Housing Complexity
Dear Simplifiers:
Lydia DePillis, the “Housing Complex” columnist for the Washington
City Paper, is quarreling with many of her readers. DePillis is an
advocate of “smart growth,” which means, at least in her case, that
with rare exceptions (such as WalMart) she promotes anything a developer
wants to do in a Washington neighborhood. She supports any policy that
makes construction cheaper for developers and displaces developers’
costs unto neighborhoods. She supports dramatically reducing or even
eliminating parking requirements in zoning regulations, raising or even
eliminating building height limitations, increasing the density and
decreasing the size of housing units. And, as she wrote again yesterday,
she especially dislikes neighborhood residents who dispute or disrupt
any developer’s plan because of the costs the plan would impose on the
neighborhood, unsuitability for the neighborhood, historical
preservation, or any other reason. Yesterday, DePillis wrote “NIMBY
Watch: Anacostia Protesting Homeless Women,” http://tinyurl.com/3ja73yq,
attacking Anacostia civic activists as “NIMBY’s” for opposing a
homeless shelter for women that’s proposed at a site that already has
four homeless services and drug treatment programs located within a few
blocks. She got a lot of pushback from readers, and a lot of criticism
for not understanding, and certainly not sympathizing with, neighbors
who protested the negative impacts of concentrating social service
facilities in close proximity to each other.
DePillis tries to confront her critics and explain herself in another
article today, “What I Talk About When I Talk About NIMBYism,” http://tinyurl.com/3vcrtwf.
She makes a weak argument that she doesn’t use “NIMBYism” as a
pejorative, but simply to indicate that it’s selfish for people to
want to improve their communities: “Therefore, to me, community
activism and NIMBYism aren’t mutually exclusive.” But she explains
that she understands the impulse, though she describes it with a tone of
snide condescension. What she describes as a low-income housing project,
though it was actually intended as market rate housing, was planned
around the corner from her apartment in Columbia Heights, for example:
“The neighbors, fearing for their property values, reacted with shock
and outrage that the school wanted to build low-income housing right
behind their expensively renovated rowhouses. I thought this was a
somewhat ugly sentiment, but being honest with myself, had to realize: I
wasn’t happy with the prospect of a years-long construction project in
my back yard. Of course, as a renter, I had the freedom to make it not
my back yard anymore.” DePillis’ argument with her neighbors is
really that they are too invested, both financially and emotionally, in
their neighborhood, that they care about its welfare as a whole. Her
solution is to remain detached, both as a renter with no financial
commitment and as a temporary resident who isn’t attached to her
neighborhood or her neighbors and who will, instead of protesting a
development that negatively affects her community, simply move away from
the area.
That’s one way to deal with developers and social service providers
who don’t care about the negative costs they impose on communities —
just move away from them. But other people do care about their
communities. They join civic associations and community organizations to
protect and improve them. They don’t move away; they stay and fight,
and their reward is that they get called NIMBYs by people like DePillis,
who pose as moral superior to the selfish NIMBYs who actually care about
the communities in which they live and the people who live there with
them.
#####
This week’s episode of Anthony Bourdin’s “Without Reservations”
was a tribute to El Bulli, Ferran Adria’s legendary and astronomically
expensive restaurant in Spain (averaging about $608 per person, before
drinks, tips, and taxes), on the day of its closing. Adria is an
inventive and creative chef who has trained hundreds of chefs, including
Washington’s Jose Andres (Jaleo, Cafe Atlantico, Oyamel, Zaytinya,
etc.) in what has become known as molecular gastronomy. Molecular
gastronomy uses new kitchen techniques, such as flash freezing in liquid
nitrogen and foaming liquefied foods, to transform familiar foods into
new forms, to surprise diners with unexpected, concentrated flavors and
combinations of flavors in small, one- or two-bite servings. The purest
form of molecular gastronomy served in Washington is at Andres’
Minibar, upstairs above Cafe Atlantico (though both are temporarily
closed now to host a “pop-up” restaurant concept, America Eats).
But what I found most interesting in Bourdin’s program about the
closing of El Bulli was the meal he showed the staffers preparing for
themselves to eat before they fixed the restaurant’s creative,
inventive, and extravagant small tastes — large plates of pasta with a
white cream sauce. I wondered whether the staffers or the customers had
the better tasting, more satisfying meal.
#####
In the last issue of themail, Dorothy reported on the mayor’s
appointment of Ron Linton as the new chairman of the Taxicab Commission.
Ron has sent the following correction: “I am not a lawyer. I am a
journalist turned public administrator, but the rest of it you got
right.” Linton’s resume is at http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/taxi110727.htm.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Another Councilmember Investigated
Dorothy Brizill, dorothy@dcwatch.com
Today, the DC Office of Campaign Finance (OCF) issued an order, http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/ocf110802.pdf,
concluding its investigation of a complaint failed by Ward 7 resident
Geraldine Washington against Councilmember Yvette Alexander. In her
complaint, Washington alleged, “among other things, inappropriate use
of constituent service funds; failure to comply with reporting
requirements; acceptance of a reduced rental rate to influence official
government action; and use of DC government employees during normal work
hours for campaign purposes.” In its order, “OCF did not find that
Councilmember Alexander committed any of the enumerated violations.
