Do Something: The week of December 4, 2023

Weekly, Regional Policy Director Dan Reed and DC Policy Director Alex Baca will share with you an action you can take in the immediate future that has the potential, sometimes great and sometimes small, to increase the number of homes in our region, decrease the trips people take by car, make all of it safer, and not screw people over in the process. This week: here’s how you can Do Something about fairer taxes in DC, making it easier to build affordable homes in Montgomery County, and what could be a big election in Alexandria next year.

If you have any questions, email dreed@ggwash.org about Maryland and Virginia Do Somethings, and abaca@ggwash.org about Washington, DC, Do Somethings—or, about whatever you want to talk about.

DC

I’m eagerly awaiting the drop of the Tax Revision Commission’s draft report, which was supposed to be out yesterday. Many thanks to those of you who submitted comments and statements, especially in support of Proposal P-6, which would tax land and buildings separately—yes, we want this, badly.

While I know as much as you might about what recommendations the draft report will contain, I’ve tapped the crystal ball emoji enough to wager that a split-roll tax won’t be in it. I sense the commissioners aren’t quite sure what to make of it—a common reaction to land value taxation—and are thus preoccupied with the things that might impede it, such as the restrictions imposed on land by its zoned capacity. But the tax revision commission isn’t the zoning commission, and shouldn’t hamstring itself by pretending that it is.

Again, that’s all a shot in the dark, based on my observations of the commission thus far. The grand thing about drafts is that they’re put into the world for comment, so I’m thinking through what I might say on behalf of GGWash in support of a split-roll tax intended to bolster WMATA’s budget, in the event that it isn’t included.

You all really showed up in support of Proposal P-6 at the beginning of November, so the positive public sentiment in its favor is well-documented. Right now, I’d recommend only that you all join me in incessantly refreshing dctaxrevisioncommission.org to await the drop of this season’s hottest accessory, the “chairman’s mark” draft (oh, and, I suppose, sign up for the TRC’s newsletter). I don’t yet know the preferred format for submitting comments on the proposed recommendations, and the deadline for doing so, but when I do, I’ll share it.—AB

Maryland

Last week I talked about a Maryland state bill that would basically gut the Montgomery County Planning Department’s ability to plan for sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit stops (among other things). I testified against this bill on Monday along with our friends at WABA and Bike Maryland. It’s bad! This week I want to share two bills I’m excited about because they’ll remove two historic, segregation-era barriers to building more homes (and affordable homes!) in Montgomery County.

MC 3-24, sponsored by Delegates Julie Palakovich Carr, David Moon, and Vaughn Stewart would eliminate a 1950s law that requires public housing proposals in Montgomery County to go through extra public hearings on top of the typical development review process. It’s a tool that people have used for decades to block affordable homes, and has roots in an infamous California law that put every single public housing project in the state to a voter referendum. We support it, and here’s our testimony.

MC 8-24, sponsored by Delegates Moon and Palakovich Carr along with Lorig Charkoudian and Jheanelle Wilkins, would prevent homeowners’ associations or other organizations from having covenants that say a property owner can’t do something that county zoning allows, like adding an accessory apartment. Covenants were frequently used to keep racial or religious minorities out of white neighborhoods. Even though racially restrictive covenants became illegal in 1948, other covenants simply ban certain types of homes, or in some cases, homes that were too cheap. In one Silver Spring neighborhood, the developer even sued a homebuilder for building homes that weren’t expensive enough. This bill is based on similar legislation that’s before the DC Council right now, and we support it! Here’s our testimony.

MC 3-24 and MC 8-24 deserve your support, and you can let the Montgomery County delegation know by sending them an email at MontgomeryCounty [dot] HouseDelegation [at] mlis.state.md.us. Make sure to write the number of the bill you’re talking about in the top right-hand corner.—DR

Virginia

Last week, Alexandria’s City Council voted unanimously to open up single-family zoning, making it possible to build duplexes, triplexes, and four-unit apartment buildings across a big swath of the city where you could only build detached houses before. Just two days later, Mayor Justin Wilson–who had championed the zoning change–announced he won’t run for reelection next year. The mayor’s seat and all six city council seats are up for election in 2024, and similar to Arlington’s election this year, housing could be a big campaign issue. Alexandria’s Democratic primary is in June and, because the city is so blue, it will probably decide who gets elected in November.

With that in mind, we’re planning to endorse in Alexandria’s primary, and we (meaning GGWash, the City of Alexandria, and you) need candidates who are committed to making Alexandria a more affordable, inclusive place to live. Could the next mayor of Virginia’s sixth-largest city be you? Could it be someone else that you think would be a good mayor? Now is the time to do something about that. We look forward to seeing what happens next.—DR

Correction: a previous version of this post referred to a meeting of the Tax Revision Commission that has been canceled. The post has been updated.

Your support of GGWash enables us, Dan and Alex, to do our jobs. Our jobs are knowing how development and planning works in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. If it’s appropriate to take action to advance our goals, which we hope you share, we can let you know what will have the most impact, and how to do it well. You can make a financial contribution to GGWash here.