Posts about Development
-
Why the left is wrong about affordable housing
Whenever we discuss housing affordability, we usually hear two major opposing beliefs. Both are well-honed, clear arguments. And both are wrong — or at least, not completely right. This post will address what’s wrong with the left’s notion that supply and demand don’t apply. Keep reading…
-
“The important thing is that you’re not white”
Most of my neighbors would agree on the theoretical need for supporting their neighbors, helping the poor, saving the environment, and promoting sustainable transportation. But almost no one is willing to make changes that impinge upon their lifestyle. Keep reading…
-
How the DC government shot itself in the foot at Brookland Manor
MidCity, the company that owns Brookland Manor, wanted to build more housing— and more affordable housing— at Brookland Manor, but the DC government got in the way. Here's how that happened. Keep reading…
-
Brookland Manor: What’s there now, what the owners want to build, and what that could mean for affordable housing
Brookland Manor is a large apartment complex in Brentwood, a short walk from the Rhode Island Metro station, where most of the tenants receive some form of government housing subsidy. It’s also home to a case study on development and affordable housing across our region. Keep reading…
-
The sky won’t fall when new homes come to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Michigan Park
Eighty new rowhouses are likely on their way to the St. Joseph’s Seminary site in Michigan Park, just north of Brookland. The DC Zoning Commission will rule on the developer’s plan this week, and while a group of opponents have provided a steady stream of over-the-top arguments for why the project shouldn’t go up, a lot of neighbors and community projects have been vocal with their support. Keep reading…
-
Brookland Manor: A crash course in why housing in DC is so complicated
Just east of the the Rhode Island Avenue Metro, there’s a gigantic housing complex called Brookland Manor. The owners plan to redevelop it and say they’re building far more affordable housing than DC law requires. The people who live there now say the owners aren’t coming close to meeting the area’s need for affordable housing. They’re both right. Keep reading…
-
It takes more than bricks & cherry blossoms to make a nice town
Communities hoping to recreate the charm of a walkable main street often sidetrack themselves by focusing too much on things that don't make much difference, like insisting on brick sidewalks or lush landscaping. Those extras can be nice, but they're far less important than getting right the fundamentals of walkable urbanism. Keep reading…
-
In Washington, we’re adding jobs faster than we’re adding housing
263,700 new jobs came to the Washington region between 2011-2016. But as we’ve added those jobs, we haven’t built enough homes to actually house all of the new workers that come with them. Keep reading…
-
You’ll have to jump through a new hoop if you want a rear addition on your house in DC
A recent zoning change makes it harder for homeowners to do that by making it illegal to extend a house more than ten feet beyond its neighbor's back wall. Keep reading…
-
Ward 3’s homeless shelter wins approval, but that’s not even the hard part
More than a year after they were first proposed, two homeless shelters now have the necessary zoning approval to go up in Wards 3 and 5. For a city that talks a big game about diversity and inclusivity, this is a big step forward. But making room for disadvantaged families in all parts of the city will take more than just new shelters. Keep reading…