Breakfast links: Combat food deserts by banning no-grocery agreements
Image by Mike Maguire licensed under Creative Commons.
The DC Council passes legislation to combat food deserts
When a Safeway grocery store was closing in the Palisades, the company wanted to place a covenant on the land blocking future grocery stores on that site. A new bill unanimously passed by the DC Council would prohibit such no-grocery covenants. (Michelle Goldchain / City Paper)
Capital Bikeshare opens in Prince George’s County next week
On May 18, five bikeshare stations with about 50 bikes will start serving part of the county along the Route 1 corridor in Mount Rainier, Riverdale Park and Largo. The county hopes to expand bikeshare further by adding more than 60 new stations. (Luz Lazo / Post)
Potomac Yard Metro station plans will eliminate an entrance
Alexandria's City Manager announced major cutbacks to the planned Potomac Yard Metro station, including the removal of the southern entrance at Glebe road and a reduction of bike/walking trail improvements. (Alexandria Times)
Advocates are suing Ben Carson after HUD suspended an anti-segregation rule
A group of plaintiffs are suing Carson, saying that HUD acted without proper notice and authority when it suddenly abandoned the requirement that locales which receive federal housing money have to create plans to combat segregation in public housing. (Afro)
There are fewer individuals and families experiencing homelessness in DC
This year's one-day count saw a 7% decrease in people in shelters and a 19% drop in families experiencing homelessness, but there are still more than 6,900 people experiencing homelessness in DC. Officials say the decline is evidence of policy improvements taking effect. (Martin Austermuhle / WAMU)
DC Councilmember Jack Evans is under ethics scrutiny
DC's government ethics board is investigating Jack Evans for payments totaling $50,000 he received, and later returned, from a company trying to install digital signs in DC. Evans said that the payments were part of a former business relationship. (Peter Jamison and Fenit Nirappil / Post)
I-95 is considering using a mile-based toll for drivers
The I-95 Corridor Coalition and Delaware's transportation department are running a small pilot to study whether they should implement a tax based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) rather than use the existing gas tax. (Max Smith / WTOP)
One housing solution: a $30 per night boardinghouse run through AirBnB
With housing too expensive for many in DC, a new solution has emerged: a long-term hostel that people book for $30 a day with AirBnB, located near the Potomac Avenue Metro. (Ellen McCarthy / Post)
Vienna approves a smaller versions of a mixed-use development
The Vienna Town Council approved a development with 44 townhomes and ground level retail on Maple Avenue and Pleasant Street. A larger version of the project was proposed two years ago, but wasn't able to pass after neighbors petitioned against it. (Brian Trompeter / Inside NoVA)
Have a tip for the links? Submit it here.