By Seema Thomas (Guest Contributor) • August 7, 2020
With the coronavirus, the District is facing an unprecedented health crisis that is further compounded by contentious national discourse about how cities can gingerly reopen. Once COVID-19 subsides, DC and other cities will also need to rethink how they envision urban areas so that residents, workers, and visitors can thrive in them.
In Berlin, cemeteries are being converted to parks, playgrounds, and housing. This reprioritizing reflects a change in attitude among some Berliners who see their city shrinking as its population increases—without the housing or recreation space to match. It also coincides with a decrease in conventional casket-in-ground burials, as cremations become more popular.
By Kimberly Bender (Guest Contributor) • August 8, 2020
By now, most Washingtonians have heard of Swampoodle, the historic Irish neighborhood that was destroyed by the construction of Union Station. But what about The Island? Pipetown? Bloody Hill? These were all names of Washington, DC neighborhoods during the decades of the 1800s following the end of the Civil War.
Urban planners call for a planning organization to support defunding of police. A new report lays out a plan to rethink safety and speed on urban streets. San Francisco tries modular apartment buildings, and more in this week’s National links.
By Jane Lyons (Guest Contributor) • August 7, 2020
On July 30, the Montgomery Planning Board voted on a new growth policy known as the Subdivision Staging Policy. If approved by the County Council, the county would — with one exception — no longer ban new housing in areas with overcrowded schools. This shift would pave the way for more housing, especially near transit.
A historic drop in transit ridership and a sudden shift to teleworking thanks to the pandemic have caused an unprecedented level of financial hardships for transit systems across the US. How these system recovered will depend on the availability of aid from the federal government and to what extent telework continues after the pandemic. (Robert McCartney / Post)
A new plan from the Maryland Board of Elections would reduce the number polling places from 1,800 to the state’s 282 public high schools and 79 early voting locations. However, voters would have the option of going to any polling place to cast a ballot. (Dominique Maria Bonessi / DCist)
Virginia reported 2,015 new COVID-19 cases last Friday, although this is largely due to a backlog of cases. Overall, the state’s positivity rate stands at 7.6%, with rates in places like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, and Loudoun County at 5.6% or below. (Matt Blitz / DCist)
A project consisting of co-living units is in the works for Shannon Place SE in Anacostia. Each unit will consist of several bedrooms that share amenities such as kitchens and living areas. The bedrooms will be furnished and offered at monthly rates. (Nena Perry-Brown / UrbanTurf)
The COVID-19 pandemic means the self-response rate among DC residents is lower compared to previous years. This is on top of the fact that communities of color and low-income communities are already under-counted. (Nathan Diller / DCist)
Montgomery County’s top health official rescinded a second order mandating that nonpublic schools in the county remain closed following a week of intervention by the state and involvement by a member of Congress. Instead, the county has issued a health directive that advises schools to stay closed. (Brianna Adhikusuma / Bethesda Beat)
