Breakfast links: A win-win for Metro and affordable housing in Alexandria?
Image by m01229 licensed under Creative Commons.
Alexandria activists want to place affordable housing atop Metro stations
An Alexandria nonprofit proposed that WMATA sell some of the land it owns in the city to developers willing to put up affordable units. They say it will get the transit system quick cash and Alexandria much needed affordable housing. (Sasha-Ann Simons / WAMU)
The private street sale that made big news in San Francisco happened in Georgetown too
San Francisco isn't the only place where a private citizen has bought up an entire street. In Georgetown, one individual bought an entire alley parcel by parcel. However, Georgetown zoning and preservation laws and the DC Superior Court countered any plan to monetize the space. (Georgetown Metropolitan)
Where are DC’s “heat islands” during the summer?
Temperature can vary in DC by neighborhood. The hottest zones or “heat islands” are areas without greenery and with lots of reflective material like asphalt, while the coolest are filled with trees. (Randy Smith / DC Policy Center)
Arlington’s “driverless” car is conducting a real social study with a fake car seat
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute confessed to being behind the driver dressed as a car seat cruising around Arlington. The car is part of a “ghost driver” experiment testing human response to automated vehicles, without a real automated vehicle. (Andrew Small / CityLab)
Maryland is considering a plan to offer public campaign funds for state elections
A proposed bill in Maryland would allow each county to opt in to offering public funding for candidates in local elections. It's a popular position, but one which would require careful legal maneuvering. Montgomery and Howard counties already have their own public financing systems. (Rachel Siegel / Post)
Campaign donations to the DC Attorney General broke legal limits
Attorney General Karl Racine, a proponent of government ethics, accepted $3,500 in campaign contributions that exceeded legal donor limits. He and his office have apologized and returned the money. (Peter Jamison / Post)
DC will continue to provide grants for immigration aid
Mayor Bowser renewed a DC grant program offered to lawyers and nonprofits that funds legal clinics, educational workshops, representation, and court cases for immigrants fearing deportation or trying to navigating the justice system. (Rachel Sadon / DCist)
Governor Hogan wants to dredge a dam to save the Bay
The Conowingo Dam reservoir at the mouth of the Susquehanna river is full of sediment and upstream pollution. Governor Larry Hogan wants to dredge some of the sediment from the reservoir in order to keep it from spilling into the Chesapeake Bay. (WTOP)
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