In its report, the institute offers a sobering look at the housing market in the District between 2000 and 2007, raising concerns about the availability of affordable housing and the effect the economic boom of the past decade had on prices.

"Every D.C. resident can point to numerous neighborhoods that look vastly different than they did 10 years ago, and while those improvements have brought many good things -- more retail and better housing stock -- it also means that the availability of low-cost housing had to go down," said Ed Lazere, executive director of the institute. "It's not just in isolated neighborhoods. It's across the city."

And, proving that the affordable housing crisis is not limited to the District, the Montgomery County Tenants Work Group is releasing its first renters' survey next week, which found that more than 40 percent did not think they could afford to continue living in their units five years from now.

The report provides recommendations to County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) about how to address soaring rents and tenants' quality of life.

"The fact is, for too long, renters in the county have relied on the kindness of landlords to keep rents fair and predictable and quality of life in buildings at a reasonable level," said Matt Losak, a renter and chairman of the Tenants Work Group.

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