Election 2021 Candidates Discuss Discord And Reparations at Forum
In the final public event for city council candidates, hosted by Greenbelt Homes, Inc., on Tuesday, October 19, nine of the 10 candidates were present: incumbents Colin Byrd, Emmett Jordan, Judith Davis, Rodney Roberts and Silke Pope and challengers Brandon “Ric” Gordon, Kristen Weaver, Bill Orleans and Matthew Inzeo. Newcomer Alex Zajac did not participate, […]
Redistricting Map Prince George’s County Council Creates New Redistricting Map
Prince George’s County Council pivoted yet again in the redistricting process during their Tuesday, October 19 meeting. In a contentious vote of 6 to 4, the council agreed to an amended map that will put the population of Greenbelt in District 4, while Greenbelt Park is in District 3. Redistricting is required every 10 years […]
Aberdeen Gardens, Va.: Built By Blacks for Blacks in 1930s
On October 21, the Greenbelt Museum hosted an online lecture about Aberdeen Gardens, a national historic district located in Hampton, Va. This neighborhood was built for and by African Americans in 1934. Aberdeen Gardens was a planned, New Deal community designed for the relocation to better housing of African American workers from the Newport News […]
“Tomorrow’s House Today:” The 1938 Parkbelt Homes
Old Greenbelt’s 1930s architecture is a graceful reminder of the city’s New Deal heritage: the dramatic Art Deco design of the Community Center (originally also the town’s elementary school) and the theater, complemented by the International Style reflected in the townhouses and apartment buildings. There is another small group of late-30s houses, however, that also […]
Council Wrestles with CARES Rent Grants, Armory Purchase
Two major topics arising in the Greenbelt City Council meeting of October 11 are covered in this article. Remaining topics will be covered in a future article. Rent Support Funds City Manager Nicole Ard reported that, as of October 8, there had been six rental grants made by the city from federal American Rescue Plan […]
Franklin Park CASA Rally: Evictions Are NOT Pending
Residents of Franklin Park and members of CASA de Maryland held a rally and press conference on Monday, October 18 protesting alleged eviction notices for the large apartment complex. While the group gathered peacefully and put on red CASA T-shirts in solidarity with the nonprofit organization, the apartment management, Fieldstone Properties, represented by Denise Knight, […]
Council, PSAC, Police Argue Next Steps for Police Reform
The Greenbelt City Council continues to grapple with the best way forward on the issue of reform in the city’s Police Department, spurred by Mayor Colin Byrd’s revised Fair and Just Policing Act proposal and by the subsequent review of its first iteration by the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC). While both the council and […]
Help Unite Greenbelt, HUG Walks the Walk on October 10
The Help Unite Greenbelt (HUG) walk returned to Greenbelt on October 10. Kicking off in Greenbelt West on a cloudy Sunday afternoon, the walk spanned miles across all of Greenbelt, with multiple locations for residents to join or drop out. The event drew about 100 participants around the city. “This is our home. Let’s make […]
County’s Draft NCOZ Plans Meet with Mixed Reviews
According to Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Master Planner Chad Williams, Greenbelt’s Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Zone (NCOZ) is “almost near the end of a long, not so strange road.” At a Greenbelt City Council worksession on September 20, Williams and Director of Planning and Community Development Terri Hruby, gave a summary of the […]
Voters Can Still Request Mail-in Ballots from City
In a memorandum to City Clerk Bonita Anderson, City Solicitor Todd Pounds details methods of voting in the city council election. In the City of Greenbelt there are three methods of voting: (1) voting on election day, (2) early voting and (3) mail-in voting. There are rules that must be followed for each method. For […]