Breakfast links: Unfair alquiler
Weasel around rent control
DC landlords force out Latino residents living in rent-controlled apartments by keeping buildings poorly maintained. Residents who have limited funds or English language skills have few resources to fight back. (WCP)
Little levees for Metro
Metro wants to build mini walls to keep the Shaw, Cleveland Park, and Capitol South Metro stations from flooding during severe storms. Here’s what happened at Cleveland Park during a recent flood. (WJLA)
It’s not just Metro’s closing time
Metro needs a better solution for maintenance than just closing earlier. Leaders must decide what kind of city they want DC to be, as early closures could change the very fabric of the city for many who depend on late-night service. (WCP)
More green for the Greenway
Tolls on the Dulles Greenway can keep rising each year until 2020, thanks to a Virginia court ruling. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, who filed the lawsuit, believes the tolls are excessive. (WTOP)
Making the grade by opting out
An Alexandria school used a new state law to get low-performing students to opt out of taking standardized tests in order to inflate the school’s overall performance. (Post)
Haven for homeless youth
A DC church is opening its doors for homeless teens as part of a pilot program run by the downtown BID. Every Monday the church offers food, HIV testing, counseling, and a safe place to gather. (WCP)
A Brompton is not a bike
A DC law meant to allow kids to bike on sidewalks inadvertently also means that many folding bikes are not street legal, because they’re not technically bikes. (WashCycle)
Race in rentals
A new Airbnb policy aims to fight discrimination against people of color, but there are still no clear penalties for hosts who discriminate. Meanwhile, similar services that cater to people of color are starting to pop up. (CityLab)
And…
DC issues about 16 tickets per day to people who park in bike lanes. That’s probably not enough. (WABA) … The majority of black mothers in DC (87%), Maryland (80%), and Virginia (78%) are the breadwinners for their families. (DCist) … Lyft has a new luxury service that uses only high-end sedans and SUVs. (DCist)