By Alex Baca (Housing Program Organizer) • May 26, 2020
Housing and land-use policy have lasting impacts on how the built environment works. Even mere rhetoric around them functions on a longer timescale than the immediate response required in a crisis moment, to say nothing of plans and laws, which stay on the books for decades. As municipalities design reopenings and recoveries, they should be proactive, not reactive.
By Christina Sturdivant Sani (Contributor) • May 26, 2020
Find out how the pandemic has intensified urban environmental justice issues. Get tips on recovering from a crisis Learn about how the current pandemic and transportation intersect in Tysons, and more in this week’s urbanist events.
While we do have a few options for adult play, they have limitations. Public playgrounds, however, are usually more accessible, free, and open to the public. So if more playgrounds were intentionally designed for all ages, we would expand who can benefit from them while providing new opportunities for how we design and use public space.
Amtrak has seen a 95% drop in ridership and expects a 50% ridership decrease through 2021. It has already reduced and suspended some service, but in order to maintain operations Amtrak says it will need an additional $1.5 billion in federal aid on top of the stimulus money it has already received. (Luz Lazo / Post)
Governor Northam announced that Northern Virginia jurisdictions will reopen like the rest of the state starting Friday after meeting the majority of the reopening benchmarks. He also said that Virginians must now wear masks in public places, with exceptions for eating, drinking, and exercising. (Drew Hansen / Business Journal)
Barring another last-minute spike in cases, Mayor Bowser is expected to announce that DC can enter Phase One of reopening this Friday, and may announce more details about further reopening. The city has been waiting for a 14-day decline in community spread of COVID-19 to lift emergency measures. (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)
Maryland is sending ballots to all voters in order to reduce the need for in-person voting, but 336,000 ballots in Baltimore City and 670,000 in Montgomery County were mailed out late. The state says that after the June 2 primary it will conduct an audit of its ballot vendor. (Jenna Portnoy / Post)
A report from the DC Chief Financial Officer found that renters using the city’s affordable housing funds stayed in their units for an average of 4.3 years, while market rate renters who make over $75,000 a year stayed for an average of 2.9 years. (Nena Perry-Brown / Urban Turf)
The county board authorized a fast-track temporary outdoor seating permit process as Arlington looks to reopen outdoor-only dining so restaurants and cafes can quickly apply for and add tables on sidewalks, in parking lots, or in on-street parking spots. (ARL Now)
Senators and Congress members representing the Washington region wrote a letter to the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior aking them to cancel plans for another July 4th military parade because of the pandemic and the costs. (Mitchell Miller / WTOP)
Rock Creek Park was the site of a Confederate invasion in 1864 and almost became the country’s first ever national park in 1867. It has served as an escape for Washingtonians who need to spend time in nature since the 1800s until today. (Dustin Renwick / DCist)
