Rep.-elect Maxwell Frost says he was denied apartment in pricey DC
Misty Severi
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Renting an apartment in Washington, D.C., is not an easy feat, even for a member of Congress, incoming House member Maxwell Frost (D-FL) learned Thursday.
Frost, who was elected in Florida as the youngest incoming member of the House of Representatives during the midterm elections, said he was recently denied an apartment in the country’s capital despite being told he would be approved.
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“Just applied to an apartment in DC where I told the guy that my credit was really bad,” Frost tweeted. “He said I’d be fine. Got denied, lost the apartment, and the application fee. This ain’t meant for people who don’t already have money.”
https://twitter.com/MaxwellFrostFL/status/1600890367586406400
Frost, 25, arrived in Washington in November for new member orientation and marveled at how much there was to learn.
“I’m definitely still learning my way around and got lost a couple of times,” the youngest future member told the Washington Examiner last month. “It’s kind of like school. You got a week, got Thanksgiving break, then you got another week.”
Neither the name of the apartment that rejected him nor the reason for the rejection was included in the tweet. However, Frost added that his credit score was low because he went into debt running for Congress and did not make enough money driving for Uber to offset the costs.
Living conditions for senators and congressmen have changed over the years. During the 19th century, members of both chambers of Congress would live in communal boarding houses that helped them establish bonds outside of the halls of the Capitol building. However, conditions shifted during the 20th century as members of Congress were expected to spend more time in Washington, D.C., which prompted the members to relocate their families to the capital city.
Because housing prices are high in D.C., some Congress members in recent years have elected to live out of their offices, using inflatable mattresses and sofas for beds. Others decide to live with each other. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), and former Rep. George Miller (D-CA) lived together until 2014, according to CNN. Some members of Congress will purchase homes if they have lived in the district for a long time.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has attempted to incentivize possible homeowners in recent months by increasing the funds they can receive through the city’s Home Purchase Assistance Program. Bowser raised the amount allowed from $80,000 to $202,000 for down payments on homes.
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“We know that homeownership is an important tool for closing racial wealth gaps in our city. We also know that for people without generational wealth, the idea of becoming and staying a homeowner can be daunting,” Bowser said in August. “But we have programs and resources in our city that can open doors that people may not have even thought possible. One way we can keep more Washingtonians in D.C. is by making sure our neighbors know about these programs and are using them.”
The city created the Home Purchase Assistance Program in June to assist struggling homeowners.