Maryland state capitol in Annapolis by Terry Granger on Unsplash; Virginia state capitol in Richmond by Kellie Shannon on Unsplash
Dear Friend,
Game on! The Maryland and Virginia General Assembly sessions start tomorrow. On the table: housing and land use, transit-oriented development, transportation reforms, and funding for WMATA and other transit systems. Meanwhile, there’s still plenty of local action on land use and transportation. Here is what you need to know to speak up!
Regional
TransportationCamp DC 2026 was a hit!
Last Saturday, CSG participated in a sold-out Transportation Camp DC 2026. CSG led two sessions on advancing transit-oriented developments in the region and championing modern alternatives to outdated highway projects. Jarrett Walker’s keynote address on “freedom planning” inspired us to continue our advocacy for expanding frequent bus and rail service!
Interested in volunteering for CSG? Learn more at Metro & Merlot (1/29; register)
Join us at CSG Volunteer Metro & Merlot—a gathering to celebrate our smart growth volunteers and supporters who make our work possible! Join us for an evening of appreciation, wine and non-alcoholic options, and light bites, and learn about many opportunities to help advance CSG’s mission this spring!
Washington D.C.
DC 2050 Explore Possible Futures: Take the Self-Guided Virtual Workshop (learn more)
Take the self-guided virtual workshop – this is a great way to give your input to help shape the future of DC. Just like the November workshops, you can move through interactive “stations” (presented in the tabs at the top) designed to inform, inspire, and capture your feedback.
Make alley lots part of the housing solution (learn more)
We’ve been fighting for years to remove burdensome restrictions on alley lots. Today is round 2 of Zoning Commission hearings. Many of our recommendations have been incorporated or proposed. But we need to weigh in to get rid of parking mandates for small alley lots!
Maryland
Exciting General Assembly session kicking off tomorrow – and we’ll be there!
We were thrilled to attend Governor Moore’s announcement of three housing bills last week, and we look forward to other unfinished business to connect housing and transportation. We’ll be supporting a TOD bill, project prioritization, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and more. Watch for our legislative preview coming soon.
WEBINAR: Does more housing make housing more affordable?
(1/22, 12-1:30pm, RSVP)
What happens to local housing prices when we build more housing… and what happens when we don’t? Hear from leading housing researchers about the relationship between housing production and affordability at the neighborhood, city, and regional levels.
Central Ave/MD 214 pedestrian safety action plan follow-up workshop (1/13, 5-7pm, get info)
We are excited to keep championing for a safer Central Ave. for the Blue Line Metro corridor! See your work to date on the Central Ave./Central HS walk safety audit and other materials, posted on our webpage, and CSG’s comments on SHA’s preliminary MD 214 workshop.
Capitol Heights Metro station TOD announced! (get info)
Governor Moore and Metro just announced 300+ homes and retail at the station! We’ve been fighting for this kind of walkable place for years! Now we need the county to adopt the Blue Line Sector Plan with rezoning to spark new vitality for the whole Central Av Metro corridor.
EVENT: Montgomery for All 2026 Kickoff Happy Hour (1/20, RSVP)
Join us at The Spot Asian Food Hall in Rockville to celebrate Montgomery for All’s 2025 wins and learn about our agenda for 2026. We’ll be joined by the lead sponsors of 2025’s More Housing N.O.W. package—Council President Natali Fani-González and Councilmember Andrew Friedson!
Virginia
Exciting General Assembly session kicking off tomorrow – and we’ll be there!
Just like Maryland, housing and transit funding will be big topics in the Virginia General Assembly. We’ll be pressing for more funding for Metro, local bus, and commuter rail, and supporting bills that achieve win-win on housing in smart growth locations. Watch for our legislative preview coming soon. The Commonwealth Housing Coalition has a lobby day on 1/26 (RSVP) and Virginia Conservation Network on 2/4 (RSVP).
Support Accessory Living Units in Fairfax (1/20, 1/21; learn more)
Fairfax County is considering whether to allow more Accessory Living Units (ALUs), aka backyard cottages or granny flats, as a way to provide more attainable housing options in the county. Join one of two upcoming virtual community meetings to learn more.
South Van Dorn/Franconia VDOT Open House (1/14; learn more)
Attend the Jan 14 open house at Edison HS to learn about proposed safety and operational improvements for South Van Dorn St and Franconia Road. Be sure to speak up for better transit, bicycle and pedestrian safety and connectivity!
Duke Street Workshops + Survey (learn more)
Attend one of three upcoming workshops on the Duke Street Land Use Plan (Jan 20, 21, 22) or take an online survey to share your feedback on the draft guiding principles. Let’s ensure the plan includes more housing options, especially near future BRT stops, better walking and biking, and a vibrant and inclusive future for the Duke St corridor.
Thanks for all you do,
Stewart Schwartz
Executive Director
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Image credits: Maryland state capitol in Annapolis, by Terry Granger on Unsplash; Virginia state capitol in Richmond by Kellie Shannon on Unsplash; DC 2050; Cheryl Cort; Carrie Kisicki; Graham Reid; Montgomery for All; Kellie Shannon on Unsplash; City of Alexandria; VDOT; Bill Pugh; Hugh Kenny.