2026 Progress Report

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,

I am looking back on these first three years in office as your representative on the DC Council with deep gratitude. Together, we have accomplished so much for our community. While it hasn’t been easy, every moment has been worth it, marked by resilience and results.

In this Progress Report, I am proud to share with you the highlights of these past three years. We’ve endured major shifts in our city’s landscape, fought for transformative economic wins for everyday Washingtonians, reached historic declines in crime, and moved forward long-awaited Ward 5 projects that improve neighbors’ quality of life.

The work isn’t done. As we look toward what’s to come, my hope is that this progress report will inspire you to keep linking arms with us for a Ward 5 future worthy of every neighbor. Whether that’s participating in Council oversight, showing up at community meetings, organizing neighborhood improvement projects, or simply continuing to share your priorities with us, we all have a role to play.

It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the community that I love.

Yours in service and community,

Last year brought a new federal administration, and with it, sweeping changes for the District and threats to local autonomy. My office stayed focused on bringing neighbors together, sharing resources and information, and defending Home Rule.

300+ neighbors attended the Ward 5 Town Hall on Federal Overreach, where we shared critical information to keep neighbors informed, had local officials provide updates on their activities and answer questions, and gave resources for how to engage amid the federal surge.
50+ Ward 5 neighbors joined my office on the Hill at the Hart Senate building to talk about the importance of DC’s Home Rule and share their experiences.

WINS:

No longer a declared “crime emergency” in the District of Columbia
None of the 16 bills introduced in the House to increase federal control of DC have moved forward
The latest Congressional spending bill protects DC’s budget and doesn’t introduce any new restrictions on DC’s spending

Constituent Services:
- 15,000+ constituent services requests processed, helping neighbors with everything from missed trash pickup to traffic safety requests, to housing and utilities assistance and more.
- 30+ multi-agency blitzes – Conducted dozens of multi-agency blitzes in neighborhoods across the Ward each year to address concerns with trash, rodent abatement, building violations, traffic safety, public safety, and more.
- 20+ public safety and traffic safety walks – Join neighbors and agency leaders for public safety and traffic safety walks across Ward 5 to address concerns and develop solutions.
- 12 Ward 5 Public Safety Calls – Launched monthly Ward-wide public safety calls in 2023. Calls are now held quarterly – register anytime for the next one at ward5.us/publicsafetycall. In 2024 and 2025, the District saw historic declines in crime, with some of the biggest declines happening right here in Ward 5 (a 35% drop in violent crime in 2024 and again in 2025).
Centering Ward 5:
- 3 Annual Ward 5 Day Celebrations– Revived the annual Ward 5 Day—which dates back to the days of Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Sr.
- 3 Ward 5 Thanksgiving Giveaways – Gave away 500+ turkeys and bags of holiday groceries each November in 2023, 2024, and 2025, serving residents in every Ward 5 neighborhood to ensure they had a hearty meal for Thanksgiving.
- 2 Ward 5 Awards Ceremonies – presented the first-ever Ward 5 Awards to honor remarkable neighbors who help our communities thrive and held ceremonies in 2023 and 2025. Mark your calendar for the next Ward 5 Awards on April 1, 2026!
- Ward 5 Senior Advisory Committee – Convened the Ward 5 Senior Advisory Committee in 2023 to advise the Councilmember on a range of issues impacting our senior communities. Want to join? Email us! Ward5contact@dccouncil.gov.
- Ward 5 Bus Network Task Force – Convened this task force to review and develop our office’s feedback on WMATA’s Better Bus Network Redesign, with multiple formal letters to WMATA and meetings with WMATA leadership in 2023, 2024, and 2025. We continue to advocate with WMATA on needed changes as the current implementation of the new C63 and D36 routes disadvantage senior communities in Fort Lincoln and Edgewood.
- Walk Thru Ward 5 Exhibit – Developed alongside neighbors, Walk Thru Ward 5 is an exhibit featuring the history and culture of Ward 5 neighborhoods. Debuted at Ward 5 Day 2025, the exhibit now travels to senior facilities across the ward for engaging presentations and community events.

