Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter
June 9, 2023

It's been an eventful week! From passing caps on rent increases at the Council's Legislative Meeting on Tuesday, to community public safety walks and committee hearings, to a black bear in Brookland, this newsletter brings you lots of updates.

I'm excited for tomorrow's Capital Pride Parade! If you haven't yet, there's still time to sign up to walk with my office in the parade. While there was some concern about whether the parade would happen as planned due to air quality alerts Wednesday and Thursday, the air is clearing up and we look forward to a beautiful time tomorrow. I also encourage you to check out goDCgo's guide to getting around during Capital Pride festivities.

It was great to see so many neighbors at Open Streets on 12th St NE on Sunday! The weather was beautiful, and there was a little something for everyone.

• Providence UCC lost over $2.6 million since 2019 with direct cost $6.5 million.
• Diagnostic Imaging lost $1 million since 2021 with direct cost $2.7 million.
• Ascension has taken efforts to reduce the financial burden:
  • No management fee for shared support services provided by corporate offices (H/R benefits, marketing, food services, environmental, regulatory compliance).
  • No mark up on fees paid for various services.
  • Forgave $55 million of intercompany debt on June 18.
• Explored growth in other services, market demand and financial analysis in designing non-acute campus and contacted other health systems about their interest in operating in the Urgent Care.

The DC Tax Revision Commission is inviting members of the public to an additional Virtual Town Hall to discuss the District’s tax system. The Town Hall will be Thursday, June 15, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/TRCTownHall.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host an open house to share the preferred alternative for Bladensburg Road NE between Benning Road and Eastern Avenue. DDOT invites residents who live, work, and commute on Bladensburg Road to drop by our open house to review concept plans and provide feedback. The open house will happen on Saturday, June 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Trinidad Recreation Center in the Multipurpose Room (1310 Childress Street NE). Learn more here.  
 

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is conducting a high-level feasibility study of the North Capitol Street Corridor, which has been identified as a high crash corridor in the District’s moveDC plan. The study is a preliminary assessment of the existing transportation network, and study results will help inform the scope of future project phases starting in 2024 and will guide development concepts and preliminary corridor designs. The corridor is also identified as a Transit and Freight Priority corridor and is a connector for the Northeast and Northwest parts of the city. 

The purpose of this meeting is to present existing conditions on the corridor, gain community feedback on major issues, and present draft short-term improvements at high crash intersections. This is a chance for community members to share their feedback on ongoing issues, challenges, and opportunities for the study. DDOT staff will also be available to answer questions.

The meeting will be held in-person at SeVerna on K (43 K St NW) on June 24. A virtual option will also be available on June 22.

• Virtual Option: June 22, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Webex link
• In-person Option: June 24, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - SeVerna on K (43 K St NW)

On June 26, DC Public Library is shifting open hours at neighborhood library locations across the District to enhance accessibility. The hours at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and at co-located library locations will not change.

Neighborhood Libraries (in Ward 5: Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library and Woodridge Neighborhood Library):

• Monday - Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 
• Thursday | Noon - 8:00 p.m. 
• Friday - Saturday - 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Co-Located Libraries | Deanwood, Northwest One, Rosedale

• Monday - Wednesday | 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday | Noon - 8:00 p.m. 
• Friday - Saturday | 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

• Monday - Thursday | 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Friday - Saturday | 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Sunday | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is developing concept designs for the New York Avenue Streetscape and Trail Project that will promote multimodal transportation safety and create cohesive, community-friendly spaces along the project area. The corridor is a major east-west route through Ivy City and connects the Arboretum and Union Market communities in Ward 5 and Ward 6. New York Avenue NE is a major transportation route, a neighborhood, and an important industrial and commercial hub in the District. The project area extends along New York Avenue NE from the NoMa Metro Station to Bladensburg Road NE and includes a mix of residential units, businesses, places of worship, and new developments. Currently, the project area has few options for non-vehicular traffic and lacks adequate and consistent infrastructure to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists. 

