of June, 27 states have signed on to this license mobility agreement, and although DC does not yet have a compact, the chapter is working with some City Council members and other allies to potentially create a bill for consideration in the next legislative session. Listen to this related NASW podcast episode if you missed it earlier.

Federal Student Loan Policy: Register now for NASW’s FREE “Federal Loan Forgiveness in 2025: What Social Workers Need to Know” Thurs., Aug. 21, 6-7:30 p.m. You’ll hear from student loan experts at SAVI—an NASW partner--about the latest federal policies affecting student loan repayment and forgiveness. Topics covered include recent changes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, with a focus on how they apply to social workers. You’ll also get guidance on how to use free tools to lower payments and potentially reduce or eliminate student debt. Click here for free registration.

Affordable Housing/Mental Health: NASW strongly opposes President Trump’s executive order directing forcible removal of unhoused people from public spaces and institutionalization of people who are mentally ill. "NASW will continue to advocate for humane, just, and effective responses to the intersecting crises of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness,” said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, Ph.D., MBA, LCSW-C. Read our full statement.

Action Alert: Tell Congress to increase access to social work services in Medicare! The Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act (S. 1797/H.R. 3808) is much-needed legislation focused on enhancing access to clinical social worker (CSW) services for Medicare beneficiaries. Now introduced in both chambers of Congress, NASW members need to urge legislators to move it forward. Find details and add your voice here today.