WASHINGTON DC — In view of the report by Acting General Manager Jack Requa yesterday regarding WMATA’s significant failures with regard to rail track repair that led to the recent derailment, the Coalition for Smarter Growth calls again for unified action by our elected officials and priority hiring of a General Manager who is an experienced and successful manager, a transit system veteran, and above all, a leader who can build morale and personal commitment among staff, demand and generate top performance, and create a culture of safety, positive customer service, and pride.
Author: acustis
STATEMENT: Governor Hogan’s Purple Line announcement
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND — Following Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s decision to move forward with the Purple Line, Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz issued the following statement:
TOUR: Gaithersburg – from transit-oriented history to transit-oriented future
Join us on a visit to historic downtown Gaithersburg where we’ll learn about its past, examine its progress towards a walkable downtown, and explore the community’s and town’s visions for a bright, transit-oriented future.
RELEASE: Housing advocates commend DC Council resolution urging action to expand affordable housing production through Inclusionary Zoning
Today, housing advocates applauded nine DC Councilmembers for introducing a resolution encouraging the DC Zoning Commission and Mayor Bowser to strengthen a promising market-based affordable housing program. At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, along with eight of her colleagues, introduced the resolution. The measure encourages the Zoning Commission and Mayor Bowser to act to strengthen the city’s Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) program, which sets aside a certain number of permanently-affordable units in most new residential construction.
Testimony to WMATA Board of Directors regarding Takoma Development
We ask that the WMATA board approve the Takoma amended joint development agreement and public hearing. We support the proposed revised joint development agreement with EYA to construct at least 208 housing units in a mid-rise apartment building. This new proposal addresses key concerns of
opponents of the previous plan – including the preservation of a large open space in front of the station. The plan will add bus capacity, enhance pedestrian pathways, and bring drop off and disabled parking close to the elevator entrance.
Purple and Red Line Join Forces in Annapolis for Transit Night
Annapolis, MD – Over 150 community members, business leaders, and elected officials gathered in support of the Purple and Red Lines in Annapolis Monday night to call on legislators to keep fighting for the two transit projects, both of which are nearly ready to begin construction and create jobs for Maryland residents. With delays from the Hogan administration posing a threat to nearly $2 billion in federal funding for the two projects combined, a broad coalition of business, community, and elected were united in their message to legislators and the Governor that neither delay nor cancellation of these critical projects is acceptable.
Fact sheet: Maryland state highway walking and biking safety bills
Between 2003 and 2012, 5,799 people total were killed in traffic-related crashes in Maryland, 1,067 of them while walking. Such preventable, needless tragedies indicate a need for renewed focus on safety for everyone utilizing Maryland’s roadways. As driving continues to decline in Maryland, and walking, cycling, and transit usage rises, there is an urgent need to address the safety of all Maryland traveler
STATEMENT: Praise to Governor Hogan for keeping jobs-creating Purple Line on track
MARYLAND — Reports today indicate that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has initially retained state funding for the long-planned for Purple Line in his first state budget. Based on those reports, Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz applauded the decision in the following statement: “We were pleased to see that both Purple Line and Red Line funding remaining in Governor Hogan’s first Maryland budget. The Purple Line is a good deal for Maryland, good for jobs, good for the economy and good for commuters.
Letter to DC Zoning Commission opposing downzoning to prevent popups
RE: Opinion on Case No. 14-11 (Office of Planning–Text Amendments to Chapters 1 & 4: Definition of Mezzanine and R-4 Zones) CSG agrees with the intent of the Office of Planning’s (OP) proposed amendment to ensure compatibility of new development with existing development in R-4 neighborhoods. However, upon review of the proposal we believe that certain modifications would help to better align the amendment with this intent. Further, in a time when strong demand to live in the city is leasing to increased housing prices, we are
concerned that this proposal could have the adverse effect of constricting housing…
RELEASE: DC housing advocates call on Mayor Bowser to start tenure with important move to increase affordable housing
EMBARGOED until 9:00AM
January 7, 2015
Contact: Cheryl Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth
O 202-676-0016 x 122
M 202-251-7516
E Cheryl@smartergrowth.net
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, DC housing advocates called on Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Zoning Commission to strengthen Inclusionary Zoning, an affordable housing program that requires lower priced units to be produced as a part of most new developments.
The groups released a letter (PDF) calling for lowering income targeting to better serve low and moderate income households who are priced out of DC’s ever more expensive housing market. The groups noted that a strong Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) program is an important part of a robust set of tools to address DC’s growing affordable housing crisis. Among the organizations calling for improving DC’s IZ program are: Coalition for Smarter Growth, Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Jews United for Justice, City First Homes, PolicyLink and Somerset Development.
“This policy has great potential to help address the needs of working people who are priced out of the District of Columbia. Now is the time to strengthen Inclusionary Zoning to ensure it is a more effective tool to make living in DC within reach for moderate and low income workers,” said Joslyn Williams, president of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO.
After years of delay, the housing program is beginning to produce hundreds of units. Given that DC is even less affordable than it was when the policy was established in 2006, the housing activists urged the Zoning Commission to revise the policy to ensure that it is meeting the city’s growing need for more affordable housing.
For more than a year, the Zoning Commission and the Mayor Gray administration had expressed their intent to revise the policy, but have delayed any action. The groups urged the city to act now, citing the recent report by the Urban Institute reviewing the DC IZ program performance to date, and its recommendations for improvements.
“DC’s Inclusionary Zoning affordable housing program is fundamentally sound but needs to be strengthened. Most importantly, we need to create more homes at lower income levels through this policy to better meet the needs of city residents facing the greatest housing challenges,” said Cheryl Cort, Policy Director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and a founding member of the Campaign for Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, the group that won the original policy in 2006.
In a letter submitted to the Zoning Commission and Mayor Bowser, the advocates asked that the Zoning Commission act to strengthen the Inclusionary Zoning program to ensure it can best achieve its goal to create a mix of low and moderate income affordable housing throughout the District. Citing a continued strong housing market, rising prices, and stagnant and falling incomes, the group asked for several changes to the current policy. These proposed changes include: lowering the income limits for moderate income IZ units, increasing the share of low income units produced, increasing the total percentage of IZ units required, and ensuring bonus density is available to provide compensation for the cost of the affordable units.
“DC’s Inclusionary Zoning program is on the right track, but needs to be improved to ensure we are reaching those who most need the help,” said Jacob Feinspan, Executive Director, Jews United for Justice.
The letter submitted to the DC Zoning Commission and Mayor Bowser, was signed by:
Cheryl Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth
Joslyn N. Williams, President, Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO
Ed Lazere, DC Fiscal Policy Institute
Jacob Feinspan, Jews United for Justice
Angie Rodgers, People’s Consulting
Jim Steck, City First Homes
Jim Campbell, Somerset Development
Tad Baldwin, retired housing developer
Kalima Rose, PolicyLink
About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.
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