Housing needs & transit funding are top issues in VA and MD. The @betterdcregion.bsky.social team is in Richmond at the VA General Assembly (shown here: first mtg of House Counties, Cities & Towns). We are making the rounds to talk to each of the 140 legislators.

🏛️ Virginia’s 60-day General Assembly kicked off this week! With a new Governor and many new faces following this fall’s election, legislators appear energized to address Virginia’s interconnected housing and transportation challenges. Check out some of the key bills we’re keeping our eye on:

Alexandria City staff want your input as they update the Duke Street Land Use Plan! Join a community workshop next week or weigh in online to help shape the draft guiding principles for the corridor’s future. www.smartergrowth.net/virginia/ale...

Maryland General Assembly session kicked off today - and we have work to do! We were thrilled to attend Governor Moore’s announcement of three housing bills last week, and we look forward to other unfinished business to connect housing and transportation.

Deeply disappointed in MD SHA - only marginal improvements to Blue Line’s Central Av/MD 214 planned. Excessive high speed 6 lanes of traffic remain when could be 4 lanes. Seems serious walk safety improvements were avoided due to concern about cost. Low cost tactics like paint not considered.

Don't forget: we publish a monthly newsletter packed with local action opportunities! Check out the latest edition: www.smartergrowth.net/resources/ne... Subscribe to receive updates: secure.everyaction.com/DaJnpL9qvUWr...

Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate 25 years of Smart Growth America last night! We had a blast getting to see our friends, thought leaders, and partners throughout the transportation, housing, and land use and development spaces. Cheers to the next 25 years of SGA!🥂

🚨 Starting now: CSG’s session on winning alternatives to bad highways! Join us at room Caldwell 119 @ 2 PM at #TransportationCamp #TransportationCampDC2026

We are starting! Don’t miss our session on “Winning TOD in the DMV” @ Great Room C at #TransportationCampDC2026 #TransportationCamp

Looking forward to leading a session at 12 noon on our campaign for transit-oriented development! With updates from Geoff Anderson of MDOT on Maryland’s TOD legislation and plans to accelerate development at Metrro, MARC, Purple Line, and Baltimore transit stations. Join @betterdcregion.bsky.social

Super excited to hear @humantransit.bsky.social at #transportationcamp DC 2026! Always inspiring and helpful as we @betterdcregion.bsky.social and partners work for better transit in the DC region!

Today, we are excited to join hundreds of transportation enthusiasts at sold-out #TransportationCamp DC 2026. Stop by CSG’s table to learn more about our work in the region!

Capitol Hts Metro station to get 300+ homes & retail - finally! Deal just announced by Gov Moore & Metro. We’ve been fighting for this kind of walkable place for years! Now we need PGC to adopt Blue Line Sector Plan with rezoning to spark new vitality for whole Central Av Metro corridor.

This Saturday, January 10, CSG is co-sponsoring a safe streets town hall hosted by Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass. Join us and partners like @waba.org and @actfortransit.bsky.social to speak up for safe streets and bring attention to improvements needed in your community.

Last call to join CSG at the TransportationCamp DC on Sat., Jan. 10th! Join us to brainstorm how together we can win safer streets, more transit, and smart growth solutions at the federal, state, and local levels. Get your tickets before registration closes tonight: t4america.org/transportati...

🥂Cheers! The clock is ticking down on 2025—and on our $75,000 matching gift challenge. As we raise a glass tonight, remember your support builds a more sustainable, equitable region every day. Make your tax-deductible gift now: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ... Happy New Year from CSG!

The new year is around the corner—and so are the conversations shaping the future of transportation! TCamp is a week away, but tickets sales end January 5! Learn more and get your tickets now 🎟️👇 t4america.org/transportati...

We’ve set an ambitious $120,000 goal to fund our next phase of housing and transit advocacy. Thanks to a generous match, every dollar you give right now is doubled!  Invest where it matters. Donate today: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ...

Imagine living in a community where you have more options to get around and don’t have to spend hours of your life stuck in traffic. Together, we can build a more inclusive, sustainable DC region. Donate now: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ...?

Join CSG at the TransportationCamp DC Conference on Saturday, January 10th, at Catholic University! Let's brainstorm how we can win safer streets, more transit, and smart growth solutions at the federal, state, and local levels. Learn more and RSVP: www.smartgrowthamerica.org/transportati...

Only one day left to take the survey for the Route 29 Active Transportation Study! Share how you use the corridor between the Beltway and Tripps Run at the City of Falls Church/Fairfax County border and what improvements are needed to make it better: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/transportati...

Ok Metro customers, let’s see what you got. It’s Metro Rewind Day. Who joined me in the real 1% club this year? Check your card stats here and show the world how much @wmata.com has connected you to this great region we call home. metrorewind.com/rewind/

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s time for the 2025 Metro Rewind! 🚇📊 What does your year on the Metro look like? Who made it into the Top 1% of riders this year? Drop a screenshot of your stats in the comments! 👇 @wmata.com metrorewind.com

While I may not get to ride @wmata.com much anymore it was a great year for riding transit! One of the best parts of working in the industry is riding and feeling the benefits of the projects you’ve worked on, would highly recommend it to everyone who has the opportunity #MetroRewind

Thank you for sharing your lunch hour with us to explore the complex dynamics between new market rate housing and affordability. Your insights will inform our housing advocacy, and you may also see some incorporated into future content from Justine!