The purpose of this meeting is to gain input on the updated concept designs and associated streetscape improvements. These comments will be incorporated into developing the final concept prior to moving into further design work. Attend the virtual meeting on June 28 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. here.
 

• Multimodal Improvement of Mt Olivet Rd NE - Read and comment here
  • This is an important traffic safety improvement from DDOT. The history of crashes along the corridor shows several major injuries and fatal crashes involving pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and passengers. The change from a four-lane undivided roadway to a three-lane cross-section, otherwise known as a "road diet," will improve safety and reduce crashes by decreasing the number of conflicts along the road.
     
• Installation of All-Way Stop at 19th St and M St NE - Read and comment here
   

My School DC is the common application and public school lottery for DC Public Schools (DCPS) and participating public charter schools (PK3 – grade 12). The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is an advisory board to My School DC. PAC members provide guidance and feedback on the My School DC application process, including design of the application and targeted engagement strategies; serve as ambassadors of information to their respective communities; and advise the Common Lottery Board – My School DC’s governing body – on major policy decisions. My School DC seeks diverse, citywide representation for the PAC to include (at minimum) one representative from each ward. For the 2024-25 lottery school year cycle, My School DC is actively seeking a representative(s) from Wards 1, 4, 5, and 7. Applications are due by June 30, 2023.
 

This week, my team attended the Stronghold Civic Association, Bates Area Civic Association, Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, Woodridge Civic Association, and North Michigan Park Civic Association meetings. Here's a brief recap: 

• Stronghold Civic Association (June 5 at 7:00 p.m.): The SCA approved the plan for a fish fry July 29 from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. My team went over the FY24 budget. Community members shared concerns about losing parking in the alternative to the Deck Over and had voted on the proposal last year. We talked about continuing to regularly take pictures of homes to be able to file claims against developers if there is damage from the McMillan development. 

• Bates Area Civic Association (June 5 at 7:00 p.m.): The BACA looked at reviewing their by-laws in August. My team shared updates about the FY24 budget vote and asked the community to think about how they would improve the livability of North Capitol. Commissioner Robinson-Paul wanted some of the deck over money used for a splash pad to keep kids cool in the summer months.

• Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (June 5 at 7:00 p.m.): Along with my Ward 4 colleague, Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George, I joined the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) to swear in their new Executive Board. At this meeting, neighbors celebrated the outgoing leadership and the association's 75 years of community organizing and service. My Constituent Services Coordinator Carlos McKnight and I were acknowledged for our collaboration with the LRCA and dedication to the residents of Ward 5. 
   
• Woodridge Civic Association (June 6 at 7:00 p.m.): The Woodridge Civic Association held their first in-person in 3 years at Woodridge Neighborhood Library. My staff joined and participated in discussions about the association's plans and goals for the upcoming months.  
   
• North Michigan Park Civic Association (June 7 at 7:00 p.m.): My team joined the North Michigan Park Civic Association for their first in-person meeting since the start of COVID at the North Michigan Park Recreation Center. At this meeting, members of EYA LLC shared with residents the new proposal for the redevelopment of the Providence Hospital Campus. The Civic Association also awarded two of their neighbors—college students—with scholarships. Members of Faith United Church shared their vision for renovations of their property as well

• New format! My website now displays upcoming ANC and Civic Association Meetings in an interactive calendar. View upcoming meetings here.

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

On Tuesday at the Committee of the Whole Meeting, the Council voted: 

• To approve nominees to the Homeland Security Commission and Board of Massage Therapy; 
• To approve special license plates for the Washington Wizards, the longest standing sports team in the District, and Pride plates.
  • Revenues from the LGBTQIA+ Pride plates will go to the Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs to support programs promoting the welfare of the LGBTQIA+ community. 
• To approve sending the Expanding Access to Fertility Treatment Amendment Act of 2023 to the Legislative Meeting, where it received its first of two required passing votes from the Council. This legislation requires private insurers, Medicaid, and the Healthcare Alliance to cover diagnosis and treatment of infertility.
  • The Department of Health Care Finance has to do a report on funding and covering services and the costs for DC Medicaid to cover these treatments and services. 
  • Starting January 1, 2025, private insurers must cover some medically necessary fertility medications, infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), standard fertility preservation services commonly known as freezing eggs (3 retrievals), and unlimited embryo transfers from egg freezing that occurs before January 1, 2025 including to a third-party such as a surrogate. 

