Breakfast links: Homeless shelters spark a 13-hour debate
A 13-hour zoning hearing for two planned family homeless shelters
A zoning hearing on two of the family homeless shelters slated to replace DC General attracted a heated debate that went on for 13 hours on Wednesday. Opponents argued the shelters planned for Wards 3 and 5 were too tall and dense for the selected locations, while advocates worried that opposition would delay the closing of DC General. (Martin Austermuhle / WAMU)
Frustrating commutes and high housing costs might drive out millennials
Many millennials call the DC area home, but a full two-thirds say they would move if the right job opportunity came up. Millennials cited the cost of housing, which makes it tough to put down roots, and frustrating commutes as the source of their ambivalence. (Abha Bhattarai / Post)
Montgomery suffers from a serious shortfall of affordable rental units
Montgomery needs a whopping 20,000 affordable rental units to support the county's cost-burdened residents, according to a new study. The study says the county should convert unused schools and office buildings into housing and push for developers to incorporate more affordable housing into their plans. (Bethany Rodgers / Bethesda Magazine)
SoberRide will start using app-based Lyft instead of taxicabs
SoberRide, the regional program that keeps drunk drivers off the road on holidays by providing free rides, will start using Lyft instead of taxicabs. SoberRide says Lyft is cheaper and appeals more to young people, who would rather use an app than make a call to a cab company. (Martin Di Caro / WAMU)
Chronic homelessness is down in DC, but the fight isn’t over for more funding
Chronic homelessness dropped 11% in DC from 2015 to 2016, but DC still has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the US. Advocates are pushing for the DC Council to support a dramatic increase in funding for varying types of supportive housing, and it looks like they may actually get it. (Andrew Giambrone / CityPaper)
How architects transformed one of DC’s many ugly, old office spaces into housing
What should be done with DC's many aging, architecturally unremarkable, but functional office spaces? Here's how architects transformed one big, bland, mushroom-shaped office building in the West End into luxury condos while still keeping a touch of its 1980s character. (Amanda Kolson Hurley / City Paper)
The Torpedo Factory is Alexandria’s biggest draw
Alexandria's Torpedo Factory attracts 470,000 visitors each year, contributing approximately $35 million to the local economy, making it Alexandria's biggest and most lucrative attraction. (Patricia Sullivan / Post)
What squatting shows about using urban space
Squatting is, essentially, the repurposing of wasted housing. What can squatters teach us about the way we use and relate to space? (Laura Bliss / CityLab)
DDOT is looking for summer interns
Looking for a summer internship? DDOT is hiring for 10 positions in research, data analysis, and data visualization that will support initiatives from green infrastructure to transit to Vision Zero. (DDOT)