Category: Affordable Housing

New Carrollton station area walking tour

New Carrollton station area walking tour

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

On Dec. 2, 2025, we met up to take a look at what’s been happening around the New Carrollton Metro station. It’s a Metro station, a bus station, an Amtrak station, a MARC station, and coming soon: a Purple Line station! We got a bird’s eye view from the top of the Metro parking garage and saw lots of progress and preparation for new housing, transit facilities, and even a bit of retail around the New Carrollton Metro station. Check out the Metro handout on all the building around the Metro station.

Transformation Playbook for New Carrollton – Metro HandoutDownload

Tour Speakers:

Nia Rubin, Acting Vice President, Office of Real Estate and Development, WMATA

Matt Sanchez, Director of Development, Urban Atlantic Development

Vic Weissberg, Prince George’s County Dept. of Public Works and Transportation

Karen Guzman, Office of Prince George’s District 3 County Council Member Eric Olson

Ray Biggs, II, Senior Project Director, Purple Line, Maryland Transit Administration

Scott Gottbreht, PhD, Assistant Secretary of Policy, Maryland Dept. of Housing & Community Development

Alan Lederman, Managing Director of Development, Urban Atlantic Development

Pictured: Matt Sanchez, Urban Atlantic, speaks to the group, overlooking the site for the new affordable senior building located across Garden City Drive. Photo by Dan Behrend.

Co-sponsors: CSG, WMATA, MDOT & RISE Prince George’s

Ray Biggs & Cheryl Cort 12-3-25 by Dan Behrend

Pictured: Ray Biggs, II, Senior Project Director, Purple Line, Maryland Transit Administration, and Cheryl Cort, CSG. Background: Purple Line station under construction and the IRS building.

DC Alert: Support more homes for Cleveland Park and Woodley Park

DC Alert: Support more homes for Cleveland Park and Woodley Park

Posted on by Cheryl Cort
Source: OP https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/Home/ViewCase?case_id=25-09

Send a letter of support by Dec. 1, 2025 to the DC Zoning Commission in support of upzoning along Connecticut Avenue, Zoning Case No. 25-09.

Take Action

Tell the DC Zoning Commission that you support the proposed new mixed-use zones (Zoning Case No. 25-09)  to permit taller buildings to allow for more homes, including affordable homes, above shops for the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park business districts on Connecticut Avenue. Any new buildings would be subject to the design guidelines adopted by the Historic Preservation Review Board. The zoning proposal would also remove the cap on restaurants in these business districts, which will help fill in vacant storefronts and attract new businesses. Send your letter before December 1.

Sign up in advance to testify on Dec. 1 at 4 pm. The hearing is virtual!

How to testify for Conn. Av. rezoning ZC No. 25-09Download

Image by DC Office of Planning, ZC No. 25-09.

DC Testimony Workshop: Preparing for Wisc. Ave. Rezoning

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

Date: Nov. 10 2025, 7 – 8:30 pm

AGENDA

Introductions – name, neighborhood, motive 

How to testify

  • Sign up & what to expect at virtual hearing 4pm, ~5pm proponents start 
  • Principles for testifying
    • Proponent with or without recommended improvements
    • What’s motivating you to be here
    • Tell your personal housing story, don’t worry about details, don’t be an expert
  • Dos/Donts – don’t oppose because it’s not good enough, instead support & urge to make it better; do make it personal rather than being an expert; only speak for allotted 3 minutes; always be polite & respectful of commissioners & all others – including opponents; don’t worry – Commissioners want to hear from you they are not are not out to get you
  • Sample testimony- below 

Peter Shapiro – How to have the most impact

How to testify – check in

  • Ask participants: What’s your main argument – why do you care about approving this upzoning? (one sentence)

3. Q & A – resource people

Resources

How to testify for Wisc. Av. 25-13Download
Wisc Av. rezoning – proposal briefingDownload
Support transit and inclusive housing options in the University Boulevard Corridor Plan

Support transit and inclusive housing options in the University Boulevard Corridor Plan

Posted on by Carrie Kisicki

The University Boulevard Corridor Plan envisions a community with safer streets, thriving local businesses, better public transit, and more housing choices to meet people’s needs at all ages and stages of life.

Visit our landing page at smartergrowth.net/ubc to take action and learn more about the plan.

Fault Lines: Key takeaways and how to get involved

Fault Lines: Key takeaways and how to get involved

Posted on by Elena Sorokina

Thank you to all who could join us for our recent screening of the powerful Fault Lines film at the Angelika Film Center in Fairfax. Whether you were with us in the theater or couldn’t make it this time, we are grateful to have you as part of this growing conversation about housing affordability, livable communities, and the future of our region.

The evening began with Fault Lines, a documentary that brings to life the human stories behind the Bay Area’s housing crisis. Following the screening, our panel of regional leaders reflected on the challenges and opportunities closer to home for addressing our own serious housing affordability challenges.

Fairfax Chairman Jeff McKay stated, “We are not talking about the number of units. We are talking about humans here. We are talking about kids, we are talking about parents, we are talking about hardworking people, people with disabilities […] We need to humanize it as much as we can.”

Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi emphasized that housing should be a central issue for communities that value the environment, health, equity, small businesses, and overall economic vitality of the region.

Key takeaways from the discussion:

  • Increasing and diversifying housing supply, including market-rate housing, is crucial.
  • Increasing the state housing trust fund, which today is only about $80 million per year.
  • Local and state collaboration is key to advancing housing solutions. State- and local-level regulations and processes need to be streamlined and predictable.  
  • Community engagement is important and needs to be done in a productive and results-oriented way. 

Thank you to our elected officials who sponsored and participated in this event, Senator Salim and Delegates Simon and Seibold, Fairfax Chair McKay and Supervisors Palchik and Alcorn, Mayor Hardi and Mayor Read! Thank you also to Carmen Romero of True Ground Housing, Keith Waters of GMU, and McLean Quinn of EYA for joining our panel discussion.

Lots of work ahead, but we know it can be done. Your voices and your energy are exactly what we need to continue advancing livable communities in our region. 

Here are more ways to get involved:

  • Follow CSG’s updates for your local upcoming site tours and public engagement opportunities, including hearings where you can join CSG in supporting local mixed-use, housing developments. 
  • Join us at the Homes for All VOICE Assembly on October 19th. CSG is a cosponsor.
  • Attend other Northern Virginia housing forums, including the NVRC Housing Symposium and the Regional Elected Leaders Institute (RELI) Webinar.
  • Reach out to your elected officials, both state and local, in support of policies that will provide more housing options and greater affordability.
  • Join CSG supporters on Thursday, October 30, at our annual Smart Growth Social to connect with fellow activists and be inspired! Our guest speaker this year is Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins. RSVP now.

Thank you for all you do.

Event: Fault Lines. Screening of a housing documentary, followed by a panel discussion and a social hour

Posted on by Elena Sorokina

A screening of Fault Lines, a documentary exploring housing and policy, followed by a panel of regional leaders and a community social hour. The panel will examine Northern Virginia’s housing challenges and explore strategies to build more inclusive and livable communities in our region.