While the recession has impacted NOIs in the Washington area, the local apartment market has weathered the economic downturn better than in most metros. The 60 basis point year-to-date rise in vacancy to 6 percent is the most glaring effect of the recession. Although rents remain resilient, asking rents inched up 0.4 percent in the most recent 3-month period, while effective rents declined for only the second quarter since 2004. Job losses have weighed the most on Class A asking rents, particularly in areas where rent gains were sizable recently, such as Pentagon City/Crystal City, the Connecticut Avenue Corridor and Rockville. The district’s Dupont Circle, Logan Circle and Columbia Heights neighborhoods, however, are notable exceptions to this trend, as these areas remain desirable to renters. Lower-tier asking rents have managed to push higher in many locations, although softer rents and vacancy rents have been recorded in the Anacostia/Northeast D.C. and Stafford County submarkets. Development completions are accelerating this year, and the construction pipeline is expected to remain relatively full through 2010, posing a further threat of concession increases. A metro-leading 9,000 units are under consideration in Virginia, while there are 6,600 units planned in the district and 3,900 units proposed …