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Neighbors:
We are heading toward the finish line on the District budget for the fiscal year that starts October 1. A lot of really positive things have come out of the process so far – for Ward 1 and for the District as a whole.
Ward 1 in the budget
I’m going to jump right in with some highlights, starting with Ward 1, where I was able to direct funds to every neighborhood:
- Funded my Street Vendor law which will establish the Columbia Heights Vending Zone, establish a more affordable street vending license, and provide amnesty to vendors in arrears so that they can become licensed
- $400,000 and two community planning positions for a public life study and streetscape guidelines for Mount Pleasant Street and central Columbia Heights
- $500,000 additional to continue the work at Amigos Park (Mount Pleasant St. and Kenyon St.) in the new fiscal year
- $750,000 to expand the targeted substance use disorder outreach approach piloted in the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza; this funding will address the similar challenges of individuals in adjacent neighborhoods, including U Street, Lower Georgia Avenue, and Mount Pleasant Street
- $1 million for a “Green Slow Streets” program in Ward 1, targeting blocks with poor sidewalk conditions, ADA issues, drainage problems, tree canopy needs, and traffic safety simultaneously
- Nearly $4.5 million to bolster the violence prevention program for Columbia Heights, Park View, and LeDroit, and to add these services to the vicinity of 14th & V St.
- Expanded the service area of the Shaw Clean Team to the 1900 block of 8th Street NW
- $200,000 for grant funding for a pilot program to provide substance abuse and behavioral health services in the vicinity of the 600 block of T St. NW
- Maintained funding for redevelopment of 1617 U Street NW
- Funding for floating violence interrupters for the area of 14th St. And V St.
- $250,000 to hire additional Safety Ambassadors in Adams Morgan
- $800,000 for structural and aesthetic improvements to streateries, with a focus on 18th Street and Mount Pleasant Street
- $1.6M for Open Streets, which includes continuing Georgia Ave Open Streets every October
- We are seeking more funding for Park View Recreation Center renovation, currently funded at $25 million
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Trash Talk
As a ward Councilmember I know very well that no matter what great legislation I’m introducing, or stringent oversight I’m conducting, the provision of basic city services is often what’s top of mind for our residents. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to chair the Public Works & Operations Committee this council period.
Getting your trash and recycling picked up, our streets swept and ensuring our parking laws are enforced always rise to the top of the constituent requests I receive. Which is why I was shocked when the Mayor cut 90 vacant positions from the Department of Public Works — cuts that the new director said would most definitely impact the quality of service you would receive.
So, I got to work to reverse as many of those cuts as possible. We identified areas we felt we could save and areas we’d like to see enhanced or new programming and services.
We restored 52 agency positions for several major city services, including parking enforcement, towing and booting, and trash collection. Parking enforcement is one of the few tools we have in addressing the scourge of dangerous driving – especially by out-of-staters who think they are immune from the fines they rack up.
In addition to funding more positions, I am working with and encouraging the department to use more technology and target enforcement toward the most dangerous drivers.
We’re also funding a self-release boot pilot program that will allow owners of booted cars to pay their fines and remove the boot on their car themselves and bring it to a drop-off location. This means DPW’s booting teams can spend more time booting vehicles and less time unlocking and collecting boots.
And we are finally establishing a public restroom pilot program at DPW, after DGS failed to implement the program for more than three years after the Council passed and funded my bill.
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Citywide
The Public Works & Operations Committee, which I chair, was able to identify money in the Mayor’s proposed budget that we felt could be spent more effectively. As is the usual process, we moved some of that money to other projects – some within the agencies we oversee and some to agencies and projects that are under the purview of other committees.
Here are some of the programs outside our committee we were able to fund:
- $4.5 million for public safety efforts in Ward 1, including violence interrupters, domestic violence training, and safety ambassadors
- Housing vouchers for returning citizens
- $1 million for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program
- The Office of Human Rights provisions in the Domestic Worker Employment Rights law; combined with funding from the committees chaired by councilmembers Janeese Lewis George and Robert White, this law will now be fully funded.
- From our committee budget, I funded the Dept. Of Licensing and Consumer Protection-related costs of the Street Vendor legislation, which I introduced previously and which passed this year. I worked with Councilmember Henderson of the Health Committee, which funded the other portions of the law, so that it will be fully funded and can go into effect in the coming fiscal year.
