Posts by Jon Steingart — Contributor
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This app pays you for commuting. Here’s what happened when I used it.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, along with the University of Maryland, released a smartphone app called incenTrip, which officially started servicing the region in August 2019. Commuters can earn points simply by traveling to work, whether it’s by bus, bike, walking, carpooling, or even driving a car, and they can redeem those points for money. And, for the last few months, I’ve been getting paid to commute to work. Keep reading…
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This proposed law could help DC tenants facing eviction fight back against dishonest landlords
The DC Council is back from its summer recess, and members are weighing legislation intended to strengthen tenant protections against illegal eviction. Keep reading…
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DDOT wants to hear from you about new bicycle lane rules
The DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) is inviting public comments on a proposal to change regulations affecting bicycle lanes and motor vehicles. DDOT proposed regulations that would make a few broad changes that specifically address bicycle lanes. Keep reading…
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The DC Council will likely pass legislation to fight sharp price increases for tenants
On November 13, the DC Council gave preliminary approval to a bill that’s intended to help tenants in rent-controlled units avoid larger-than-expected price increases by curbing landlords’ use of concessions. Keep reading…
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Legislation intended to end sharp rent increases lands in the DC Council
Tenants could be spared from larger-than-expected rent increases under new legislation the DC Council is considering. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At Large) introduced a pair of bills that would update how rent increases are determined under the city’s rent control law. Keep reading…
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TJ Oshie isn’t the only rider to come up short on fare
Capitals winger TJ Oshie rode Metro to game four of the Stanley Cup finals on Monday, like he did for game three over the weekend. Just like everyday riders sometimes find, his SmarTrip didn’t have enough funds to cover the fare. Keep reading…
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A lawsuit alleging a DC landlord uses discounts to circumvent rent control may have gotten a boost
Some DC landlords are giving tenants rent discounts, called “concessions,” then raising the price higher than the tenant might expect after the resident has lived in the building for a year. Now a lawsuit DC Attorney General Karl Racine (D) filed over this practice in a rent controlled-building is making its way through the court system, and may have picked up support from a DC agency decision. Keep reading…
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Is this Van Ness apartment complex misleading tenants about the cost of rent?
A Van Ness apartment complex has been effectively circumventing the city’s rent control by subjecting tenants to higher rent increases than the law allows, a new lawsuit alleges. Keep reading…
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Should TOPA rights be scaled back for renters in single-family homes? Here’s the latest in DC’s debate.
Advocates continue to debate new TOPA legislation. Some say the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, or TOPA, lets tenants demand a payout in exchange for allowing a home sale to proceed. Others say it’s a tool for protecting renters and affordable housing that shouldn’t be weakened. Keep reading…
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The DC Council mulls scaling back TOPA rights for some renters
Critics say certain renters are abusing their rights enshrined in the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). Two DC bills this fall aim to reform TOPA, changing how it works for some tenants. Keep reading…