Here's our roundup of must-read posts from the week:
Do you take a lot of combined bus and rail trips on Metro? If so, you'll want to pay attention to this news: WMATA is eliminating that transfer fee.
We all know DC's housing affordability crisis is dire. But it turns out the District hasn't used one major tool in its belt. New legislation is attempting to fix that.
In Maryland, the tap of federal assistance for those who've struggled to pay for housing is finally turning on — but it might be too late for some.
Finally, we invite you to spend your Saturday debating something incredibly low-stakes amongst your loved ones: If you're getting dinner in the neighborhood east of the Capitol, are you dining on Capitol Hill or in Capitol Hill?
By Caitlin Rogger (Deputy Director) • June 21, 2021
Earlier this month, WMATA’s Board approved the elimination of the transfer penalty for riders switching from rail to bus, amid a slew of service improvements and fare reductions.
By Will Schick (Street Sense Media) • June 22, 2021
It’s been more than a decade since DC lawmakers sought to add the District Opportunity to Purchase Act as a new tool to preserve affordable housing in the city. But the resulting program has languished ever since, prompting the DC Council to approve legislative fixes last week to facilitate a role for the DC government in purchasing rental buildings and protecting tenants who might otherwise be displaced.
Federal rental assistance is finally flowing in Maryland, but it won’t help as many tenants as it should, the author argues. For one, rental assistance is coming just as other federal and state protections are being rescinded. Also, programs that distribute the money don’t do enough to protect holdover tenants — renters whose leases lapsed during the pandemic.
By Libby Solomon (Writer and Editor) • June 23, 2021
Plenty of DC residents know someone who works on Capitol Hill — and in the context of Congress, the “on” isn’t in doubt. But when that person walks east to the nearby neighborhood of colorful rowhouses for a drink after work… are they spending the evening in Capitol Hill or on Capitol Hill?