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Other Budget Highlights
Of course, there’s a lot in the budget beyond my committee and beyond Ward 1. I’ll share more on that as we progress, but here are a few items of interest:
- Councilmember Anita Bonds’ committee made funds available for the Local Resident Voting Rights bill that I introduced and the Council passed; this law allows residents who are not citizens, vote in local elections; yes, this is one of the bills the House tried to overturn before being blocked by the Senate
- We restored funds to domestic violence survivor services, which I helped fund in prior years as chair of the Human Services Committee
- Chairman Mendelson restored cuts to school budgets
Finally, there are things that haven’t made it into the budget, but I hope my colleagues and I can work on over the next few weeks, including (but not limited to):
In Ward 1
- Restoring the Circulator bus
- Finding funds for a public library on U Street
- Funding the place-management entity recommended by my U Street Safety Initiative
- Adding funds for the Park View Recreation Center renovation, and other recreation enhancements
City-wide
- More enhancements to the ERAP program (my committee and others came up with $14 million so far, but it’s still not nearly enough to address the needs)
- Addressing rent increases
- Restoring funding for excluded workers
- Funds for the Teacher flexible scheduling pilot
All of this is subject to final vote by the Council. Chairman Mendelson will take the recommendations of all committees and present a budget for consideration and a first vote by the full Council on May 16. The final vote will be May 30.
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Reliable and Accessible Transit
Overnight bus and congestion relief
Phew! There’s been a lot of intrigue about two big and related transportation issues that are also in the budget – my plan to fund 24/7 buses and Councilmember Allen’s proposal to divert funds from the K St. Transitway, a good plan gone bad, to pay for free bus service on all District bus routes.
The WMATA board came out against the free bus plan, after working with us for some time to make it happen. I’m in conversations with Council colleagues on ways to enhance transit service and equity.
There is one piece of good news: through an innovative downtown rideshare congestion management fee, our committee was able to come up with $10 million to expand bus service on 12 key routes 24/7. Making public transit reliable, affordable, and available is critical to residents, workers and the businesses that rely on them – especially those in hospitality.
And WMATA is on board with this part of the plan. I am excited to move forward on that portion of the bus expansion plan and look forward to working with my Council colleagues on ways to enhance transit service and equity in the District. In short, the congestion fee would apply to rideshares that end in the downtown zone in the morning and those that leave the zone in the afternoon. There would be no charge for traveling through the zone. The zone includes the Central Business District, and a few adjacent areas, including the Wharf and L’Enfant Plaza, where traffic volume is especially high.
Many of you have written to tell me you support this plan to bring equity for transit riders and support efforts to reduce congestion downtown, which only serves to deter people from living and visiting. And I’ve heard from some who don’t support it. I ask that you read up on the proposal (and watch out for misinformation). You can read more about the congestion management fee and overnight bus plan on my website.
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On Your Block in ANC 1D!*
Monday, May 15, 6-8 pm
BOYB is a chance to meet with me one-on-one to address a specific issue you need to resolve, such as trash pickup on your block, or to talk about issues, ideas, or concerns you have.
I am available at the event to meet with people individually or in a small group. I’ll be at Addis Paris Cafe, 3103 Mt Pleasant St NW, on May 15, from 6 to 8 pm. I encourage you to register ahead, but it’s also OK to just show up. See the dates and locations for upcoming BOYB’s.
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OAG in the Community
With Attorney General Bruce Schwalb
I hope you’ll join me and Attorney General Brian Schwalb on Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 pm, at the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library, 3160 16th Street NW, for a Ward 1 community listening session. You will have the opportunity to learn about the work and services of the Office of the Attorney General, share your concerns, and discuss ways to collaborate with the office. OAG is a critical piece of our public safety ecosystem.
Space is limited for this in-person event so you are encouraged to RSVP.
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Teacher Appreciation Week
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We know that in the District of Columbia, teacher retention is a major issue. If we can’t find enough teachers for the classroom, we won’t be able to support our children the way they need and deserve. Our teachers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic and beyond and we need them to feel supported every day. That's why I'm working with my colleagues at the Council to find funding to create a flexible scheduling program for teachers, something they have asked for over the years and something that we think will make a huge quality-of-life difference for teachers. Thank you to all of our teachers. We will keep working on these issues to support you.
