The approval of a 200-bed shelter for detained immigrant shelter will require zoning approvals from the D.C. Board of Zoning Appeals.

Martin Austermuhle reports:
A proposed 200-bed shelter in D.C. to house detained immigrant children is likely to face a number of legal and regulatory obstacles from city officials and residents, including a possible public zoning hearing and legislative attempts to prohibit such a large facility from getting a license to operate to begin with.
Dynamic Service Solutions, a Maryland-based contractor, has received a $20.5 million contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to operate the shelter in D.C. for undocumented and unaccompanied immigrant kids aged 12 to 17.
The shelter would located on Laurel Street NW in the Takoma neighborhood, adds Austermuhle, less than a block from the border with Maryland. The building will require approval from the city’s Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA). The article includes details on the expected approval process and the controversy that will likely surround the proposal.
FULL STORY: Controversial Proposed D.C. Shelter For Detained Immigrant Kids Faces Barrage Of Challenges

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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