A Friendship Heights-bound Metrobus approaches a stop at Farragut West Metro station by MW Transit Photos licensed under Creative Commons.

As DC prepares for fare-free buses, lessons are being learned in other cities with free transit

While plans to waive bus fares promote economic justice, many riders say free bus rides are only so helpful as overall service remains sub-par. Meanwhile, transit agencies that implemented free fares are grappling with how to pay for their programs long-term.  (Post)  

Amazon pledges to invest millions for affordable housing in North Bethesda

Strathmore Square, located near the Gosvernor-Strathmore Metro station, will bring 2,000 new housing units to North Bethesda as part of an “art- and healthy-living-centric” community.  Amazon is contributing $24 million to contribute 122 new affordable homes to this project. (Disclosure: Amazon is one of GGWash’s grant funders. In keeping with our editorial policy, funders maintain no oversight of editorial decision-making).  (Bethesda Beat)  

First Gen Z Congressman struggles to find housing in DC

Congressman-elect Maxwell Frost’s (D-FL) application for an apartment in Navy Yard was denied because the 25-year-old has a low credit score. The congressman-elect’s struggle is emblematic of the problems young lawmakers encounter when they first try to secure housing in the Washington region.  (Jaclyn Diaz / WAMU)  

Tenants in Prince George’s County strike against poor conditions, rising rent

Tenants at Quincy Village apartments in Bladensburg, MD are holding a rent strike to protest sewage backups, pests, and rapidly increasing rents after investor Schweb Partners LLC bought the property in March. As corporations consolidate rental properties and governments fail to make adequate investments in creating low-income housing, working-class tenants bear the brunt of expensive and low-quality housing.   (Post)  

Sale of townhouses to fund revamp of Reston condo community

The sale of 28 new townhouses on the site of the Vantage Hill condominium community in Reston will fund the renovation of 152 existing condos that were first built in 1962.  (Fatimah Waseem / FFXnow)  

DC selects proposal to redevelop parts of St. Elizabeth’s campus

The DC government has selected a team of developers to transform the remaining parcels of the St. Elizabeth’s East campus in Southeast DC into 277 affordable apartments and 18 affordable townhouses. The development would also include community and arts spaces.  (UrbanTurf)  

Regulatory confusion complicates battle over Transformer statues in Georgetown

A regulatory fight over whether to allow two large Transformers statues to continue to stand in Georgetown is back following a months-long reprieve. However, the next steps are unclear as federal, DC, and neighborhood organizations disagree over who is responsible for permitting enforcement in this unique case.  (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)  

Neighbors in Arlington clash over language in the fight for missing middle housing

Labels like “single-family zoning,” “missing middle housing,” and “upzoning” can have different meanings for people on either side of the housing debate.  To better communicate their positions, some missing middle supporters are using terms like “re-legalizing” housing and “expanding housing choice.”  (Teo Armus / Post)  

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