I think this article describes the origins of the mortgage crisis as good as any, and outlines the drawbacks of any bailout. However, I’m interested in the root of the problem. What can we do to minimize the number of foreclosures to begin with? First, a bit on where we are. Although hard facts are […]
The D.C. Urban Blogosphere Revisited
Since my original post on the topic way back in 2006, the D.C. urban and real estate blogosphere has evolved somewhat. However, only recently were there enough changes to convince me the topic deserved to be revisited.
Does Washington Need a Planning Commission?
D.C. lacks a central body to review new construction and oversee the implementation of a city plan. Does it need one? If not, exactly who’s overseeing the planning anyhow?
Read about the alphabet soup reviewing new buildings in Washington, and two opposing viewpoints about whether the city needs a dedicated planning commission.
Free Your Data
While new websites have done a terrific job allowing people to share text, photos, and videos, one form of data that has thus far resisted the trend towards new collaborative tools is raw data. Even the best websites generally isolate data as downloadable spreadsheets, leaving it to the individual users to analyze the results and […]
Understanding the 1960s ‘Civil Disorders’
In the summer of 1967, violence broke out in African American neighborhoods in 164 American cities, including major events in Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Newark, Plainfield (N.J.), and Tampa. In April 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., violence was recorded in over 100 cities, including major events in Washington, D.C., […]
My July Planetizen Post
This month I survey the career of greek planner Constantinos Doxiadis, and ask: “Where Are the Star Planners?
Rapid Bus Service Starts on Georgia Avenue
Today marks the end of the second week of service of WMATA’s new Metro Extra line on Georgia Avenue. To my knowledge the project is the second Bus Rapid Transit line developed in the region, and the first express bus to operate almost exclusively inside the District. The service, officially Metro Extra Route 79, currently […]