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CADET Bill to Bolster MPD Recruitment and Retention
At a time when the Metropolitan Police Department is struggling to recruit officers, I am introducing legislation to help expand the Metropolitan Police Department’s Cadet Corps, a program that prepares young D.C. residents to enter the police force.
Over the last fiscal year, MPD gained 89 new officers, while losing 190 officers. Meanwhile, we have a cadet program that creates career pathways for young people, is an organic recruitment model, and has greater diversity than the rest of the police force. (Chief Contee often talks about his experience going through the cadet program as life changing.)
My bill – the Compensation and Development of Extraordinary Trainees (CADET) Act -- would increase the pay for cadets from $36,500 to $60,000, enough for a cadet to live on while they meet the requirements of the program and making it a more attractive and sustainable option. The bill would also expand eligibility up to age 33 from the current 24, increasing the number of potential applicants/enrollees.
Read the press release.
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Prevention and Intervention: A Public Health Approach to Violence
In keeping with my commitment to a holistic approach to addressing public safety, I hosted a conversation last week with Rev. Judie Shepherd-Gore of Cure the Streets and Lauren Haggerty from the Office of the Attorney General about preventing violence, especially youth violence. Thank you to both of them and thank you to all who attended. If you missed it, you can watch the recording.
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Prioritizing Public Land Purchase
Public ownership of land is the most powerful tool we have to address D.C.’s housing and affordability crisis and the cost of land is the number one cause of high housing costs.
I’ve unveiled legislation that would address the affordable housing crisis by expanding the District’s ability to acquire properties, empowering tenants to buy their buildings more affordably and allowing the District to build new housing in the areas it is most needed.
The Prioritizing Public Land Purchase Amendment Act of 2023 has two primary provisions:
One would make it easier for tenants to exercise their right to purchase their building by giving the District authority to purchase the land on which the building sits, meaning tenants would have to come up with significantly less money to purchase just their buildings.
The other would facilitate more housing production on public land by establishing a five-day window in which the District has the first right of purchase on nearly all properties not covered by the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act.
Both provisions would be the first of their kind in the District and possibly the nation. Read the press release.
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Budgeting Basics and Student Loans Workshops
Tzedek DC will hold a "Budgeting Basics" workshop on Thursday, May 11 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm at the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library.
They've worked with librarians to encourage young people in particular to attend this beginner-friendly workshop that will be followed by another on "What You Need to Know About Student Loans" just days later, on Saturday, May 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the Petworth Neighborhood Library.
An interpreter will be on hand for both sessions.
More on the student loans workshop.
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DC Veg Restaurant Week
DC Veg Restaurant Week is the premier celebration of plant-based cuisine in the nation's capital and it continues through Wednesday. There will be restaurant specials, giveaways, and events all week. Co-chaired by DC celebrities Chef Spike (restaurateur & TV personality) and Tracye McQuirter (best-selling author and founder of 10,000 Black Vegan Women), DC Veg Week is highlighting sustainable, healthy, and delectable food in the DMV from May 6-13.
Check out the participating restaurants, including Ward 1’s Tabla, Potter’s House, sPACYcLOUD, Soussi Restaurant, and El Tamarindo.
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Find Councilmember Nadeau or a member of her staff at these upcoming events.
Tuesday, May 9, 6:30-8 pm | Office of the Attorney General Ward 1 Listening Session, Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library, 3160 16th Street NW
Wednesday, May 10, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A
Monday, May 15, 6-8 pm | Brianne on Your Block, Addis Paris Cafe, 3103 Mt Pleasant St NW
Tuesday, May 16, 11 am | First Reading of the Budget, Committee of the Whole, Wilson Building and online
Tuesday, May 23, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D
Wednesday, May 24, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E
Thursday, May 25, 10 am | Public Works & Operations Committee Hearing, online
Thursday, May 25, 7-8 pm | 3rd District MPD Citizen Advisory Committee. 3rd District Station, 1620 V St. NW
Tuesday, May 30, 9:30 am | Final Reading of the Budget, Council Legislative Meeting, Wilson Building and online
Thursday, June 1, 6:30 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1B
Wednesday, June 7, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1C
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