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Report: The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy

The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy is the product of a two-year planning process funded by a transit-oriented development planning grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The report includes strategies for affordable housing, small business preservation, safe pedestrian/bicycle access to stations, and inclusive economic growth. 

On September 28th, 2022 the final report was released at a public event at the Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library in downtown Silver Spring.

View the report.

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Dominique GebruSep 28 , No Comments
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September 28 report release event

September 28 Release Event

Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy

The Purple Line Corridor Coalition and the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland are pleased to invite you to the release of a comprehensive set of strategies to drive equitable development along the Purple Line.  “The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy” is the product of a two-year planning process funded by a transit-oriented development planning grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The report includes strategies for affordable housing, small business preservation, safe pedestrian/bicycle access to stations, and inclusive economic growth. 

Please Join Us:
Wednesday, September 28
Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library
900 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD
(outside where the Purple Line will run under the library)
9:30a   Light refreshments
10:00a Program 

Please RSVP here.

We look forward to seeing you!
Join us for the release of a Purple Line ETOD strategy
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Sheila SomashekharSep 21 , No Comments
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PLCC workforce development and library outreach

PLCC has been working with Prince George’s and Montgomery Public Library Systems to ensure Purple Line corridor residents are aware of the many free workforce resources and trainings both systems offer within the corridor. The result of that effort is Purple Line Corridor to Success, a series promoting a wide range of digital tools and digital skill-building resources for corridor residents to access and learn from. Register here and please share with your networks!

This partnership builds upon PLCC’s report, Long Term Workforce Development Strategies for the Purple Line Corridor: Ensuring a More Inclusive and Equitable Workforce Recovery in the Post-Pandemic Era. The report was the culmination of several months of research and collaborative discussion with representatives of county agencies, community colleges, nonprofit service providers, libraries, public school systems, and others. It charts a path forward to leverage the Purple Line investment to generate economic opportunity for more corridor residents, especially Black, Latinx, and immigrant residents, and those with lower incomes to attain higher-skill and higher wage jobs, thereby increasing employers’ competitiveness in the corridor.

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Sheila SomashekharApr 20No Comments
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Did you miss PLCC’s 2021 Annual Meeting?

PLCC held its 2021 annual meeting on November 17. In case you missed it, the recording is now available. Over 100 attendees joined us to hear from peers working on the ground to ensure housing stability, economic vitality, and neighborhood livability in the communities along the transit line. Thanks to all who attended, and stay tuned for more ways to engage with us! 

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Sheila SomashekharDec 02 , , , , No Comments
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PLCC’s 2021-2022 Small Business Support Action Plan

PLCC’s 2021-2022 Small Business Support Action Plan is now available, and it will guide PLCC’s work to support small and microbusinesses through the overlapping challenges of rising commercial rents, construction disruptions, and the pandemic.

The PLCC Small Business Support Action Plan builds on a three-phase small business COVID recovery framework developed by Jill Schlesinger, a nationally-syndicated financial columnist. This includes immediate Triage, medium-term Transition, and long-term Transformation strategies that will create vibrant spaces for the existing community and attract new customers. This plan prioritizes six neighborhoods, referred to throughout the plan as equity areas, where small businesses are most vulnerable to displacement and where increased community investment can drive racial equity. These areas include Greater Riverdale, communities along University Boulevard including Northern Gateway and Langley Park, Long Branch, Bonifant Street and Fenton Village in Silver Spring, and the Brookville Road Business District in Lyttonsville. There are an estimated 830 micro-businesses within 1/2 mile and 513 micro-businesses within 1/4 mile of these stations.

Co-Chaired by the Latino Economic Development Center and CASA, the PLCC Small Business Action Team is focused on supporting existing businesses and strengthening commercial corridors. Strategies identified include:

-Place-based Management, Technical Assistance and Service Coordination

-Policy, Advocacy, and Education

-Marketing and Promotion

-Research and Relationship-Building for Transformation

See the Executive Summary here, and the full Small Business Support Action Plan here.

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Sheila SomashekharSep 28No Comments
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Feedback needed! PLCC Housing Action Plan update

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO END OF APRIL. We want to hear from you! 
The Purple Line Corridor Coalition welcomes your thoughts on its draft Housing Action Plan: 2023–2027. We will be accepting comments on this draft plan until Sunday, April 30, 2023.  
 
Click here for the full draft plan.  
Click here for a summary of the plan’s seven (7) core actions: English | Spanish  

How can I provide comments to the PLCC? 
There are two (2) ways to offer comments on this draft plan: 

  1. By web form: Click here to access the web form: English | Spanish
  1. By email: Comments can be emailed directly to Laura Searfoss, Senior Program Director, Mid-Atlantic, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.: lsearfoss@enterprisecommunity.org. Email is the best way to share formatted documents, such as letters. 

More about our Housing Action Plan: 2023–2027 
What is the PLCC’s Housing Action Plan?  
The Housing Action Plan sets the big-picture direction for the coalition’s housing work, including actions we implement directly as a coalition, our advocacy and policy agenda, our engagement of community stakeholders, and actions we hope others will advance within their own spheres of influence.  

Why did the PLCC update its 2019–2022 Housing Action Plan? 
The first Housing Action Plan was designed to guide us until the anticipated opening of the Purple Line in 2022. The construction of the Purple Line has been delayed, expected to open in 2027. And a lot has happened since our first plan. This updated plan reflects our successes, challenges, and lessons over the last few years and aims to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of Purple Line residents. 

Will my comments be anonymous? 
It depends on how you share our comments with us. All comments submitted through the web form will be anonymous unless you voluntarily share your contact information with us to receive a final copy of the Housing Action Plan. All comments sent to us via email will not be anonymous, because they will include identifying information (email address). 

How will my comments be used? 
Your comments will be used to create a stronger plan and as these actions are implemented, more housing choices for people of all backgrounds to stay and move near the Purple Line. We will review all comments and based on those comments, identify potential changes to the Housing Action Plan: 2023–2027. Significant changes to the Housing Action Plan: 2023–2027 will be reviewed by the HAAT Leadership Team. 

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Sheila SomashekharFeb 28No Comments