Breakfast links: Mayor Bowser proposes delaying office building emissions reductions by 3 years
1225 Connecticut Avenue, one of the first renovated buildings on the East Coast to receive LEED Platinum status as pictured in 2010 by Josh licensed under Creative Commons.
Mixed response to Mayor Bowser’s proposal to delay emissions standards on office buildings
Mayor Muriel Bowser is proposing to delay the implementation of a building emissions standard by three years. The delay, part of Bowser’s budget proposal, has been lauded by District office building owners as a way to ease their financial burdens related to the implementation. However, environmental advocates oppose the idea as office buildings are the highest carbon emitter in the District, and building owners have other ways they can claim financial hardship. (Jacob Fenston / DCist)
DCHA’s proposed housing rules draw concern from advocates and community
The DC Housing Authority will rewrite its housing program guidance in order to address the issues raised by a 2022 audit. Among the proposed changes, the waiting list will be segmented by requested unit size and certain participants will have to certify their income status regularly. Some advocates expressed concern at the vagueness of the proposal, the haste of implementation, and administrative burden on renters. (Morgan Baskin / DCist)
Prince George’s County Council members propose 2-year pause on townhouse construction outside designated transit hubs
Concerns about sprawl and access to transit have prompted Prince George’s County Council members to introduce a bill to enact a two-year pause in new townhouse construction in areas without existing infrastructure and focus construction on areas with access to transit and amenities. (John Domen / WTOP)
Opponents of MoCo’s proposed property tax argue it will create barriers to homeownership
Many residents attended the Montgomery County Council budget hearing on Tuesday to voice concerns about proposed tax increases. A proposed 10-cent real property tax increase is particularly controversial. The increase would generate $220 million in revenue for education, and opponents believe it will raise barriers to homeownership. (MoCo360 / Ginny Bixby)
Construction on more than 500 affordable housing units will begin near Spring Hill Metro this year
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority will issue up to $99 million in bonds to support construction of the Dominion Square project, an all-affordable housing complex near the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons. All 516 units will be priced at rates affordable to residents earning between 30 and 60% of the area’s median income. (Angela Woolsey / FFXNow)
DC-Montgomery County collaboration to revitalize Friendship Heights moves forward
Montgomery County councilmembers voted unanimously to establish an urban district in Friendship Heights on the Maryland side. The urban district would be able to establish a nonprofit to generate funding and programming for the area. The DC Council is also considering a bill to create a corresponding business improvement district on the DC side of the neighborhood. (Maryam Shahzad / Montgomery Community Media)
Fairfax Connector rides will be free to kids starting this May
Starting this May, all children under the age of 12 will be able to ride the Fairfax Connector for free. The change is part of an ongoing effort to increase how many residents are eligible for fare-free transit in the county. (Vernon Miles / FFXNow)
Operator improperly operating Metrorail train no longer with WMATA
WMATA announced Tuesday that a Metrorail operator found operating the automatic train control function improperly was let go from the agency. An investigation of the operator’s activity by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission found that the operator was using the automatic train control feature to eat a meal while operating the train, which is an additional violation of policy. (Justin George / Post)
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