Don't shy away. My wife and I recently graduated from Harvard's graduate programs and wish to reside within the District. As a newlywed myself, keep looking. It seems that there is no middle ground right now, as far as housing prices go. Once a neighborhood is gentrified the former residents can't afford it anymore.
Housing is a absolutely critical to the success of the District.
It takes a multi-prong effort. That way, mortagaes can be made affordable to lower to moderate income people who would otherwise be priced out of the market. We also need to aggressivelypursue landlords that maintain deliniquient properties which could be a source of housing in many of the city's neighborhoods. Your boss, Mator Williams, recently proposed a 17-acre underground transportation terminal near Mount Vernon Square. The boos and catcalls were deafening.