Posts tagged Silver Spring
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These 1970s plans show the Silver Spring that could have been
Today, many people might think of Silver Spring as a pretty prosperous place, with a steady stream of restaurant openings, cranes everywhere, and busy sidewalks. But not that long ago, Silver Spring’s future was highly in doubt. These 1970s-era plans from Montgomery County show just how far we’ve come. Keep reading…
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Montgomery County is finally talking about its segregated schools. But can we fix them?
Montgomery County’s public schools are growing, and they’re also growing more segregated by race and class, which is hurting student performance across the board. As the county struggles to address both issues, a debate is raging about who belongs in our community, and who gets to benefit from its resources. Keep reading…
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Gaithersburg illustrates how school capacity tests make sprawl worse
Several years ago Gaithersburg adopted an ordinance to ensure that infrastructure keeps up with growth. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Unfortunately, the law turned out to be counterproductive, as it damaged the city’s ability to grow in the right places. Keep reading…
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Did Silver Spring build enough housing to stay affordable? Sort of.
In 2013, I looked at rents in Silver Spring to see if building tons of new homes could help keep our community affordable. Five years and about 1,700 new apartments later, did it work? Sort of. Keep reading…
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Next time you hear “I didn’t see him,” remember this
Thursday evening at about 8:25, I was walking to Silver Spring Metro station. I was about two blocks from the station in an area that is highly urbanized and well-lit. This area has very high pedestrian volumes at all hours of the day. Keep reading…
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Some Red Line riders only get half the service. When will Metro end the Silver Spring turnback?
Every day, a total of about 11,000 riders board Metro’s Red Line at the Glenmont, Wheaton, and Forest Glen stations. They pay the same fare structure as other Metro riders — but they get only half the service. Keep reading…
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Soon Montgomery County renters could get greater protection from eviction
A Montgomery County delegate has just submitted a bill that would prevent landlords from evicting tenants without a good reason. That's good news for the approximately one third of county residents who are renters. Keep reading…
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Here are 13 reasons why Montgomery County has to make budget cuts this year
Montgomery County will soon start working on its budget for next year, and officials already expect that they'll need to make big cuts. While the county's population is growing, its tax base has been shrinking, which means that we're trying to pay for more services with less money. How did this happen? Here are several reasons. Keep reading…
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How Silver Spring got its boundaries, and why there’s so much disagreement
You could ask five residents what Silver Spring’s boundaries are and receive five different answers, ranging from a neighborhood near the DC line to a city the size of the District of Columbia itself. But how did it end up this way to begin with? The answer involves a railroad, zip codes, and possibly Marion Barry. Keep reading…
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Events: Advocacy mentoring, placemaking in White Flint, summer bike rides, and more
Mentoring for young advocates, lots of bike rides, better blocks in White Flint, Year of the Anacostia, and more in this week's events. Keep reading…