Here's our roundup of this week's must-read posts

Callery pear trees begin blooming about one week before the famed Yoshino trees. But the pear blooms offer unpleasant smells, the branches provide very little shade, and an invasive variety of the tree is spreading across the region.

Richmond and its neighbors are rethinking the role public transit can play in spurring economic growth, housing development, and job access. Speaking of transit, there is a growing list of transit systems adopting zero-fare, low-fare, and other similar policies, and the Washington region is no exception.

Maryland, like many other places, is navigating a housing crisis. And while inclusionary zoning policies can do many things, guest contributor Tom Coale argues IZ should be viewed for what it is — a mechanism for integrating new development — not a tool to generate enough affordable housing in the state to meet the communities’ needs.

Finally, a look at the emerging pro-housing movement in the US.

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Invasive pear trees are reshaping the region’s landscape
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by Payton Chung (Board of Directors) • April 6, 2022

Hot on the heels of the Tidal Basin cherry trees' peak bloom, a more widespread blossoming is lining DC’s roadsides with puffy white blooms.
Chesterfield County, to Richmond’s south, is planning to launch its second-ever local bus route
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by Wyatt Gordon (Contributor) • April 4, 2022

A second big bus route expansion may soon be coming to Richmond’s southern surrounding county.
Public transit as a public good: Three local approaches to fare-free transit
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by Ron Thompson (Policy Officer) • April 7, 2022

See how fare-free transit is taking root in the region.
Why betting solely on inclusionary zoning to create affordable housing in Maryland is a losing proposition
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by Tom Coale (Guest Contributor) • April 5, 2022

Op-ed: Maryland urgently needs more affordable housing. But can inclusionary zoning policies alone fulfill that need?
The rapid rise of pro-housing groups in the US
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by Jenny Schuetz (Brookings ), Cassidy Pearson (Brookings ) • April 8, 2022

A growing number of pro-housing groups, many focused on local politics, are popping up across the country.

JOB POSTING: Freelance with GGWash
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Calling all freelancers! Are you a writer interested in exploring how decisions about land use, transportation, and housing shape the world we live in? GGWash is expanding paid writing opportunities for the GGWash publication. We are looking for pitches for explainers, features, historical pieces, and news articles about transportation, housing, land use, and sustainability in the Washington region.


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