The Washington D.C. Zoning Commission is considering a proposal to limit the ability to convert or expand rowhouses. The proposed ordinance has provoked controversy about the effect of the law for the city's supply of housing.
"Sixty-six people have written to the Zoning Commission about a proposal that would substantially limit property owners' ability to expand rowhouses or convert them into condos," reports Aaron Wiener. "The overwhelming majority of the letter-writers, 52 of them, support the proposal. But among the 14 dissenters is an influential voice: the former boss of the office that hatched this plan."
Wiener refers to Harriet Tregoning, now with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development after leading the Washington D.C. Office of Planning under mayors Adrian Fenty and Vince Gray.
During her time as head planner, Tregoning pushed for policy that runs counter to the current proposal. Namely, the current proposal, crafted in response to a proliferation of "pop-ups," "would restrict the addition of extra stories, or pop-ups, on rowhouses in medium-density R-4 zones, and the conversion of these rowhouses to multiple units." The current proposal was released in June, a few months after Tregoning left for the federal government.
According to Wiener, "[the] Office of Planning's Jennifer Steingasser testified last week that the proposal would help preserve affordable housing for families, rather than let it be converted to condos for singles or couples. But Tregoning, in her letter to the Zoning Commission, disagrees."
In Tregoning's own words, as quoted by the article: "I am somewhat puzzled by the proposition that we can increase affordability by decreasing the supply of potential housing units….Restricting the number of units just limits the housing supply in some of the most central and transit- and amenity-supplied neighborhoods of the city."
FULL STORY: The Former Head of D.C.’s Planning Office Opposes the Office’s New Rowhouse Zoning Plan

Downtown Los Angeles Park Wins National Award
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA, has won the ASLA 2023 Landmark Award. Completed in 2008, Vista Hermosa was the first public park built in downtown L.A. in over 100 years.

Norman, Oklahoma Eliminates Parking Mandates
The city made a subtle, one-word change that frees up developers to build parking based on actual need and eliminates costly unnecessary parking.

Boston Transit Riders Report Safety Concerns
Almost three-quarters of current and former riders report feeling unsafe while using MBTA services.

Nashville Opens First Permanent Parklet
The city recently created a parklet permit process designed to help local businesses replace street parking with interactive public spaces.

When it Comes to Transportation, It’s All About Options
Debunking the notion of the personal automobile as liberator.

Prioritizing Equity in Federal Transit Funding
TransitCenter recommends several transit capital projects deserving of federal transportation dollars.
City of Grand Junction Police Department
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Code Studio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Montrose County
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.