Breakfast links: Democracy now

DC demands respect

DC statehood and marijuana legalization partisans began a sit-in outside Harry Reid’s office yesterday. The protestors want the outgoing majority leader to strip the new spending bill of the rider that blocks DC’s legalization law. (DCist)

How we gonna pay?

About half of DC’s rental housing is under rent control, but landlords exploit exceptions in the law to raise the rent by 30% or push tenants out. Owners say it pays for repairs; tenants say they can’t afford it. (City Paper)

Not really inclusionary

Residents of Ward 8 protested a plan to build a hotel on city land in the Mt. Vernon Triangle but locate the required affordable housing units across the river in Ward 8. (City Paper)

Get us a traffic signal

Residents are asking for a traffic signal at a busy intersection on Columbia Pike in Arlington.  The county installed a pedestrian light and crosswalk, but there have been 33 collisions at the intersection in five years.  (ArlNow)

Office vacancies

Fairfax County is assessing what to do about high office vacancy rates thanks to a declining defense budget, teleworking, and flex time. Plans for more walkable communities could bring companies back. (Fairfax Times)

More trees please

The group Restore Mass planted over 300 street trees between Dupont Circle and the National Cathedral. Trees near Dupont Circle are toughest to keep alive due to heavy traffic. (Post)

And…

Donald Shoup summarizes five parking regulations every city should adopt. (Access)  …  Wake County, NC tries to get back on track with transit plans after a 2011 failure. (GovExec) … Calgary’s transit ridership is booming thanks to strong controls on parking downtown and a lack of urban freeways. (The Transport Politic)