Posts by Justin Lini — Contributor
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The long road to pedestrian safety east of the Anacostia
Local ANCs worked with the community to produce a letter detailing 23 infrastructure trouble spots in northern Ward 7. Rather than focusing on one intersection, community leaders opted to identify similar issues across the region. Unfortunately, Kenilworth Terrace’s problems aren’t unique for minority communities. Keep reading…
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The feds made Kenilworth Park a toxic waste site. Muriel Bowser wants to clean it up.
What's now Kenilworth Park used to be the DC dump, and turning it into a real park would require a serious clean-up effort, and the federal government, which owns the land, hasn’t exactly been in a hurry to make that happen. But now Mayor Bowser wants to help move things along. Keep reading…
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Here’s why it’d be wrong to shut down Metro east of the Anacostia River
Last week, WMATA reported that one way to close its budget gap could be to close 20 Metro stations outside of rush hour, including seven that serve DC communities that are east of the Anacostia River. Moving forward with this idea would make it far harder for children to get to schools and for adults to access social and political life in the District. It could be a major civil rights violation,… Keep reading…
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Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, explained
DC has a small, hyperlocal form of government called Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. Commissioners, who are elected by their neighbors, help with neighborhood problems and weigh in on how places should (or shouldn’t) change, but can’t actually make laws or regulations. Still, despite having little formal power, ANCs have a lot of influence over how the District does or doesn’t… Keep reading…
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An old power plant in DC’s Ward 7 is ripe for redevelopment. Let’s not make it a trash and recycling plant.
Between the Anacostia River and I-295, a defunct power plant stretches along the north side of Benning Road. A plan for how to put the space to use just came out, and while some of the ideas could bring jobs to the community, others threaten to perpetuate a history of communities east of the Anacostia getting the short end of the stick. Keep reading…
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Ward 7’s Kenilworth is getting new buildings and a new street grid
Kenilworth Courts, an aging public housing complex in Ward 7, is being replaced with town homes people of varying income levels can rent or buy. The development should help the community attract new residents, bring in new retail, and become safer. Keep reading…