Breakfast links: DC’s homeless shelter plan is still in limbo
DC wants to put Ward 1's homeless shelter here, but it's having a tough time reaching a deal with the landowner it wants to buy the property from. Image by Google Maps.
Ward 1’s proposed homeless shelter still lacks a home
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's plan to replace DC General Hospital with a shelter in every ward is on track a year later… except for Ward 1. While opposition from some neighbors held up the green light for homeless shelters in Wards 3 and 5, in Ward 1, the District is having a hard time acquiring the land it wants. (Andrew Giambrone / City Paper)
Some politicians have hard feelings about Nestle coming to Rosslyn
Nestle is moving its headquarters to Rosslyn, bringing a tenant to the region's tallest building (which has been vacant since opening in 2013). To lure the company, Arlington and the state promised over $12 million in incentives. All four democratic candidates for the county board say that money would be better spent elsewhere. (Chris Teale / ArlNow)
Maryland wants more start-ups
Maryland is full of tech and cyber talent thanks to the federal government. Officials want to cultivate a commercial-facing technology sector, and they recently unveiled a program to give small firms grants between $200,000 and $500,000. As of now, there's only $1 million budgeted. (Aaron Gregg / Post)
Rising expenses necessitate a tax hike in Arlington County
Increasing Metro costs and public school enrollment are stressing Arlington County, so the board is raising property taxes by 1.5 cents for every $100 of assessed value. The board chair says the extra money for Metro won't amount to much if the entire region doesn't work toward dedicated long-term funding. (Patricia Sullivan / Post)
“It’s kind of like a high-end dormitory””
A mansion in Dupont Circle will soon re-open as part luxury apartments, part social club. The idea is to appeal to short-term leasers like diplomats and State Department workers who aren't here for very long. Also, a 400-unit apartment complex near Nats Park may now include bowling alleys, bocce courts, and maybe even a hotel. (Nena-Perry Brown / Urban Turf, Michael Neibauer / WBJ)
We could curb distracted driving, so why don’t we?
A lot of people die because of distracted drivers, and we've got the technology to curb it. For example, smartphones could sense when a car is in motion and whether the user is a driver or passenger. But phone manufacturers don't want to use these features fear of losing market share. (Angie Schmitt / Streetsblog)
Trap music, meet zoning regs
Hip-hop could be to Atlanta's economy what country music is to Nashville's. Those who see the opportunity are pushing for tax credits that would welcome creators, but they're finding that the same system that has starved MARTA of funding wants to do things like put strict limits on where recording studios can go. (Rodney Carmichael / NPR)