Posts by Joanne Tang — Editorial Board
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The housing crisis isn’t over yet. It may never be.
The economy has improved, unemployment has fallen, and many people are back on their feet, but the United States’ housing crisis is not over. Unless we want history to repeat itself, we’ll need to continue to reform how banks give out loans and how the government oversees mortgages. Keep reading…
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What top government officials remember about the 2008 housing crisis
It’s been more than eight years since the United States plunged into a recession and an enormous housing crisis. Shortly after President Obama took office, top officials scrambled to remedy a housing crisis and stabilize the economy. This post highlights the major themes of a recent event at the Urban Institute called “Housing Policy Past and Future: Lessons Learned Through the Crisis and the Path Forward,” where a number of these officials discussed their experience. Keep reading…
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Breakfast Links: What’s it like to see your old house torn down?
Baltimore hopes that demolishing old, vacant, and blighted homes will create growth. DC reaches an agreement with a developer to fix poor housing conditions and code violations in Ward 8. Virginia's state house passed a law requiring people to prove citizenship before they vote. Keep reading…
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Dune, one of the most popular sci-fi books ever, has a lot of urbanism in it
Frank Herbert’s Dune is one of the best-selling science fiction novels in history. Dune’s fictional universe has a number of parallels to resource use and the built environment in our world, from water shortages and overpopulation to the way places shape habits and personalities Keep reading…
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Breakfast Links: Glitches stop switches and cause transit hitches
Metro's entire system faced delays Thursday morning due to an IT glitch that caused the Rail Operations Control Center to lose contact with track switches. Will a new middle school entice more Ward 4 residents to stay in the District? A new study examines whether mayors actually back up public statements about addressing inequality with programs. Keep reading…
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Breakfast Links: 2016 ends with lower crime
Crime is down in DC by 4 percent. Amtrak's new CEO says repairs and new trains for Acela will be a top priority in 2017. Immigrants turn aging shopping malls into social centers. Keep reading…
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Breakfast Links: Who takes the brunt of Metro service cuts?
Where will Metro's late-night service cuts hurt the most? One-bedroom rents are down 3.2 percent in DC. Metro can get federal grant money upfront again. Keep reading…
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Breakfast Links: Fired for falsification
Metro fires six employees and disciplines 28 for poor inspection work and false reports. The WMATA Board votes to cut late night service for two years after SafeTrack ends. Rent-controlled apartments in DC are popping up on Airbnb. Keep reading…
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Why it’s hard to build affordable housing
“It’s as hard as doing a triple twist off a high dive.” That’s how one Washington region developer described building affordable housing. I recently attended a forum on how, exactly, affordable housing gets built and what the hurdles are, and what I learned is below. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Metro is repeating itself
The fate of late night; Political theater and the WMATA Board; Crowdsourcing accessibility; A breath of fresh air; Westbard power struggle; Phone theft is up; From Fannie Mae to condos; Mass transit on mass media; Fossil fuel failings; Copy, fail, copy again; Bus route blues; Contract pressure?; Station designs move forward; Empty homes create trouble; Ban the box; Have you seen this slick?; What’s in a (street) name?; Walk down to Electric Avenue; And…. Keep reading…