Breakfast links: Rest in peace, Jim Graham
Image by Brian Fisher licensed under Creative Commons.
Former DC Councilmember Jim Graham died on Thursday
Jim Graham, who represented Ward 1 on the DC Council from 1998 until 2015, died on Thursday due to complications with an illness. Councilmembers, news outlets, advocacy groups, and residents across the District are mourning his passing. (NBC4)
Prospects for dedicated Metro funding inch forward
Government officials from across the region all voted that Metro should have a dedicated funding source, as ours is the only subway in the country without one. There could be some real strings attached to making it happen, though. (Martin Di Caro / WAMU)
Arlington is losing affordable apartments rapidly
Arlington's apartments that are affordable not because of government rules, but simply because they're a little older and not packed with amenities, are disappearing at a staggering rate. Either their rents are going up or they're being redeveloped. (Michael Neibauer / Business Journal)
More people want to rent in Montgomery County
On top of an increase in young people, Montgomery County is seeing more folks who have decided that renting is a less burdensome option than owning a home. A third of the county's housing is rental units, which isn't enough to meet demand: over half of Montgomery's renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent. (Nena Perry-Brown / Urban Turf)
Check out the Lincoln Memorial’s underground chambers
There's an underground portion of the Lincoln Memorial, and the National Park service wants you to be able to see it. Adding windows to the chamber, plus more bathrooms and bigger doors to make the memorial easier to move around, are part of a coming renovation. (Rebecca Cooper / Business Journal)
Will automated vehicles lead to more green spaces?
Once self-driving cars arrive, says one expert, we're going to have a lot of developable land on our hands because we won't need so many parking spaces. This could mean an increase in public parks and green spaces… some of them designed by software rather than human architects. (Kriston Capps / City Lab)
10 “best value” neighborhoods… according to one evaluation
Real estate firm Trulia recently put out a list of “best value” neighborhoods in DC, using prices, commuting options, schools, and other variables to make it. Places in DC, MD, and VA all make the cut. It is, however, always worth taking outside groups' evaluations of a place with a grain of salt. (Jeff Clabaugh / WTOP, Christina Sturtivant / DCist)
Does loosening regulations on parking increase its availability?
Parking availability often defines how pedestrians use and experience streets. By increasing the price of curbside parking to actual market value and removing zoning requirements for off-street parking, cities can increase revenue and meet real consumer demand. (Stephen Miller / Streetblog)
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