Committees, DC Agency Working Groups, and Community Services Corporation
DCBIA committees and agency work groups are where DCBIA thought-leaders are built and industry information is shared. These groups advance solutions-based proposals and ensure DCBIA's agile and responsive approach to market conditions and member needs. Included in all DCBIA groups is a sharp focus on communities of color, on young and emerging real estate development leaders, and on issues impacting the environment, energy and sustainability.
Active DCBIA members can participate in any committee. * Sign up using the email link in each section.*
DCBIA COMMITTEES
1. Capital Markets - The Capital Markets Committee develops roundtable discussions on the current and future capital markets. The Committee also evaluates financial trends and project financing and organizes and hosts a CEO forum yearly. Co-chaired by Alissa Curry-Briggs, Executive Director of Commercial Real Estate FVC Bank and Shawn Weingast, General Counsel/Director of Capital Markets, Acumen Cos .
2. Commercial, Office, and Retail - The COR Committee studies local, national, and international retail trends and monitors and promotes commercial, office and retail leasing in the DC area (formerly Retail Business Development). The Committee also organizes presentations by real estate leaders and hosts walking tours of new spaces. Co-chaired by Derek Ford, Senior Vice President of Neighborhood Development, Washington DC Economic Partnership and Curvin Leatham of Area Probe.
3. Construction & Development - The C&D Committee (formerly Commercial Construction) holds roundtable discussions on commercial construction and development and evaluates trends and federal/local legislative regulatory proposals. Co-chaired by Baboucarr Cham of Coakley & Williams and David Blake of Seyfarth Shaw.
4. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
DCBIA acknowledges that past real estate and land use decisions have contributed to racial inequality. DCBIA is therefore committed to speaking out against racial inequality and diminishing the gap in the lack of diverse representation and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry. In furtherance of this objective, we believe it is imperative to maintain a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee with the purpose of educating DCBIA members and the general public about diversity issues, identifying real estate industry best practices for fostering DEI within organizations and within the commercial real estate industry more broadly, mentoring diverse members of the commercial real estate community and collaborating with other industry organizations to promote DEI objectives. Co-chaired by
Meredith Barnett of MidCity and
Kristin Niver of Thompson Coburn, LLP.
5. Housing - The Housing Committee focuses on creating solutions-based proposals to improve housing in the District of Columbia, including housing production, management, financing, and regulation. Co-Chaired by: Dave Yampolsky of Community Three & Charles Warren, Principal Teass\Warren Architects.
6. Membership Committee - The Membership Committee works to recruit and retain DCBIA membership. Its primary goal is to serve as a welcoming arm and soundboard to learn more about how DCBIA can ensure agile service delivery to members in these rapidly changing times. The Committee promotes new member participation, increases DCBIA membership, and promotes overall value. Co-chaired by
Benjamin Wilson, Greysteel & Natasha "Tasha" Stancill, Neoscape.
The Membership Committee seeks to recruit two
more members to join its dynamic team.
7. Public Policy & Regulation - The Committee monitors legislation that impacts DC real estate development and provides written and oral testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia on behalf of DCBIA. The Committee also develops strategies on industry issues, including regulations, taxes, and impositions. Co-chaired by Janene Jackson, Partner, Holland & Knight and Jeff Utz, Director, Goulston & Storrs. (*Participation in this Committee requires approval from DCBIA President).
8. Young Leaders - The Young Leaders Committee focuses on professional development for leaders in real estate development, including networking, educational programs, development tours and community service opportunities. Young leaders under 35 who work for member companies are automatically eligible to join the committee with no additional cost. The Committee has a mission statement:
DCBIA Young Leaders Committee is a multiple disciplinary group of emerging leaders that researches, networks, and gives back to the community to impact the Washington, DC residential and commercial real estate development industry through organizing events, fostering collaboration, and encouraging volunteerism. Co-chaired by
Bradley Lockhart, Development Manager, Urban Atlantic and Sara Link, P.E., Project Manager, Bohler DC.
DCBIA COMMUNITY SERVICES CORPORATION
DCBIA Community Services Corporation (CSC). The DCBIA CSC, formed in 1997, is a separate 501(c)(3) organization that serves as an educational and charitable organization that fosters a commitment to community service and volunteerism among members of the Washington, D.C. real estate development business community. The Corporation's President is
Rob Kurucza of HITT Construction.
View the 2024 Community Services Corporation Board of Directors.
