Morning links: Dealing with delays

by Eric Fidler • June 30, 2011 9:43 am

Photo by thecourtyard on Flickr.

Streetcars delayed a year, but streetscape done: The H Street streetcars, which were supposed to start running next year, won't run until late 2013. DDOT's original construction timeline might have been unrealistic. (WTOP)

The delay doesn't mean disruptions all along H Street will continue, though; that construction has now ended, and there's a celebratory event at 10 am at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

DC supports red light cameras: IIHS polled drivers in 15 cities with red light cameras, and found strong majorities in all but Long Beach, CA. DC had the strongest support, with 78% approving of the cameras. (WTOP)

Mayor wants more police: Mayor Gray wants to use unexpected tax revenue to hire more police. Meanwhile, the council is questioning reimbursement rates for a medical contract that happens to go to one of DC's biggest political donors. (Post, City Paper)

All bets may be off: The DC Council is questioning the online gambling program it passed with little scrutiny as part of the budget. Both Michael Brown and Jack Evans have potential conflicts of interest on the issue. Defending his actions because others do the same, Brown says "that's the world we live in." (Post, WAMU)

BZA might reread library plans: DC's Board of Zoning Adjustment, with its new member, may block the expansion of the Mt. Pleasant Library. DCPL is expected to take the board to court if that happens. (City Paper)

How about affordable housing?: Fairfax County has cuts its affordable housing spending and is behind on its goals for 2020. (Post) ... Some Montgomery officials are concerned that zoning changes don't give high enough priority to that county's affordable housing program. (Gazette, Stephen Miller)

PG mulls liquor regulations: The county's liquor board heard a litany of worries about home deliveries of alcohol to college students, the aesthetics of liquor store signs, and the image of the county. (Post)

A park for a school: Rather than busing their children 3 hours to a temporary school during construction, parents at Farquhar Middle School in Olney want the new school built on a neighboring park. When the new school is finished, the old school would become the new park. (TBD)

And...: The dead can vote (sorta) in Virginia starting Friday. (AP) ... A Solar Decathlon house will go to Habitat for Humanity. (TBD) ... Leslie Johnson will likely plead guilty today to corruption-related charges. (Post)

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Eric Fidler has lived in DC and suburban Maryland his entire life. He likes long walks along the Potomac and considers the L'Enfant Plan an elegant work of art. He also blogs at Left for LeDroit, LeDroit Park's (only) blog of record.

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Brown says "that's the world we live in."

That Michael Brown, what a paragon of good government.

Oh wait, what I meant to say was, "What a joke."

by Geoffrey Hatchard on Jun 30, 2011 10:23 am • link • report

That Post editorial on Fairfax affordable housing is way too one sided. Granted, they link to an article that notes Fairfax's homelessness success but that's totally buried in the overall message of the piece which is way too negative. Experts in homelessness such as the National Alliance to End Homelessness have this to say about Fairfax/Falls Church:

“Fairfax is not just doing good work and trying to end family homelessness,” said Pete Witte of the NAEH, “they’re having good outcomes. And that’s fairly unusual, to see all the pieces come together. They have been one of the more impressive communities.”

In addition, the regional Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers last month gave Fairfax’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness an award for “Best Government Housing Initiative,” for its work.

“Fairfax County is the most progressive place,” Snyder said, “as far as committing resources and solving the problem of homelessness in their community. Other places, you don’t see the same type of business engagement, the Office to End Homelessness. They’ve been very effective.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fairfax-county-reduced-homelessness-by-16-percent-during-recession/2011/06/17/AGFHu2bH_story.html

by Falls Church on Jun 30, 2011 11:36 am • link • report

The county's liquor board heard a litany of worries about home deliveries of alcohol to college students

Oh, the horror of people buying legal goods and having them delivered to their door! Need. To. Stop. Immediately!

Let's see how stupid this line is, if we change some words for equivalent words:

... heard a litany of worries about home deliveries of ~~alcohol~~ flowers to ~~college students~~ the elderly.

[I'm outta here, can't handle the insanity anymore. Happy 4th]

by Jasper on Jun 30, 2011 12:03 pm • link • report

To get the H St. streetcar through, there needs to be much more substantial pressure from the public. How can we use the GGW forum to do that?

by Gonzo on Jun 30, 2011 12:19 pm • link • report

Thanks for showing a pic of the streetcar tracks on Benning Road. A lot of people forget the tracks go all the way to the Anacostia, servicing Rosedale, Kingman Park, & Carver Langston in addition to H Street.

by East_H on Jun 30, 2011 12:27 pm • link • report