How the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad and the Penn Line shaped our suburbs

By DW Rowlands (Contributor) • August 10, 2020

Much of DC beyond the original L’Enfant city and Georgetown consists of “streetcar suburbs,” namely late-19th and early-20th Century communities that grew up around streetcar lines. This week we’re digging into the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad and the Penn Line.

Events: How does the public bus system move Black people?

By Christina Sturdivant Sani (Contributor) • August 10, 2020

How does the public bus system move Black people? Reimagining urban planning. Discovering smart cities, and more in this week’s urbanist events. 

Breakfast links: Nearly half of DC and Maryland renters are rent-burdened

By Tom Neeley (Contributor) • August 11, 2020

DC and MD rank among top areas in need of federal assistance

A new study by the Urban Institute found that about 48% of DC renters are rent-burdened, 1 in 4 non-white renters in DC proper deferred or missed paying rent, and 7.4% of homeowners have delinquent mortgage payments. The same study found in Maryland, 49% of renters are rent-burdened, 34.6% of non-white renters are behind on rent, and 10.4% of homeowners are behind on payments.   (Nena Perry-Brown / Urban Turf)

The number of DC shooting victims is up 45% over last year

In the aftermath of Sunday’s mass shooting in Southeast, where four gunmen firing over 100 rounds killing a 17-year-old and hit 22 people, now at least 570 people have been shot in the District this year, an increase of 45% over the same period last year.  (Peter Hermann and Michael Brice-Saddler / Post, Will Vitka / WTOP, Jenny Gathright and Nathan Diller / DCist)

A Baltimore gas explosion kills one woman, injures 7 others

A woman died and at least seven others were injured following a major explosion in Baltimore’s Reisterstown Station neighborhood on Monday morning, which destroyed multiple homes. The exact cause is under investigation.  (Lillian Reed, Colin Campbell, McKenna Oxenden, and Justin Fento / Baltimore Sun)

After a spike, the region’s coronavirus numbers level off

The number of new coronavirus cases across DC, Maryland, and Virginia has for the most part been below 2,000 per day so far in August, which is below July’s daily case count of 2,700.  (Colleen Grablick / DCist)

Northern Virginia to get $3 million for affordable housing

As part of the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Congress allocated a total of $1.25 billion for rental assistance, the Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded five northern Virginia affordable housing organizations grants totaling about $3 million.  (Mikaela Lefrak / DCist)

Is the pandemic setting back those living in shelters?

By some measures, the closure and demolition DC General and opening of smaller, newer family shelters should signal progress in helping those experiencing homelessness, but the pandemic and continued economic uncertainty is standing in the way of many families looking for permanent housing.  (Petula Dvorak / Post)

Bogotá is building infrastructure for 50% of trips to occur on bikes or scooters

Bogotá Mayor Claudia López, who is also a cyclist, wants to add a 174 new miles of bike lanes to the existing 341-mile network. With 7% of current total trips on bicycles, the long-term goal is to have 50% of total trips made on bikes or other micromobility alternatives such as scooters.  (Andrea Jaramillo / Citylab)

Comment on this article