Since 1998, DCBIA hosts a "Community Improvement Day" to renovate a DC community recreation center or park each fall. Preceded by months of design and community engagement meetings, teams of DCBIA members gather on different zones across the site to finalize design plans and significantly improve a deserving DC community asset.
Due to the public health emergency, DCBIA was not able to return to Oxon Run Park in 2020. However, we are planning for both big and small ways to give back to the community during this difficult time in 2021.
Also in 2021, DCBIA has partnered with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington "network with a purpose, safely." In spring and summer, DCBIA connected designers, general contractors and other DCBIA volunteers to design and build up to 8 streateries for DC restaurants in need of the support during this exceptionally uncertain and difficult time. We are grateful to be able to work together to find relief, to begin to recover, and to focus on our collective efforts on a brighter future for all DC neighborhoods!
Join the Community Services Committee
WORKING GROUPS
1. DC Agency Working Groups - The DCBIA Agency Working Groups work closely with DC Government Agency Leadership to develop solutions to concerns of the development industry, including educational sessions and input into regulations.
If you would like to know more about topics covered in these groups, contact Liz DeBarros.
- Department of Buildings
- Department of Energy & Environment
- Department of Small, Local Business Development
- Department of General Services
- DC Water
- District Department of Transportation
- Department of Housing & Community Development
- Office of Planning
- Office of the Attorney General (new)
- Office of the Chief Financial Officer
2. DCBIA / OP Comprehensive Plan Amendment Working Group - This ad-hoc committee formed in response to the opportunity to provide public comment to the District's Comprehensive Plan process. This group has prepared and submitted proposed amendments to DC's Office of Planning Comprehensive Plan amendment process on June 23, 2017. The Comp Plan Framework legislation, the critical introductory chapter of the District's Comp Plan, was sent to Council for action twice, the latest was in January 2019. DCBIA supported the Framework Element.
In May 2019, OP released the city's Comp Plan Values after hearing from DC residents and launched a webpage - DC2Me. The DC Council held its first vote on the Framework legislation on July 9, 2019. A second vote is expected on September 17. Many amendments were accepted and DCBIA will continue to work with the Council and OP to ensure the Framework is equitable, predictable, flexible where needed to achieve city wide and neighborhood goals.
OP published the subsequent chapters in October 2019.
DCBIA continued to participate in the city's process led by Jeff Utz, Director, Goulston & Storrs and has organized an executive committee to review the Chapters:
Shane Dettman, Director of Planning Services at Holland & Knight;
Stephanie Liotta-Atkinson, Executive Vice President of Mid City;
Feras Qumseya, Director of Development, Foulger-Pratt, and
Stephan Rodiger, Senior Vice President of Redbrick LMD. A team of developers, attorneys, engineers and other real estate professionals have joined the team. DCBIA submitted comments in January 2020.
On April 23, 2020, the Mayor transmitted the Chapters of the Comprehensive
Plan to the Council on April 24. The 1,500-page legislative package is available in three parts (
1,
2,
3). Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s staff has said that the Council will likely hold hearings and votes on the Comprehensive
Plan in the fall and winter of 2020, after working with Councilmembers and stakeholders over the summer. DCBIA played an influential role in the Framework element that was passed in 2019. The Comprehensive
Plan Working Group to review and shape the remainder of this document that will guide future development in the District. The Comprehensive Plan
passed in 2021.
3. DCBIA IZ Plus / XL Working Group - Co-chaired by
Jeff Utz and
Shane Dettman of Goulston & Storrs.
In January 2020, the Office of Zoning introduced "Expanded Inclusionary Zoning" (aka "IZ Plus") in ZC Case No. 20-02 - an effort to increase the inclusionary zoning set-aside requirement to up to 20% for zoning map amendments (without PUDs) that provide greater density. The Office of Planning is scheduled to hold a virtual public roundtable on June 24. Read the Office of Planning's
set down report. DCBIA's IZ Plus Working Group will meet to provide testimony for this important change in Inclusionary Zoning. In 2020-2021, the group expanded to work on
IZ XL, a proposal from the Office of Planning to expand IZ to currently exempt zones, including D Zones and to conversions from office to residential. In 2021, in an unprecedented move, the Attorney General Karl Racine
files inclusionary zone petitions. DCBIA continues to input on these proposals.
All committees and working groups are for DCBIA members only. Not a member? Join here.
Contact DCBIA at (202) 966-8665 or email us at info@dcbia.org for more information about any group.
page updated Mar 2024