Posts by Carolyn Gallaher — Contributor
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Residents say landlord disinvestment is making a bad situation worse at a Langley Park apartment complex
The Bedford and Victoria Station Apartment complex in Langley Park, Maryland is a microcosm of immigrant neighborhoods across the region. Like tenants in Chirilagua, Culmore, Manassas Park, and Montgomery Village, tenants at Bedford and Victoria Station apartments say they are confronting a trifecta of challenges: a global pandemic, severe unemployment, and landlord neglect. Keep reading…
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Langley Park was already ripe for gentrification. Here’s why COVID-19 could speed up the process.
Langley Park in Prince George’s County has weathered disinvestment for decades, but there are now signs that developers are interested in the area. Combined with looming evictions due to COVID-19, some residents may be at immediate risk of displacement. Keep reading…
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Why Langley Park has been hit hard by COVID-19
Langley Park is a vibrant community in Prince George’s County where you can buy homemade pupusas, Indian Saris, and real shea butter. The low-income, majority-Latinx neighborhood has also been ravaged by the novel coronavirus—at a rate that’s disproportionate to other communities across the state. Keep reading…
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Langley Park was already ripe for gentrification. COVID-19 could speed up the process.
Langley Park in Prince George’s County has weathered disinvestment for decades, but there are now signs that developers are interested in the area. Combined with looming evictions due to COVID-19, some residents may be at immediate risk of displacement. Keep reading…
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Why Langley Park has been hit hard by COVID-19
Langley Park is a vibrant community in Prince George’s County where you can buy homemade pupusas, Indian Saris, and real shea butter. The low-income, majority-Latinx neighborhood has also been ravaged by the novel coronavirus—at a rate that’s disproportionate to other communities across the state. Keep reading…
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DC’s new tenants union wants to help renters stay in the city
DC is a city of renters. Recent statistics suggest that almost 60% of District residents are renters. And now, DC’s renters have a union to represent their interests. This union came about because of the city’s intense gentrification, and the difficulty of addressing problems related to it through existing avenues. Keep reading…
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The DC Council just cut $20 million for homeless services to fund tax breaks for commercial properties
On December 4, the DC Council moved to divert an estimated $20 million in new tax funds it had pledged for homeless programs to instead reduce the property tax rate for commercial entities valued at $10 million or more. That could have funded permanent supportive housing for about 730 people or long-term housing vouchers to about 1,000 very low-income families. Keep reading…
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TOPA doesn’t always work for small buildings, a housing fight with the National Shrine shows
DC's Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) is designed to help tenants in multi-family apartment building stay put if their landlord decides to sell the property. Why is TOPA not working for tenants at four buildings by the Basilica of the National Shrine in Northeast DC? Keep reading…
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It’s difficult to become a homeowner with limited English proficiency
Most Americans’ biggest source of wealth is their home, but unfortunately homeownership rates are not standard across demographic categories. Thanks to the Urban Institute, we now know that limited Limited English Proficiency (or LEP) depresses homeownership, even when race, income, and other variables are accounted for. The question is why. Keep reading…
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A fix or a setback? DC may strip tenant purchase rights from all single-family homes
A new bill introduced by councilmember Anita Bonds would exempt single-family homes from the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). Realtors say that's necessary to prevent abuses, while tenant advocates say it will harm vulnerable populations. Keep reading…