Posts tagged Land Use
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National links: What role will public housing play in fixing the housing crisis?
Can public housing help close the affordable housing gap? Copenhagen creates its first all timber neighborhood. How is the land across the US actually used? Keep reading…
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Buses, racetracks, and plastic bags? They’re all issues to follow in Maryland’s 2020 legislative session.
This year’s session of the Maryland General Assembly could prove exciting as public transit, highways, housing, renewable energy, and education are just a few of the topics expected to dominate the proceedings. Here are some of the key issues I’ll be covering in Annapolis this year. Keep reading…
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Tell DC what you think of its Comp Plan
The DC Office of Planning is making proposed amendments to the District’s 2006 Comprehensive Plan, a robust document which is basically a long term road map for how we interact with the city, from housing to transportation, and land use. You, as residents of the District, now have until Friday, Jan.10, to provide public comment. Keep reading…
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Will Reston have communities and parks at its Metro stations, or parking lots?
In Reston, fights over how the area should grow are on to a new round, this time over some parking lots just outside of a Metro station. A development proposed for an area near the Silver Line would include new office space, retail storefronts, and apartments, but one local group is not pleased. Keep reading…
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This Congress Heights housing will be permanently affordable
After two years of independently led organizing, the residents of Savannah Apartments are finally able to secure permanent affordability for their homes. When their building was put on the market in 2017, Tiffany Jessup and her fellow residents worked together to independently purchase the building. Keep reading…
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Single-family homes take up a lot of space in the District
This map from the DC Policy Center shows what an overwhelming amount of the District's housing stock is comprised of single-family homes. Most of the housing outside of downtown DC consists of low-density buildings, illustrated above in purple, its new report “Taking Stock of the District’s Housing Stock” shows. Keep reading…
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Our property tax system rewards neglect and punishes investment in struggling neighborhoods
Here's a startling fact I've learned about new development in many struggling older cities. I had to be told this several times, by several credible sources, before I really believed it, because it just didn't seem possible: There are whole cities where every single private development project receives some sort of tax abatement or incentive. Keep reading…
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National links: SimCity and the planners it inspired are learning to build more inclusively
SimCity inspired a generation of planners, and now they're both heading in a more inclusive and sustainable direction. Singapore is beginning trails for full-sized autonomous buses. Climate change initiatives like the Green New Deal will fail if they don't address sprawl. Keep reading…
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Are there alternative sites for a dog park if WMATA sells the 11th and Park parcel?
For much of 2018, intense focus has been on the parcel of land owned by WMATA at 11th and Park Road, which has been used as an unofficial dog park since 2009. After many attempts by residents to convert the site into a permanent dog park, WMATA indicated that it was considering selling the parcel. Keep reading…
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Cemeteries use a lot of space and are terrible for the environment. Is there a better way?
In Berlin, cemeteries are being converted to parks, playgrounds, and housing. This reprioritizing reflects a change in attitude among some Berliners who see their city shrinking as its population increases—without the housing or recreation space to match. It also coincides with a decrease in conventional casket-in-ground burials, as cremations become more popular. Keep reading…