However, during the course of its investigation, OCF found that
Alexander had improperly used her constituent services fund to pay for
campaign activities when she engaged a firm to do political teleservices
(“robocalls”). OCF concludes that, under District law, it “was a
prohibited expenditure due to its political nature as opposed to an
expenditure made to benefit the citizens of Ward 7, or to promote their
general welfare.” In addition, OCF’s investigation also uncovered
“nineteen (19) checks, totaling in excess of $4,700, which were not
reported on a required Report of Receipts and Expenditures for
Citizen-Service Program (R&E) form” filed by Alexander’s
constituent services committee with OCF (during the period October 2007
through July 2009). As a result of these findings and violations of the
District’s campaign finance laws, OCF has imposed a fine of four
thousand dollars (two thousand dollars for each of the violations)
against Alexander.
Alexander has fifteen days to appeal the order to the Board of
Elections and Ethics. In an interview late this afternoon, Alexander
defended her support and even zeal for council earmarks and constituent
services funds. During the course of our conversation, I recalled that
Alexander had spearheaded the council’s recent decision to raise from
forty thousand dollars to eighty thousand dollars the amount that
constituent services funds can raise in a given year. Alexander said she
wished the amount were even higher, that the need for constituent
services funds and earmarks is great.
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The Retroactive Tax on Out-of-State Municipal
Bonds Is Back in Play
Harry Gates, ahg71139@aol.com
Mayor Vincent Gray opted not to sign legislation drafted by
Councilmember Mary Cheh, which would have delayed the tax until January
1, 2012; but, as things currently stand, holders of out-of-state
municipal bonds will be paying 8.5 percent tax retroactive to January 1,
2011. The city council passed legislation some years ago not to tax
out-of-state municipal bonds because District residents had few local
investment choices. This legislation allowed many seniors to invest in
out-of-state municipal bonds and to stretch their incomes a bit further.
Still today, DC residents still have few choices when it comes to DC
investment grade bonds.
You will recall that it was Councilmember Tommy Wells who initially
proposed the bond tax and was able to buy colleague Vincent Orange’s
vote for a few pieces of silver in the form of an earmark taken from
homeless services for two of Orange’s pet projects — the Lincoln
Theater and Emancipation Day activities. Councilmembers Wells and Orange
were joined in support of the retroactive tax on out-of-state municipal
bond investments by Mendelson, Graham, Barry, M. Brown, and Thomas. The
punitive retroactive tax will hit retirees the hardest. It’s pretty
clear this sensitive population is not a priority for the mayor or the
DC council. Rather than grandfather-in holders of out-of-state municipal
bonds, this outrageous, unprecedented last minute legerdemain will
impose an 8.5 percent retroactive tax on bond income.
Mayor Gray is wise to protect the District’s credit rating and not
allow the council to borrow against the Cash Flow Reserve Account, but a
means must be found to grandfather-in current holders of out-of state
municipal bonds and legislation enacted to prevent a punitive
retroactive tax. Upon the council’s return from recess, the mayor
should immediately begin to work with councilmembers to ensure these
measure are revisited. The council must find a way to grandfather-in
holders of out-of-state municipal bonds. Their good faith investments
were based on previous council legislation that abruptly changed without
the benefit of public input.
###############
Thank you for your help with the Dunbar Community Garden. On
Saturday, Living City, DC, 14th and U, and dc greenworks launched a
project on the grounds of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartments and
created a community garden. The garden creates a welcoming space for
residents and the community to meet and will give the Paul Laurence
Dunbar residents access to fresh flowers and produce. Many residents
came out to participate and make the gardens a success. You can learn
more about the garden, and see pictures and videos of the project, on
our web site (http://www.livingcityblock.org)
and our Facebook page.
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DMV Ticket Amnesty Program Is Underway
Kevin Twine, kevin.twine@dc.gov
Don’t delay, pay today. The District Department of Motor Vehicles
Ticket Amnesty Program is now underway. All parking, photo-enforcement,
and moving violation tickets issued before January 1 qualify for
amnesty. All penalties added onto the outstanding tickets are waived
during the amnesty period. The program runs from August 1 until January
27, 2012.
Can’t remember how much you owe? Fill out this online form to find
out: https://public.dmv.washingtondc.gov/BusinessPages/GS/TicketAmnestyForm.aspx
Registered drivers are encouraged to avoid the long lines and pay
online. Visit http://www.dmv.dc.gov
for more detailed information. Please send E-mail inquiries to dmvticketamnesty@dc.gov
################
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Let’s Talk Comp Plan Forum, August 10
info@ncpc.gov
The National Capital Planning Commission will have a public forum,
“Let’s Talk Comp Plan,” on Wednesday, August 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
at 401 9th Street, NW, Suite 500, at the Archives-Navy Memorial and
Gallery Place Metro stops. Do you have ideas about active commuting,
bicycling, and/or federal facility location priorities? These topics and
more will be discussed as part of the forum on the draft policy updates
proposed for the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. This forum
will specifically focus on the Federal Transportation and Workplace
Elements. The Comprehensive Plan is the principal policy document that
guides future federal development in the National Capital Region. Review
the draft policy updates in advance of the forum at http://www.ncpc.gov/compplan.
If you can’t attend, you can still provide your comments until
September 12. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP preferred
at http://www.ncpc.gov/rsvp/.
Walk-ins welcome.
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