Photo by Jirka Matousek on Flickr.

Welcome back

School began in DC and Maryland on Monday. DCPS enrollment has increased steadily since 2008, though charter school enrollment has increased at nearly 5 times the pace. (City Paper)  

Catania against school reassignment

David Catania vows to delay implementation of school boundary changes until at least 2016. He argues that the plan moves students to lower performing schools without support for school improvement. (City Paper)  

Silver linings

Ridership is down 6% on Fairfax Connector compared to last August. But Fairfax Metrorail boardings are up 28% and park-and-ride usage is up 15%, suggesting a shift toward the Silver line rather than a decline in public transit use. (Post)  

Driverless in DC

Driverless cars are often touted as the future, but how does one handle DC-area streets? While some features could come to cars in a few years, a completely automated car is probably a decade or so away. (Post)  

Tree removal tiff

Pepco wants to remove several 100-year-old trees from private properties in Potomac, citing an agreement made with the city in the 1950s.  Residents are fighting it, but Pepco says it’s necessary to maintain reliable service. (Gazette.net)  

Tiny homes in DC

Proposed zoning regulations to limit camping in alleys threaten three tiny homes on trailers in Edgewood. The OP says concerns with sanitation led to the recommendation. (UrbanTurf)  

Engaged renters

As home ownership declines, a survey in Philadelphia found that renters are more engaged in their communities than previously thought. Some city officials think the shift toward rentals is a sign of the city’s increasing desirability. (Streetsblog)  

Storage for the homeless

Vancouver and San Diego maintain storage units for the homeless. The units allow individuals to attend to needs, like medical appointments and job interviews, without the burden of protecting their possessions. (CityLab)  

And…

Metro is adding five articulated buses per hour on the crowded 16th Street lines. (WAMU) … DDOT funded signpost animal art that can be found around Capitol Hill. (Post) … Dupont Circle residents with sound meters get the ABC board to limit one bar’s music. (CityPaper)