Posts about Development
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The District needs to use legal tools to preserve affordable homes
While most landlords play by the rules, some make neglecting tenants a core part of their business model. We must preserve existing affordable housing by suing slumlords who try to game the system at the expense of vulnerable tenants. Keep reading…
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Prince George’s County eyes new laws for transit-oriented development
A proposed zoning change in Prince George's county would concentrate growth in regional transit districts, which are vibrant, dense, mixed-use, and transit-oriented neighborhoods. Keep reading…
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Baltimore may sell homes for $1 instead of demolishing them
Baltimore's population decline has led to a dearth of buildings, some which have been left to deteriorate. Now the city is considering a measure that would allow people to buy homes for $1 instead of demolishing them. Keep reading…
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Why is a small grocery store blocking a Takoma Park development project more than 20 years in the making?
The Takoma Park-Silver Spring Cooperative grocery store has been asking its 9,000+ members to lobby local officials to stall or cancel the Takoma Junction revitalization project. What gives? Keep reading…
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You can now build an accessory apartment in DC to make some money! Here’s a step-by-step guide.
Maybe you've heard about accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs or accessory apartments. New DC laws now allow them to be built in much of the city. If you've been thinking about installing one in your house but don't know how, we're here to help! Keep reading…
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Here’s why this old Silver Spring library should become affordable homes
Earlier this month, Montgomery County released two proposals for what to do with the former library in downtown Silver Spring. But only one proposal includes much-needed affordable housing, and that’s the one county officials should pick. Keep reading…
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DC’s height restrictions are contentious. Here’s what we could learn from cities around the world.
Height restrictions aren’t a black-and-white issue; cities around the world have balanced historical preservation and modern development in a variety of different ways. What could DC learn from Paris, Milan, London, and others? Keep reading…
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Sprawl is slowing, but that doesn’t have to mean higher housing prices
The region's reduced sprawl is overall a positive thing, but it's also meant less housing stock. If we're going to boost the amount of affordable homes in city centers, it needs to be easier to rededicate ill-used or unused urban spaces to new development. Keep reading…
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Prince George’s zoning code rewrite could make the county greener and less car-dependent
Zoning impacts everyone, down to the most local level–that's why Prince George's County's comprehensive rewrite of their 1,200-page, overly complex code is such a big deal. Keep reading…
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DC builds a lot of new places to live, and (some) rents decline
Rent in the fanciest buildings in Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, and Mount Vernon Triangle has dropped, while prices in the NoMa/H Street and Capitol Riverfront/Southwest areas are staying high–even though those areas have built more new housing recently. What gives? Keep reading…