Breakfast links: Metro union blames contractor for MetroAccess reliability woes

Union says MetroAccess problems stem from contractor’s low wages

Metro's employee union says Metro should stop contracting out drivers for MetroAccess, the accessibility shuttle for disabled transit riders. According to the union, the contractor's low wages are at fault for high driver turnover and problems with service reliability.  (Martin Di Caro / WAMU)

As debate on short-term rentals heats up, DC sues a landlord under its existing laws

DC's attorney general is suing a rental company after it used multiple rent-controlled apartments for Airbnb-style rentals. The lawsuit comes as the DC Council prepares to debate a proposed bill that would place stronger regulations on short-term rentals in the city.  (Abha Bhattarai / Post)

More platform space is coming to one of the VRE’s busiest stations

VRE will renovate Crystal City's busy station to include more platform space to accommodate the station's many riders and a new entrance to bring them closer to other transit options.  (Chris Teale / ARLNow)

Is Fairfax County’s new budget proposal just “treading water”?

Fairfax County's proposed budget doesn't look much different from previous years, and it's making some county officials worry that wthout new taxes or revenue strategies, the county will suffer down the line as it struggles to fund public schools and other services.  (Antonio Olivo / Post)

Black homeownership rates rising faster in DC region than anywhere else

The DC region had the largest increase in the percent of black homeowners, and the fifth largest increase in Latino homeowners, of any area in the country over the last 20 years, according to one study.  (Christina Sturdivant / DCist)

DC is building big, but the housing market has a “missing middle”

DC has very little housing supply that falls between “single family home” and “large apartment complex.” These missing housing types could make it possible for more of the middle class to move to the urban core. One panel says the solution is more flexible zoning.  (Nena Perry-Brown / Urban Turf)

Montgomery County voting rolls are under scrutiny

A conservative election watchdog group asked Montgomery County to investigate its voter rolls after finding that the county has more registered voters than eligible residents. The county has started the investigation, but says the discrepancy was likely just due to normal delays in updating voter rolls after people have moved.  (Andrew Metcalf / Bethesda Beat)

Buses aren’t a trend, they’re a vital method of transportation

A new interest in buses may be driven by riders switching away from Metro, or as a side effect of the ride-hailing boom, but buses have always been an important method of transportation, especially for less wealthy city dwellers.  (Adam Peck / Think Progress)