The century-old rule has shaped the District’s iconic horizontal skyline, but some Council members say it need revision in light of the region’s growing housing crisis.

The height limit that has long dominated the development of Washington, D.C.’s skyline is coming into question as District leaders seek to bring more housing units and residents to the central core as part of Mayor Bowser’s Comeback Plan. “A key goal of this plan is to ‘add 15,000 residents to the Downtown population by adding seven million square feet of residential units,’” writes Luke Garrett for WTOP.
The Height of Buildings Act, passed in 1910, limits building heights to 90 feet on residential streets and 130 feet on commercial corridors. Now, some District Council members are calling for changes to the century-old act as part of efforts to revitalize the city and adapt to changing housing and office space needs. “The District needs to address its affordable housing crisis through more density, so the Height Act should be on the table for negotiation as a way to increase density and housing units,” said Council member Zachary Parker.
Opponents of changing the Height Act say the District’s flat skyline is a “unique and defining characteristic.” Others call proposed changes to the Height Act a red herring, with Council member Brianne Nadeau saying that “We could double the amount of housing in the city right now if we updated the zoning code, even with the Height Act in place.”
FULL STORY: Why DC’s Height Act may fall this time

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie