By Alex Baca (Housing Program Organizer) • July 14, 2020
Several candidates are vying for Councilmember David Grosso’s soon-to-be-former at-large seat in the November 3 general election. As part of GGWash’s endorsement process for the non-Democratic at-large seat, our elections committee emailed our questionnaire, addressing urbanist issues. Here’s what candidates had to say about housing.
The National Park Service, which operates Beach Drive, confirmed to the DC Council that the road will stay closed to cars until the city eventually arrives at Phase Four of reopening. Without cars, Beach Drive allows for safer walking and biking in Rock Creek Park. (Nathan Diller / DCist)
The Maryland State Education Association, the Baltimore Teachers Union, and the Maryland PTA sent a letter to Governor Lawrence Hogan calling for a remote school year in the fall. In Montgomery County, which plans to begin the school year virtually, 42% of parents but only 25% of teachers supported in-person classes. (Dan Friedell / WTOP, Caitlynn Peetz / Bethesda Beat)
Nearly 75% of reported COVID-19 infections in June in Montgomery County were among Latinx residents, who make up only about 20% of the county’s total population. Some residents said they struggled to even find Spanish language information about testing and aid programs in the county. (Rachel Chason / Post)
Governor Ralph Northam said that the state would do more surprise inspections to ensure businesses were enforcing face-covering rules as Virginia is currently seeing another spike in COVID-19 cases. (Daniella Cheslow / DCist)
Arlington Superintendent Francisco Durán announced that he would present a fully remote learning plan with schools opening September 8th to the school board this week. The superintendent had previously proposed a hybrid in-person and remote school year, but many teachers and parents opposed it. (ARL Now)
The new county Board of Supervisors is considering a proposal to create a local police department and have the sheriff’s office run county jails in order to increase oversight and transparency. Loudoun’s sheriff, an elected position, says that the office represents the people and has good review mechanisms in place. (Daniella Cheslow / DCist)
The Washington region’s median home prices were higher this past month than they were in June 2019, with Fairfax, Alexandria, and Prince George’s County showing the highest home sale prices in a decade. (Urban Turf)
