There's a surprising amount of vacancies and blight in the nation's capital, and District officials aren't doing everything in their power to address the challenge.
"The District could be losing millions in revenue from taxes and fines every year because of its failure to crack down on vacant and blighted properties," reports Peter Jamison.
That news come via a D.C. auditor's report released this week on the enforcement performance of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). "D.C. Auditor Kathleen Patterson, found that the city agency in charge of code enforcement did not strictly regulate unoccupied or derelict buildings, and frequently granted exemptions from those rules that did not appear to be justified," according to Jamison. The article includes a lot more of the detail of the auditor's report, and the causes and consequences of the DCRA's performance.
Add the problems at DCRA with the District's ongoing problem of "how to deal with decrepit buildings owned by foreign governments in the nation’s capital." A separate article by Jenna Portnoy details that only-in-D.C. blight challenge.
FULL STORY: cs D.C. failing to crack down on abandoned buildings, report finds
$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit
Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.
Detroit Continues Demolition Program After Lead Risks Revealed
The city of Detroit said it would halt a demolition program after a report revealed the amount of lead released by demolitions into the environment, risking the health of children and other local residents.
Demolitions Can't Keep Pace With Vacancies in Baltimore
As the city of Baltimore grapples with a declining population, it faces obstinate challenges in controlling the problems associated with vacant buildings, including the "vicious cycle" of vacancies causing more vacancies.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
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San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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