Church Parking a Key Campaign Talking Point in D.C.

D.C. mayoral candidates are making big promises about easing parking restrictions on Sunday in response to reports that churches are fleeing the capital for locations in Maryland due to difficulties with parking.

1 minute read

February 20, 2014, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


At a recent candidate forum at a church in Washington D.C., mayoral hopefuls responded to ongoing issues with churches leaving the city with a nearly uniform policy: easing parking restrictions for Sunday churchgoers. Will Sommer reports the candidate’s statements:

“Former State Department official Reta Jo Lewis revealed that there's a 'war on churches' afoot in the District. 'How it started was parking,' Lewis said.”

“Vincent Orange agreed with Lewis that there was a 'war on parking,' citing his own church's successful effort to get an exemption from the M Street bike lane. 'If it was up to me, I would relax parking on Sunday,' Orange said.”

“Tommy Wells' smart growth ways would suggest that he'd be the least likely candidate to go to bat for free parking. But Wells went the farthest of all, promising to create a cabinet-level position in his administration to cover church issues like parking.”

“Muriel Bowser got in on the parking too, saying that there's no reason government shouldn't be able to help churches find spots for their parishioners all seven days of the week.”

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 in Washington City Paper

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Screenshot of robot with fox and bird in The Wild Robot animated movie.

A Lone Voice for Climate: How The Wild Robot Stands Apart in Hollywood

Among this year’s Oscar-nominated films, only The Wild Robot passed the Climate Reality Check, a test measuring climate change representation in storytelling, highlighting the ongoing lack of climate awareness in mainstream Hollywood films.

31 minutes ago - The Hollywood Reporter

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios