Breakfast links: Convert vacant offices into housing? A new report throws a damper on the idea
Report: Converting vacant offices into housing isn’t very feasible
A report by a DC task force found that a proposal to turn some of the 13 million square feet of vacant office space into subsidized apartments was not an efficient way to address the city’s housing needs. (Andrew Giambrone / Curbed)
Takoma Park has the nation’s first all-electric fueling station
With full recharge taking 30 to 40 minutes, the owner of Takoma Park’s—and the nation’s—first fully converted gas-to-electric refueling station is learning as he goes. He plans to add a customer lounge with free coffee, water, and internet. (Neal Augenstein / WTOP)
A woman was struck by a driver on Columbia Pike
A pedestrian was left with non-life threatening injuries after being hit by a driver in a white work van on the 5200 block of Columbia Pike in Arlington on Monday afternoon. The van was last seen heading north on South Greenbrier Street. (ARLnow)
DC delays enforcement of its new AirBnB law
Enforcement of DC’s new homesharing law, which was scheduled to take effect October 1, will be delayed until later this month so the District can address a zoning code oversight needed to allow certain rentals less than 30 days at a time in residential neighborhoods. (Martin Austermuhle / WAMU)
The feds deter traffic-calming crosswalk art
The Federal Highway Administration continues to chide cities and state highway agencies for rolling out crosswalk art and colorfully painted intersections—most recently Ames, Iowa, which painted a crosswalk to resemble a rainbow. (Vince DiMiceli / Streetsblog)
Many at-risk DC students live far from help
Many DC neighborhoods with the highest concentration of at-risk students are without easy access to schools with a strong track record of helping students classified as at-risk improve their learning outcomes schools, according to a new report from the DC Policy Center. (Mark Lieberman / DCist)
A two-year budget plan divides Montgomery County officials
The Montgomery County Council is holding up County Executive Marc Elrich’s plan to move to a two-year cycle for approving a budget rather than starting the budget from scratch each year, and is asking Elrich to provide a clear transition plan in the meantime. (Kate Masters / Bethesda Beat)
Can Jack Evans use his legal defense fund?
Embattled DC Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans launched a legal defense committee which has a maximum individual contribution limit of $2,000. It’s unclear whether the fund can be used to address his current legal troubles stemming from actions unrelated to his official public duties. (Mitch Ryals / City Paper)
Have a tip for the links? Submit it here.