Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter
April 21, 2023

This week's newsletter is shorter than usual because of Council recess and many neighbors traveling for Spring Break. Don't worry. We will resume our regular newsletter next week.

This week, my Council colleagues and I compiled budget requests for the upcoming committee budget reports. Each committee will hold a mark-up hearing next week. Then, on May 16th and May 30th, the full Council will vote on the final budget. Keep an eye on the Council calendar for links to view the committee mark-up hearings and full Council votes. Please keep sharing your budget requests with my team at ward5contact@dccouncil.gov.

Also, tomorrow is Earth Day! The city is working toward carbon neutrality by 2045. So, whether you join a community cleanup, plant some flowers (or food), or even join an environmental justice campaign, we hope you take time tomorrow to help the District advance towards its 2045 goals. 

Keep on reading for updates.

Join the next New York Ave Vision Framework Community Meeting on April 26 at 7:00 p.m. The District Office of Planning is working with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders from the communities along the New York Avenue NE corridor to develop a Vision Framework. The Vision Framework is the first part of a larger planning initiative to guide implementation of land use changes along New York Ave NE. The project's goals are to:

• Advance racial equity.​
• Unlock the corridor's potential to add affordable housing and good jobs. 
• Increase resilience to environmental shocks and stressors. 
• Establish a forward-looking approach to production, distribution, and repair (PDR) land uses that is equitable and economically sound. 

This week, my team attended the ANC5E, Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association, Hanover Civic Association, ANC5C, and Fort Lincoln Civic Association meetings. Here's a brief recap: 

Read below for this week's upcoming ANC and Civic Association Meetings (review this ANC Locator Map to see which meetings apply to you and email us if you'd like more information on how to attend):

• 5A & 5C: Carlos McKnight, cmcknight@dccouncil.gov
• 5B & 5D: Oliver Stoute, ostoute@dccouncil.gov
• 5E & 5F: Sam Bonar, sbonar@dccouncil.gov

Here’s a highlight of some environmental bills Councilmember Parker has co-introduced and co-sponsored since taking office: 

• Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Access, Readiness, and Sustainability Amendment Act of 2023 aims to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in the District to 7,500 by 2027. With the federal government offering a $7,500 credit for buying an electric vehicle, the city needs to make sure there are enough stations to charge the increased number of EVs in the city. 
   
• The Healthy Homes and Residential Electrification Amendment Act of 2023 – Households earning less than $80,000 a year could install fossil fuel-free stoves and HVACs at no cost. Natural gas in homes is a major contributor to poor indoor air quality that causes breathing and respiratory issues. The concept of electrification means no appliances in homes and buildings use fossil fuels.
   
• To decrease emissions in transportation, the city is working to reduce the number of gas-powered cars on the roads. One way to do this is by adding more electric vehicles and bikes. The Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstarting the Environment (E-BIKE) Act of 2023 would establish a rebate program for residents to buy e-bikes and cargo e-bikes at local DC shops. People who qualify for income could get anywhere from $400-$1200 to go toward purchasing an e-bike or cargo e-bike. In addition to e-bike and cargo e-bike purchase rebates, The Electric Bicycle Rebate Program Amendment Act of 2023 would also give refunds for battery replacements, bike components, and locks. 

Celebrate National Poetry Month with DC Public Library! Residents ages 6 and up are invited to submit a haiku to the 2023 Haiku Contest from April 1 - 30.

Write a haiku about one of the following themes:
✎ a DC moment / observed in DC,
✎ something you're grateful for,
✎ seasons, or
✎ something small and wild.

Each participating library will select a winner in the following age categories, Children (6-12), Teen (13-19) and Adult (20+). Prize-winners will take home library swag and have their poem posted in the library and on the DC Public Library's website in May! There is a limit of two entries per person. Learn more about National Poetry Month at DC Public Libraries here.

The Bloomingdale Civic Association (BCA) is currently accepting applications for its 2023 Scholarship Award! Each spring, the BCA awards two scholarships in the amount of $1,500. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to graduating high school seniors currently living in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, or who attend either Dunbar or McKinley Technology High Schools. Learn more and apply here. Applications are due by April 28.

If you meet the requirements listed above, then consider applying for this great scholarship opportunity! LRCA will award at least three (3) Academic Excellence Scholarships to eligible high school graduating seniors residing within the LRCA boundaries, who will attend an accredited* college or university. Scholarship awards will range from $500 to $1,000. Applications are due by May 5. Learn more and apply here.

*For a list of accredited colleges and universities, please visit ope.ed.gov.

This event is the Office of the People's Counsel's (OPC’s) second in a series of Community Conversations on Climate Change. The event will take place on Saturday, April 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Catholic University’s Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center. The target audience for “Our Planet, Our Future: An OPC Summit to Empower Youth & DC Communities,” will be Gen Z and millennials. However, DC residents of all ages are urged to attend. Learn more and register for the Youth Climate Summit here.

What’s the origin of your last name? Where did your great, great-grandparents come from? Can your kids or grandkids answer these questions? We want to help!

Bring your families to the DC History Center, 801 K Street Northwest Washington, DC 20001, on Saturday, April 29 for a day of genealogy fun! Creative activities take place 12 - 2 pm. During quick, scheduled pop-up talks, hear from our program partner Gigi Nelson and high school students from the Real World History class. Their family history stories will inspire your own curiosity and fuel your excitement to get started. Reserve free tickets here.

Taxes are crucial to our city’s ability to thrive. Our DC taxes pay for schools, roads, parks, health care, libraries, public safety and so much more. The District deserves a tax system that is resilient, equitable, economically competitive and reasonably easy to deal with. Does our current system live up to those standards? The DC Tax Revision Commission needs to hear from you!

The DC Tax Revision Commission, chaired by former Mayor Anthony Williams, is inviting members of the public to two town halls—one in person and another virtual—to hear what they think about the District’s tax system:
 
The IN-PERSON town hall will be on Monday, May 1^st at 7 pm at THEARC West's Black Box Theater (1801 Mississippi Ave, SE 20020). Participants can register HERE. 
 
The VIRTUAL town hall will be Thursday, May 4^th at 6:30 pm. Participants can register HERE. 

DC Jobs with Justice will hold two training sessions to help District workers better understand and protect their rights and wages. Come to learn about the District's upcoming minimum wage increase and laws governing paid sick leave and overtime pay. Training sessions are open to all; individuals working in the restaurant service, hospitality, retail, construction, and domestic industries are strongly encouraged to attend. Translation can be provided.
RSVP at www.tinyurl.com/OurRight2Work. 
Dates: Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 6:30 pm, Room 401-G and Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 6:30 pm, Room 401-F
Location: MLK Library, 901 G Street, NW

• House passes bill to overturn police accountability law (WaPo)
• Parts of Fort Totten Park close after metal canisters found on site (DCist)
• DC Health Link breach caused by human error, officials say (DCist)
• The case against the Commanders at RFK (Axios)

• 100 Days of Impact Video
• EPA Virtual Meeting with Ivy City Residents on Air Monitoring Evaluation
• Cure the Streets Program
• Remembering Deandre Holmes
• DC Ward 5 Instagram Guide
• Eating Through Chocolate City

As always, we invite you to use this form to provide feedback on how we're doing. We'd love to hear from you anytime. 

Yours in service and community, 

Zachary

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