The Purple Line is moving forward with construction and advanced testing! Check out the progress in this interactive piece by The Post: www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...

Our housing series webinar starts today at noon. Make sure you are registered and ready to join the discussion. See you soon!

It may seem like the only new buildings going up in your neighborhood are luxury condos. Does this kind of housing really help affordability? Explore this topic with Falls Church Councilmember Justine Underhill and CSG's NoVa Advocacy Director, Sonya Breehey.

At CSG, we believe events like Smart Growth Social should be accessible to everyone, which is why we keep ticket prices affordable and offer free tickets to volunteers and to people facing economic hardships.

Excited to hear Virginia Governor-elect @abigailspanberger.com speak to the Virginia Press Association! She cites housing, energy and health care affordability as top issues. Our org @betterdcregion.bsky.social will continue to work on housing and transportation affordability in VA, DC, and MD.

Thank you to all who testified, emailed the Council, had conversations with friends and neighbors, wrote powerful letters to the editor, and more in support of this vision for what a more walkable, environmentally resilient and inclusive community can look like

The Council passed the University Boulevard Corridor Plan yesterday! 🎉

It’s no secret that housing costs, whether you rent or own, are too high. That’s why CSG is fighting for policies that create abundant housing options to meet the needs of people across all ages, incomes, and family sizes. Donate to CSG: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ...

Quick reminder! Our webinar starts today at noon. Make sure you are registered and ready to join the discussion. See you soon!

Our neighbors' stories prove we need better transit, biking, and scooting options. We fight for reliable, safe transportation choices for everyone. Your contribution matters. Help us tackle the year ahead. Donate now: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ...

REMINDER: It's the last day to submit your feedback on Fairfax County’s Franconia-Springfield Planning Study! See our suggested talking points: www.smartergrowth.net/virginia/wha... Take the survey: engage.fairfaxcounty.gov/springfield-... Help us shape a more livable future for this area.

Why has housing become unaffordable for so many in MD and the greater D.C. region? And what can policymakers do to fix it? Join our webinar to hear directly from public officials and research teams behind two important reports on MD housing. Mon. 12/8 12 pm RSVP: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

The Montgomery County Council has voted to support the University Blvd Corridor Plan 7-3! 🎉 This is a win for safer streets and inclusive housing options near transit, including future BRT. Thank you to all who spoke up to advance this plan for sustainability, equity, and safety! ❤️

love to see @betterdcregion.bsky.social yard signs for transit and ped/bike infrastructure!

We have an exciting announcement! Our top 10 donors have pledged over $75,000 in matching donations! This means you will double your impact with your donations today through midnight on New Year’s Eve. Make your matching gift today: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ...

2025 has been an exciting and impactful year for CSG, and we’re thrilled to share our Year in Review with you! This #GivingTuesday, contribute to CSG to help us keep going in 2026! Read the report: www.smartergrowth.net/about/annual... Donate today: secure.everyaction.com/S_sYFKRjC0WZ...

Tomorrow, 2:30 pm- join us to see all the changes occurring around the New Carrollton Metro station!

We are thankful to each of you for what you are doing for your communities and for your support for our team at the Coalition for Smarter Growth. From the entire CSG team, we wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🦃🦃

Great testimonials on the benefits of travel by @amtrak.com compared to terrible holiday traffic and air travel. More reason to invest more in America’s passenger rail network! @betterdcregion.bsky.social @mdotmtaholly.bsky.social @mwcog.bsky.social

New Carrollton station is changing! 12/2, 2:30P, walk w/ us to see what's happening around this major transit hub. There's a lot to see & more on the way. This tour will give a bird's eye view & on-the-ground look. We've got Metro, MARC, Amtrak, Purple Line & lots of new buildings bit.ly/49Dn9Tu

Support more housing and businesses on Conn. Av. in Cleveland Park & Woodley Park! Send a letter in support of upzoning along Connecticut Avenue. Hearing is December 1. Take action by sending a letter, then sign up to testify. Click here: secure.everyaction.com/-haH5kw9EkaP...

“Far too many pedestrians are being killed or injured trying to get to school, work or grocery stores while crossing six-lane highways in Montgomery County.” This recent LTE makes a strong case for moving the University Boulevard Corridor Plan forward: bethesdamagazine.com/2025/11/22/l...

🚧 Groundbreaking at West Falls Church Metro! 🚧 CSG was excited to join Metro Forward, local elected officials, and developers to celebrate the groundbreaking of a mixed-use development that will turn acres of underused parking lots into a walkable, transit-oriented community in West Falls Church!

This year's World Day of Remembrance and Ride for Your Life were inspiring and uplifting. #WDOR2025 @waba.org @safestreetsdc.bsky.social @strongtowns.org

One of the speakers at today’s Montgomery County Council meeting is Dan Langenkamp, whose wife, U.S. diplomat Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, was killed biking to her child's school in Bethesda.