Community Development:
- 500+ new housing units delivered
  - 139 deeply affordable units at SOME’s Roberts Residences (1515 North Capitol St NE), delivered in 2023.
  - 18 new units at 1001 Rhode Island Ave NE.
  - 39 new units at The Lander (1358 Florida Ave NE).
  - 18 new units at Mary House (1005-1007 Bunker Hill Rd NE)
  - Cut the ribbon on 146 newly opened townhomes (22 affordable) in the Reservoir District, with 699 total new units coming in the next few years.
  - Edgewood Commons V – bringing 151 new senior affordable units to the Edgewood Commons campus.
  - And more!

- Moving new development forward:
  - One Hawaii (1 Hawaii Ave NE) – close to completion, will deliver 70 units of multifamily affordable housing
  - Ionia Apartments (2911 Rhode Island Ave NE) – under construction, will deliver 100 units of affordable housing
  - Cycle House (1520 North Capitol St NW) – pre-leasing, 18 affordable residential units
  - Langston Slater (43-45 P St NW) – pre-development, will deliver 52 residential units
  - Fort Lincoln Eastern Avenue (2400 Eastern Ave NE) – under construction, will deliver 51 inclusionary zoning town homes
  - Michigan-Irving (300 Michigan Ave NE) – pre-development, will deliver 252 multifamily units, 147 affordable units, and space for grocery, hotel(s), and offices.
  - Moving the Providence Redevelopment (Michigan Park neighborhood) forward after years of delays, aiming to deliver robust, mixed use site including housing, medical care, grocery, parks, and more.
  - Reimagining Rhode Island Ave – secured $250,000 in FY25 for the Office of Planning to conduct a study for revitalization of the Rhode Island Ave corridor from 13th St to Eastern Ave NE. Study and recommendations delivered in September 2026.
- 3 new grocery stores – Aldi in Fort Totten, Trader Joe’s in Edgewood/Brookland, and one more on the way (Sprouts in Stronghold/Reservoir District).
- 2 new parks – soon to be delivered to communities in Carver-Langston (L & 19th St NE) and Fort Totten/Riggs Park (Riggs Rd and South Dakota Ave NE)
- Bladensburg Bus Garage Reconstruction Project – Completed Phase I of III in revitalizing one of Metro’s oldest assets and largest bus facilities, supporting 500 operations employees and achieving LEED Platinum status to advance our climate goals.

Traffic Safety
- Closed the 8th St NE gap on the Metropolitan Branch Trail and opened the newest connection on the trail from Fort Totten Metro Station to Takoma Metro Station.
- Transformed the dangerous “Dave Thomas Circle” (Florida Ave, New York Ave, and 1st St NW), building a new park and streamlining traffic flow.
- Secured more than $1 million for the South Dakota Ave Corridor Safety Study, with DDOT set to deliver spot treatments in 2026.
- Worked with DDOT to deliver 200+ speed humps and intersection improvements across Ward 5.
School and Rec Improvements
- Burroughs Elementary School Modernization (under construction)
- Fort Lincoln Campus Improvement Project (under construction)
- Crummell Community Center (nearing groundbreaking)
- Langdon Park Recreation Center (nearing groundbreaking)
- Harry Thomas Recreation Center (in procurement)
- Brentwood Recreation Center (in design process)
- Taft Field and Dwight Mosley Park Improvements (close to completion)
- Turkey Thicket Playground and Splash Pad Improvements (close to completion)

The first major piece of legislation I introduced as Councilmember was the District Child Tax Credit, and I have been bullish about bringing it to fruition. After years of pushing, I’m excited to share it is finally on the way!

Starting in tax year 2026, we will deliver a fully refundable credit of up to $1,000 per child for all children under 18 to individual filers making below $70,000 annually and joint filers making below $95,000 annually. This means cash in the pckets of everyday Washingtonians facing enormous financial strains. Independent researchers estimate the child tax credit will slash child poverty in the District by 20%, lifting the economic floor for thousands.

For generations, Ward 5 has been treated as a dumping ground for DC’s industrial-use land. In fact, we are home to the majority of the District’s industrial-use space, including two of the District’s three asphalt plants, one of DC’s three permanent concrete plants, a chemical plant, transfer station, and multiple bus depots.

These compounding factors are no accident. They are the result of decades of racist policy decisions. Over the past three years, I’ve introduced a number of bills to address enviornmental injustice and secure cleaner water, breathable air, and healthy soil for Ward 5 neighbors.

DIG DEEPER: