Breakfast links: The hunt for affordable housing solutions
$100M for affordable housing
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is addressing the city’s affordable housing crisis by adding $100 million annually to the Housing Protection Trust Fund. Some argue that the investment isn’t enough, and that her administration should focus more on inclusionary zoning. (Post)
The affordability struggle is real
Rising rents and stagnant wages mean poor families stuggle more than ever to afford housing. Many receive no assistance from housing support programs due to high demand and long waiting lists. (FiveThirtyEight)
Old condo problems
Some Montgomery County condominiums and their residents are stuck in a difficult cycle. The condo associations need to raise fees to fix up aging buildings, but not all residents can afford higher fees, leaving a backlog of repairs that become more expensive over time. (Post)
What’s in a neighborhood’s name?
Can a new name really help a neighborhood turn around? It did with “NoMa” and could potentially with “North End of Shaw.” But not all neighborhood branding efforts are successful, and some point to these names as another sign of gentrification. (Post)
Fewer red-light fatalities
DC’s red-light cameras aren’t popular among motorists, but at least they cut down on collisions and save lives. Critics argue they fail to catch cyclists and warrant higher fines than a police officer would write. (WAMU)
NIH will still call Bethesda home
It looks like the NIH is going to stay in Bethesda after all. It considered other locations before settling on a smaller, more consolidated space as a part of an initiative to reduce the amount of federal office space. (WBJ)
Changes for Confederate symbols
The Alexandria City Council has voted to rename the portion of the Jefferson Davis Highway that runs within the city’s boundaries and move a seven-foot statue of a Confederate solider to a nearby museum. (Post)
MoCo’s liquor showdown
The most recent debate over if and how to privatize liquor sales in Montgomery County is only getting hotter and there’s pressure to maintain the $30 million in profits the DLC generates regardless of outcome. (Bethesda Beat)