Photo by Patrick Müller on Flickr.

Test scores and housing values

Lots of real estate services use school ratings as a gauge of an area’s desirability. Does that qualify as housing discrimination? Some see it as a form of modern redlining that perpetuates segregation. (NPR)  

Three strikes, you’re out

The DC Council is considering a bill that would suspend the licenses of drivers caught using cell phones three times within 18 months. But DC police don’t focus on traffic stops, so many say it wouldn’t be effective. (WAMU)  

A fix ‘cause it’s no fare

Metro wants to find a fix for its emergency exit “swing gates” so that it’s harder for people to evade Metro fares by walking through. (NBC4)  

Rockville Pike’s transformation

Montgomery County is investing millions to remake Rockville Pike into a walkable, attractive business and residential district. Smart growth advocates hope planned development will revitalize the area. (NYT)  

New subway line for NYC

New York’s long awaited Second Ave subway line will begin carrying passengers along the east side of Manhattan by the end of December. It’s the city’s first new subway line to be constructed since 1932. (Gizmodo)  

Gentrification, Soviet style

The Bolshevik revolution rapidly degentrified an elegant neighborhood in Moscow nearly a century ago. In the 1990s, wealthy residents again bought up the area, but now those residents are complaining as noisy hipsters are taking over the neighborhood and “ruining” its Soviet charm. (The Guardian)  

Planning for climate change

In the Philippines, urban planning hasn’t kept up with immigration or the rapidly changing environmental landscape. As the sea level rises, the existing infrastructure is struggling to support “environmental migrants.” (NextCity)