Breakfast links: DC’s $1 billion affordable housing fund is plagued by “chronic mismanagement”
Image by Rich Renomeron licensed under Creative Commons.
An audit revealed major flaws in the DC Housing Preservation Trust Fund
An audit by city oversight officials found problems with the DC Housing Preservation Trust Fund at nearly every level. For instance, some projects that received money did not meet affordability benchmarks, and many loans will be hard or impossible to collect. (Morgan Baskin / City Paper)
A marathon Comprehensive Plan hearing drew a record number to testify
The DC Council heard almost 13 hours of testimony on proposed amendments to the Comp Plan. Some want to make it easier to build housing across the city, but are worried about the threat of displacement from high-end development. Others flat-out opposed the bill. (Fenit Nirappil / Post)
Days before the March for Our Lives, another school shooting happens in Maryland
A student opened fire at Great Mills High School in St. Mary's County in southern Maryland, and two students were hospitalized. The March for Our Lives, a major anti-gun violence protest, was already planned this Saturday on the National Mall in DC. (Chris Chester / WAMU)
A new map shows where DC spent money on affordable housing
The city government released a map showing where the DC Housing Production Trust fund created or preserved affordable housing units between 2001 and 2016. The dramatic lack of new affordable housing west of Rock Creek part is very clear. (Michelle Goldchain / Curbed)
Local cabs are trying out app-based ride hailing
Red Top Cab of Arlington has joined the app Riide, which offers functions like pricing and vehicle tracking. It's an effort to retain customers being wooed by the sleek user experience of Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing companies. (Bridget Reed Morawski / ARLnow)
The Capital Crescent trail needs a new tunnel for the Purple Line
There's a trail under Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, but the existing tunnel isn't large enough to accommodate the Purple Line. Montgomery County now has to choose from three proposed plans for a new tunnel for trail users. (Andrew Metcalf / Bethesda Beat)
DC is still growing, but perhaps not as quickly as before
DC's population has grown for 12 years straight, and since 2005 it's gone up by more than 10,000 people per year. In 2017, DC added 9,636 people — the slowest annual growth in nine years — because fewer people moved into the city. (Stephen Swaim / District Measured)
Trayon White made “Rothschild” comments more than once
Ward 8 councilmember Trayon White made reference to the Rothschild's control of the climate, the economy, the government, and UDC at a February meeting of city officials. White has apologized for his comments and met with local Jewish leaders. (Fenit Nirappil and Paul Schwartzman / Post)
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