If you missed the first focus group discussion Thursday, April 1, complete the survey below and check out the recording at the bottom of the page!

Thank you for your interest in the Congress Heights Small Area Plan and the Economic Development and Business Opportunity focus area.

This topic area focuses directly on the business, entrepreneurship, and economic development opportunities available in the community. This focus group will consider what business and entrepreneurship barriers exist, what training or occupational needs are unmet, and what economic development opportunities the community would like to see. Your answers to the following survey will help us better understand this topic area including the challenges and opportunities that exist.

Start providing critical feedback by scrolling down and answering the survey questions below. 

After completing this survey, you can explore other focus areas and complete additional surveys by returning to our project home page.

What We've Heard

Over a series of meetings, research activities, and surveying, we have heard the following challenges and community priorities. Take a look and tell us if this is a summary you can get behind.

Challenges

  • There are too many barriers to high-paying career opportunities, such as STEM opportunities
  • COVID-19 has had a disparate impact on on-the-job risk and stability
  • There is not enough affordable childcare for caregivers, and existing childcare options don't always have flexible hours
  • The community needs diverse  and affordable food and retail options, especially for families and seniors
  • Higher-paying medical jobs coming to St. Elizabeths have the potential to drive housing prices up without increasing access to higher incomes
  • Community development needs to include development, cultural education for youth, and exposure to a variety of futures
  • There are barriers to digital literacy and access
  • The community should have access to family entertainment businesses and opportunities for fun
  • There should pipelines between local college student grant programs to well-paying local jobs
  • Commercial kitchen access and food career training would benefit budding entrepreneurs
  • Barriers to government opportunities seem to be even higher than in the private sector, especially for black entrepreneurs, due to a lack of capital and technical support to take advantage of grant opportunities

Question title

Do these reflect the challenges you are facing and the issues most critical to this community? If not, please let us know what is missing, below! We will continue to update this list as we receive feedback from you.

Closed for Comments

Question title

Have you faced any of the following barriers to job opportunities? Check all that apply.

Need for training, skills, experience or education
50%
Available jobs do not align with career aspirations
33%
Lack of childcare or household support
17%
Lack of awareness of job announcements
17%
Available jobs lack benefits or are low paying
17%
Other
17%
Transportation access or consistency
0%
Lack of access to a personal computer or other device
0%
Closed to responses | 6 Responses

Question title

How do you identify new career opportunities?

Web job search engines (e.g. Indeed.com or ZipRecruiter)
67%
Through friends and family
33%
Federal or local government agencies
33%
Newspaper or other print publication (e.g. the Washington Post)
17%
Other
17%
A non-profit organization (e.g. the Congress Heights Community Training and Development Corporation)
0%
Closed to responses | 6 Responses

Question title

What workforce training do you feel you could benefit from the most?

Closed for Comments

Question title

Did you or anyone in your household work on the development of the Sports Entertainment arena; housing on St. Elizabeths development; Busboys & Poets, or other community development projects? If so, how did you hear about those jobs? Was there any training offered?

No
100%
Yes
0%
Closed to responses | 6 Responses

Congress Heights Businesses

Question title

Have you faced any of the following barriers to entrepreneurship?

Check all that apply.

Lack of capital or funding
67%
Difficulty obtaining a license
67%
Unaffordable or inaccessible operational, retail, or office space
33%
Lack of technology
33%
Inflexible zoning regulations
33%
Lack of workforce training
17%
I am not interested in entrepreneurship.
17%
Other
0%
Closed to responses | 6 Responses

Question title

Please identify the type of space you would need if space constraints are a barrier to your business enterprise.

Not applicable
50%
Studio space
38%
Office space
25%
Commercial kitchen or restaurant space
13%
Maker space or workshop
13%
Retail store fronts
13%
Other
0%
Closed to responses | 8 Responses

Question title

Please identify which of the following businesses or commercial services you have to leave Congress Heights to access.

Check all that apply.

Restaurants or bars
78%
Hardware and appliance stores
67%
Grocery stores
56%
Household goods
56%
Clothing or shoe stores
56%
Banking
56%
Laundromats, dry cleaners, or tailors
44%
Entertainment venues
44%
Car service or maintenance
44%
Childcare
11%
Other
0%
Closed to responses | 9 Responses

Question title

If you have experienced challenges accessing commercial kitchen space, or other regulatory barriers, and would like to be part of a citywide focus group on this topic, opt-in here. Don't forget to include your contact information at the bottom of this survey!

I'm interested.
71%
I'm not interested.
29%
Closed to responses | 7 Responses

Question title

Thank you for completing this survey on Economic Development and Business Opportunity! If you haven't already, please join our mailing list for plan updates.

The Congress Heights Small Area Plan is led by the Office of Planning (OP). The plan is managed by: 

  • Valecia Wilson, Ward 7 and 8 Planner, Project Manager
  • Faith Broderick, Community Planner, Assistant Project Manager

Questions? Reach out to us online at CongressHeightsPlan@dc.gov or on the phone at 855-925-2801 (pin: 9965). We looking forward to hearing from you.