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The government uses zoning ordinances, building height limits, safety codes, and historic preservation laws to influence the design of buildings. But those regulations can’t generally outlaw an eyesore or maintain the character of a neighborhood.

DC has a comprehensive master plan for the whole city. Part of that includes zoning ordinances which specify rules for land use, density, and parking. Plus, building heights in DC are constrained by the 1910 Height of Buildings Act passed by Congress. But often, DC zoning ordinances set height limits even lower. However, the act is currently under consideration by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the DC Office of Planning. After studying the issue, the Office of Planning found that only a…

Clearly, housing prices have fallen since the housing market collapsed, which surprised many who once truly believed real estate values could only go up.

But now the once record levels of affordability in housing are waning. In fact, housing affordability has hit a four-year low, close to those recession lows, according to the National Association of Realtors. That’s because interest rates have started to climb, although prices are generally still dipping.

While real estate trends in the District may tell a slightly different story -- as the housing market here from Southwest Waterfront to Georgetown is booming -- prices are still not quite to levels they were pre-recession. Likewise, home buying nationwide is still significantly more affordable…

It’s been a great year for real estate in DC so far. There’s plenty of new residential construction and lots of property sales.

From October 2012 to July 2013, the District issued permits for 3,328 housing units. When the numbers for the entire fiscal year are in, it will likely surpass the 4,091 permits issued in 2012, which was an increase over the 2,459 issued in 2011. These are both significant improvements over the 499 building permits issued in 2009.

Most of the permits are for construction of DC apartments.  AvalonBay Communities, Inc. recently received permits for a 436-unit apartment building at 55 M Street in Northeast. This is an addition to an existing apartment building at 1160 First Street, NE in NoMa called Archstone First and M. The…

Dubbed the “most progressive community” in D.C., new properties at 17 Solar are giving buyers an option for solar-reliant housing that reduces energy consumption.

This eco-friendly housing project is just two blocks east of Capitol Hill and two blocks south of the Atlas District in the Rosedale and Kingman Park area just off the lively H Street corridor area. There are 26 units all powered by rooftop solar panels and all more efficient insulations than in the average home.

Floor plans range from first-floor flats to two-story stacked townhomes above the flats. Two stacked corner townhome models are also available. In fact, most of these 18 units are still available, according to the project’s website.

The 17 Solar Condos and Townhomes project was…

DC is planning a 22-mile priority streetcar system throughout the city. Part of that project is a 9-mile north-south streetcar line from Takoma in Northwest to Buzzard Point in Southwest, which will cross the neighborhoods of the Southwest Waterfront, Downtown, Shaw, Columbia Heights, Petworth, and Takoma.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will study the 9-mile line for the next 12 to 14 months to access construction challenges in each neighborhood, including crossing the National Mall. They will also consider how the streetcar system will integrate with the existing Metro bus routes that run parallel to the proposed streetcar line. In addition, the department will engage with the public on parking and traffic concerns.

When the study…

Clearly, there is no shortage of demand for city living. Prices are soaring in the District and properties are active for just a flash before buyers snatch them up.

But nationally the demand for suburban living is on the rise again. In its heyday just before the recession, suburban living was all the rage. Developers were charging full steam ahead on creating neighborhoods with a slew of amenities, including the large yards that city living rarely offers.

Like the rise in city development, the suburban sprawl engine in the Washington metro area is revving up again as the economy improves and more buyers are getting off the fence and into a home of their own. But demand for suburban homes may also be rising because single-family homes are luring more…

Following trends for much of the year, housing inventory remained tight in August in Washington D.C. as the housing market here continues to make significant strides toward recovery.

Last month, the average number of days a home was on the market dropped 30% from a year prior, according to the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors. It means this strong sellers’ market shows no signs of abating in favor of buyers any time soon.

Housing inventory in Washington D.C. started to loosen from March to June this year, but supplies have been shrinking the past few months through August to significant lows. Available condo inventory dropped 20.8% in August and single-family home inventory dropped 5.4%.

And while inventory is tight and moving quickly…

The Anacostia River has been known as a polluted and unappealing eight-mile waterway. But lately, the river’s image is changing with new structures nearby like the Washington Nationals baseball stadium, offices, and luxury condos.

In the days of Captain John Smith, the Anacostia river included 2,500 acres of tidal wetlands, compared to only 120 acres today.  People often find garbage in the river, which contributes to the negative image. Plus, DC Water and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) continue to spill raw sewage in the river, especially during heavy rain. But now, there are remediation measures in place to stop the leaks and clean the water. 

It’s still not safe to fish or swim in the river, but Anacostia Trails Heritage Area…

Over the summer, I wrote about the living wage bill passed by the DC Council. The Large Retailer Accountability Act (LRAA) increases the DC minimum wage from $8.25 to $12.50 for certain large retailers in the city. 

But DC Mayor Vincent Gray vetoed the bill today. In a letter to the DC Council, Gray wrote, “If I were to sign this bill into law, it would do nothing but hinder our ability to create jobs, drive away retailers, and set us back on the path to prosperity for all.”

It was feared that Walmart would cancel plans for new stores in the city if the LRAA went into effect. Two Walmart stores are slated to open later this year or early in 2014:  one at 5968 Georgia Avenue in Northwest and the other at 99 H Street in Northwest. A third Walmart at…

D.C. is ready to redevelop a property in the 1100 block of North Capitol Street near NoMa into a business, retail and housing complex, according to a recent Washington Post article.

The building, which once housing Temple Courts housing project, was razed in 2008 after city officials moved tenants out, saying new housing would be available by the end of this year. But those plans were stalled.

This month, while behind schedule, D.C.’s housing agency began soliciting bids from developers for the project to help some of the former residents return and offer new housing to new residents. Temple Courts was a low-income property with 211 units.

Development is hot in this NoMa area. But of the roughly 1,700 units in this neighborhood, city officials…