Posts about HousingRSS
-
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…
-
_480_320_90_s_c1.jpg)
Prince George’s new mixed-use zones need one thing: more homes
As part of its effort to create a new, modern zoning ordinance to replace its bloated and antiquated half-century-old code, Prince George’s County is proposing a series of new mixed-use zones for its suburban town centers to encourage more development around transit. That’s good news — but if these new zones are going to thrive, they need to include more homes. Keep reading…
-
Events: Join GGWash and Kristen Jeffers at YIMBYtown 2018
The YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement is growing and increasingly gaining national attention. There are more than 100 groups around the world joining the effort to promote zoning and land use laws that support building more homes in urban areas facing housing affordability challenges. Want to meet some of them? Join GGWash at YIMBYtown 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts September 20-23. Keep reading…
-
Here’s why developers seem to only build luxury housing
Stop me if you've heard this one before: "Developers in my city are only building luxury housing. They're not building anything that ordinary people can afford." Here are five reasons you might see your local developers primarily building homes that you and your neighbors can't afford. Keep reading…
-
Arlington’s Christian Dorsey says “protecting” neighborhoods often means protecting segregation and unaffordability
Christian Dorsey, the vice-chair of the Arlington County Board, gave an amazing speech at the Alliance for Housing Solutions’ annual Leckey Forum in June. He talked about historical racism in our housing policy, about environmental justice in locating infrastructure and polluting industry. And he tied it to today’s debates over housing and density in a powerful way. Keep reading…
-
Here’s where Montgomery County is — and isn’t — growing
As in previous years, growth and development was a big issue in this year’s primary election in Montgomery County, and some candidates ran on a platform of slowing or stopping it. However, that growth doesn't look the same across the county — nearly all of it has been crammed into a few areas, leaving most parts of the county unchanged. Keep reading…
-
DC preservation officials: You don’t want a historic district? Too bad.
At their confirmation hearing last month, four Historic Preservation Review Board Commissioners confirmed that community opposition to a historic nomination does not play a role in their decision, and that they only evaluate applications based on whether or not a nominated building or district is historic. That stands in stark contrast to other city agencies that are mandated to incorporate community feedback. Keep reading…
-
Anti-development groups are asking DC to downzone swaths of the city on Monday
A proposed new zone is 20% less dense than the one it's replacing, and though it is being proposed for this particular circumstance, it would be available citywide. What is more, these groups are pushing to immediately implement the less-dense zone in many locations. Keep reading…
-
_480_320_90_s_c1.jpg)
How should Arlington preserve and create affordable homes?
The high cost of housing in Arlington is a double-edged sword. Not only is there a severe shortage of market-rate homes that are affordable to low-income households, but the amount that the county must pay to preserve an existing affordable home continues to grow. Keep reading…
-
A tale of two 20003s: high rises or high rents
The near southeast quadrant of the District, from the Capitol dome down to the banks of the Anacostia river, has one ZIP code split in half by I-695, better known as the Southeast Freeway. Although these two areas look incredibly different at first glance, upon closer inspection they form a curious natural experiment. Keep reading…
-
No vacancy: some Northern Virginia communities are deciding they’re full
Northern Virginia held local elections this week, and population growth was foremost on the mind of many of those running. Some candidates even pondered whether or not there should be a population limit in various parts in the region. Keep reading…
-
Adams Morgan is losing diversity, but is new development the culprit?
Since the blockbuster Comprehensive Plan hearing in March, it has become clear that the desire for community conversation about growth and gentrification is not limited to the DC Council chambers. Recently, a similar debate broke out on the Adams Morgan neighborhood listserv. Keep reading…
-
What DC can learn from Minneapolis’s plan to allow fourplexes amid detached homes
Minneapolis may legalize construction of house-sized small apartment buildings — fourplexes — in its single-family detached neighborhoods. Their plan could become a nationwide model for solving the urban housing shortage. Keep reading…
-
Residents want to see a grocery store and market-rate homes at Deanwood Metro
The commuter parking lot at the Deanwood Metro station could become a new joint development with housing and retail. WMATA held a public hearing on June 20 to get feedback on its proposal to develop the 1.6-acre site. Keep reading…
-
_480_320_90_s_c1.jpg)
White, wealthy areas of DC aren’t building their fair share of homes
Where has DC built new homes? Jenny Schuetz wrote an analysis for The Brookings Institution showing where new housing and development has occurred. Most new developments are concentrated in Wards 5 and 6 in NoMa, Southwest Waterfront, Shaw, and Brookland, while wealthy, white neighborhoods have seen comparatively little growth. Keep reading…
-
DC’s historic preservation process is too easy to abuse
Recent contentious historic preservation cases have shown DC’s system can be abused by neighbors who simply want another tool to halt change in their neighborhood. Part of the problem is that the very process used to designate a site does not legally incorporate the views of the surrounding community. Keep reading…
-
#GGWashReads “Evicted,” which puts a human face on a widespread problem
Last week, members of our summer book club discussed the harsh and complicated realities facing tenants and landlords at the bottom of the housing market as we read though Matthew Desmond’s award-winning book, Evicted. Keep reading…
-
Widening I-270 could demolish hundreds of homes and affordable homes
Last fall, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced an ambitious $9 billion dollar plan to add express toll lanes along I-270 and I-495 as well as the BW Parkway. A tremendous impact that has not received attention is the potential significant displacement of low-income residents along its path. Keep reading…
-
We correctly described Marc Elrich’s wrong-headed, non-progressive Montgomery County land use ideas
Marc Elrich, a candidate for Montgomery County Executive, has been saying Greater Greater Washington took his words out of context in an opinion article, “Why Marc Elrich is not the right choice for Montgomery County Executive.” We did not misrepresent him, and stand by our reporting. Keep reading…
-
This DC bill could help bolster affordable housing and protect low-income borrowers
In November 2017, DC Councilmember David Grosso (At-Large) introduced a bill that would likely increase affordable housing investments and low-income lending by banks that do business with the District government. Now local housing advocates say its passage is more important than ever. Keep reading…
