Randy Smith

Former Senior Fellow
D.C. Policy Center

Randy Smith is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist and a lecturer at Hood College in Frederick, MD. He has an MSc in Geospatial and Mapping Science from the University of Glasgow. He has a passion for maps, baking, and running. He lives in Tenelytown with his wife. For more about his current projects, visit  www.rhsmithjr.com.

D.C. Policy Center contributors are independent writers, and we gladly encourage the expression of a variety of perspectives. The views of our contributors, published here or elsewhere, do not reflect the views of the D.C. Policy Center.

Written By Randy Smith

Articles | Demographics | Public Health

How fertility rates in D.C. have changed over the past decade

While much of D.C.’s recent population boom has been driven by an influx of new residents, the overall number of children born in the District has also been rising since the early 2000s. However, the actual fertility rate among D.C. residents—the number of births per 1,000 women—was actually declining during much of…

December 1, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Demographics | Transportation

Where it’s easiest to live car-free in D.C.

D.C. is often referred to as a city where a car-free lifestyle is a distinct possibility. The real estate service Redfin recently rated D.C. as the fourth best U.S. city to live in without a car. Several organized citywide initiatives, such as Car-free Day and Bike to Work Day, promote car-free commutes….

October 31, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Environment

Greenhouse gas emissions in D.C. [Updated]

Update: WAMU explored the data reported to DOEE by the Watergate East, reporting on where the data is wrong and why it matters (“Is The Watergate Actually D.C.’s Biggest Polluter?“) The text has been updated to include this information and to link to the article. (9/5/5017) In addition, the text and figures in…

August 23, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Environment | Public Health

D.C.’s heat islands

Summers in D.C. are infamously muggy, a wretched heat that’s compounded by oppressive humidity. Even within the District’s borders, however, the actual temperature and level of sun exposure can vary greatly. This article will look at where you can hide from the heat when the temperatures start to climb, and which neighborhoods…

August 8, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Demographics | Poverty and Income Inequality | Public Health

Physical activity and gym access by neighborhood in D.C.

Various calculations, surveys, and reports frequently place D.C. among the top 10 healthiest cities in the nation, in no small part due to the high rate of physical activity among its residents. Using data from the 500 Cities Project, which collects local data in an effort to improve health in the 500…

July 7, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Criminal Justice

Where, When, and Why: A Guide to Burglaries in 2016

Burglary is often a crime people don’t think about until it happens to them. Jewelry, cash, and electronics are the high-value items that are most frequently targeted. However, these items are often not the biggest loss. It is a shattered sense of security, the thought that you may not be as safe…

May 5, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Demographics | Transportation

Who will be most affected by planned Metrobus service cuts

WMATA has an impending budget shortfall of $290 million. To reduce this shortfall, the agency has proposed service cuts to multiple bus routes in the region beginning July 1 of this year. These cuts could mean a decrease in bus frequency, route modification, or the full elimination of bus routes. Almost all routes…

March 28, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Transportation

Commute times for District residents are linked to income and method of transportation

Commuting to work can be a grueling affair. On average, D.C. residents spend 28.85 minutes commuting to work. This is only slightly longer than the 27.2 minute average commute endured by the 50 largest metro regions in the U.S. and much shorter than the 33 minute average commute of suburbanites travelling into…

March 23, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Poverty and Income Inequality | Public Health | Transportation

Food access in D.C is deeply connected to poverty and transportation

The term “food desert” which refers to geographic areas where people have limited access to healthy food, a problem that affects millions of Americans every year. These areas tend to have concentrations of low-income and minority residents, invoking socioeconomic and racial divides. This is especially true in Washington, D.C., a city with…

March 13, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Poverty and Income Inequality | Public Health | Transportation

Food access in D.C is deeply connected to poverty and transportation

The term “food desert” which refers to geographic areas where people have limited access to healthy food, a problem that affects millions of Americans every year. These areas tend to have concentrations of low-income and minority residents, invoking socioeconomic and racial divides. This is especially true in Washington, D.C., a city with…

March 13, 2017 | Randy Smith
Articles | Criminal Justice

Where, when, and why: A guide to homicides in 2016

At the close of 2016, Washington, D.C. ended its year in crime. Homicides capped at 135, a 17 percent decrease from the previous year. 2015 was a markedly bad year for homicides in the District, with a homicide total of 162, the highest total homicides since 2008 and a significant increase after several…

February 20, 2017 | Randy Smith