Posts tagged Comprehensive PlanRSS
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Long-term visions, immediate needs: What we learned at the GGWash forum with Andrew Trueblood
As the District grows and changes, its leaders need to balance the needs of current residents with the needs of residents in the future. The Office of Planning is “the only agency in the DC government really charged with thinking about the long term,” said Andrew Trueblood, the Office of Planning's acting director, when he introduced himself at the GGWash Forum Tuesday night. Keep reading…
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Newly proposed DC Comprehensive Plan language prioritizes affordable housing and preventing displacement
It’s been almost seven months since the epic spring hearing on the DC Comprehensive Plan, a planning and land use document that guides how the city will grow for years to come. Yesterday, the DC Office of Planning (OP) released an “additional assessment” of the bill under consideration and offers new suggested language to the DC Council. Keep reading…
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Some in this gated community are trying absolutely everything to stop a new DC apartment building
Recently a group of neighbors along 16th Street NW, many from a gated community called Beekman Place, applied to downzone an area near Meridian Hill (Malcolm X) Park in order to stop a nine-story building from being built… despite the fact that the buildings across the street are almost the same height. Keep reading…
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Hey WaPo, it’s not a debate: we need more homes
Recently the Washington Post published an article entitled “In expensive cities, rents fall for the rich - but rise for the poor.” With a headline like that, it’s easy for opponents of YIMBYism (which broadly calls upon expensive cities to build more homes) to declare victory. But YIMBYism isn’t wrong — we’re just letting the margins dominate this debate. Keep reading…
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Here are the top five issues you said GGWash should advocate on
The GGWash community cares about walkable, equitable urban places — that’s what we write and read about every day. We also take action when the right opportunity arises and do our best to take our cues from you, faithful readers, on what issues are worth organizing about. Keep reading…
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Our primary endorsements for DC Council in wards 1, 3, and 6: Brianne Nadeau, Mary Cheh, Charles Allen
In three of the races for DC Council in the June 19 Democratic primary, Greater Greater Washington’s Elections Committee has decided to endorse Brianne Nadeau in Ward 1, Mary Cheh in Ward 3, and Charles Allen in Ward 6 for renomination based on the strength of their responses to our questionnaire. Keep reading…
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How many homes are currently stuck in DC courts?
Right now in DC there are thousands of homes and hundreds of affordable homes stuck in the courts. Numerous recent lawsuits challenging approved Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are winding their way through the DC Court of Appeals. Keep reading…
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Three months of organizing urbanists, and one historic night (morning) - GGWash housing digest
We're through the first three months of the year and a lot has been happening. Take a moment to catch up on historic preservation, competition over a football stadium, growth in Reston, redlining, segregation, and more. Keep reading…
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Hey DC YIMBYs, need data for your arguments? Here it is.
Urbanists and YIMBYs in DC have been making some of the same arguments for a long time: we need to build more homes, studios and one-bedrooms help and don’t hurt, too much of DC is zoned like a suburb and that’s exclusionary. Ever wish you had more to back that all up? Well have we got a report for you. Keep reading…
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Urbanists say the darndest things: Highlights from last week’s Comp Plan hearing
Last Tuesday the DC Council held a hearing on the Comprehensive Plan, and it was pretty epic. More than 275 people signed up to testify and the hearing lasted well into the morning of the next day. What was also epic was the fact that over 50 urbanists from across the city showed up to testify, many staying late into the night. Keep reading…
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What’s more important, “neighborhood stability” or affordable housing?
At the Comp Plan hearing Tuesday, many people spoke about the need for building homes, including affordable ones, and protecting residents against displacement. But the hearing also laid bare a fundamental disagreement about what's more important: Creating needed housing, or “protecting neighborhood character”? Keep reading…
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DC’s big “carbon neutral” pledge will require big changes around town
The District of Columbia will be carbon-neutral and climate resilient by 2050, under a pledge that Mayor Muriel Bowser made while attending the North American Climate Summit in Chicago last December. This ambitious pledge is just the start of a long journey ahead. Keep reading…
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Reactions from last night’s epic, historic, really godd*mn long DC Comp Plan hearing
Early this morning (3:41 am to be exact) the gavel banged on what proved to be a DC Council hearing of historic proportions. More than 275 witness were signed up to testify about amending the DC Comprehensive Plan, the second-most witnesses ever in the history of DC Council hearings. Keep reading…
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Election links: Governor Northam weighs in on a key congressional race
This week Northam names his pick in Virginia's contentious 10th congressional district, Bowser delivers the final State of the District of her first term, and candidates across the region make the case that we can somehow have affordable housing without adding many homes. Keep reading…
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Friday is the last day to sign up. Will you help shape the Comp Plan?
We could have a better Comp Plan that embraces the changes needed to house a growing population, but also takes steps to ensure we have enough affordable housing and protections against displacement. Help us push for that kind of Comp Plan on March 20. Keep reading…
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Have you signed up to influence the future of DC on March 20?
This hearing is a big deal, as you can tell by the overwhelming numbers of residents who have already signed up to testify. Let’s make sure voices for equitable urbanism are heard as well. The last day to sign up is March 16 — don’t miss this one! Keep reading…
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Events: GGWash celebrates 10 years on Wednesday!
Grab your spot at GGWash's 10th anniversary party this Wednesday! You can also get your questions answered about DC's comprehensive plan, understand your rights as a tenant or landlord, attend CSG's happy hour, hear about whether Metro is really “back to good,” and much more this week. Keep reading…
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Whoever shows up March 20 will affect the future of DC
We don’t often ask GGWash readers from DC to come out to DC Council hearings, but we are now. We need you to advocate for more affordable housing and protections from displacement in the city's Comprehensive Plan. Keep reading…
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Why the Office of Planning likes PUDs (and why you should too)
Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are a particular development process in DC where an applicant can receive zoning flexibility and relief in exchange for a set of community benefits negotiated with the city and the neighborhood. PUDs have helped create affordable homes in the city. Keep reading…
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“Who is steering the ship?” The DC Council debates planning and zoning for six hours
Last week’s hearing was dominated by the Office of Planning’s recently-released amendments to the Framework Element of the Comprehensive Plan, which lays out the direction for development in the city for years to come. Keep reading…