• Rent increases for rent controlled apartments went up last month (May 1) to 8.9% (the current Consumer Price Index plus 2%), which is the highest rent increase in decades. The Council passed an emergency bill with the following caps for rent-controlled apartments:
  • New rent increases that start July 1 and after are capped at 6%.
  • Over 2 years rent cannot be raised more than 12%.
  • For seniors and people with disabilities, new rent increases are capped at 4% for 2023 and 8% over 2 years.
• The 2023 Women’s World Cup Tournament will be July 20 to August 20 in New Zealand and Australia. So that soccer fans can watch the tournament in DC despite time zone differences, the Council voted for establishments to be open 24/7 and sell alcohol 22 hours a day.
• The Council approved 7 DCPS contracts that were past due to be approved. The matter of the 36 outstanding DCPS contracts that went without Council approval for several months has been referred to the Office of the Inspector General.  

Upcoming Hearings Next Week: 

• Tuesday, June 13 at 3:30 p.m. - Public Oversight Hearing on Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation (Committee of the Whole). Link here.
• Wednesday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m. - Hearing on 3 bills including the Pay Range Act, Fair Wage Amendment Act, and Pay Scale and Benefits Disclosure Amendment Act (Committee on Executive Administration & Labor).
  • Sign up to testify by either emailing the Committee at ceal@dccouncil.gov or by calling (202) 724-8198, at least two business days before the hearing and provide your name, address, telephone number, email address, organizational affiliation and title. 
• Thursday, June 15 at 9:30 a.m. - Hearing on the Reparations Foundation Fund and Task Force Establishment Act (Committee on Business and Economic Development).
  • Sign up to testify in person or virtually or to submit written testimony by Monday June 12 at 5:00 p.m. by filling out this form.
• Friday, June 16 at 11:00 a.m. - Public roundtable on the matter of Mistreatment of Workers at District of Columbia Subsidized Developments and Worker Protections (Committee on Executive Administration & Labor). The purpose of this roundtable is to discuss recent instances of worker mistreatment in the District of Columbia, especially in city-subsidized developments. Moreover, the stated purpose of this roundtable is to understand existing employee rights and explore ways to bolster employment protections for workers in their endeavor to unionize within the District of Columbia.
  • Sign up to testify by either emailing the Committee at ceal@dccouncil.gov or telephone the Committee at (202) 724-8198, at least two business days before the hearing and provide your name, address, telephone number, email address, organizational affiliation and title. 

June is the month of Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth," it is celebrated on the anniversary of an order issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas who had not yet been freed following the Emancipation Proclamation. During this month, I'll be sharing some of the work around racial equity in the District.

What is the Council Office of Racial Equity (CORE)?
The Council Office of Racial Equity (CORE) works to answer the question, “If Council passes this bill, how will it impact Black, Indigenous, and other residents of color?" Race and zip code are some of the strongest predictors of access to: quality education, food, healthcare, good paying jobs, clean air, and many other factors that affect people’s well-being and quality of life.
CORE is a team located within Council that provides training, tools, and processes for Councilmembers, staff, and the community. It helps us identify and disrupt biases and inequities in making DC laws. Most permanent bills that move through the Council’s legislative process receive a Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA) before the full Council votes on the bills.

What is a Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA)?
According to District law, “racial equity” means “the elimination of racial disparities such that race no longer predicts opportunities, outcomes, or the distribution of resources for residents of the District, particularly for persons of color and Black residents.”

The way CORE determines if a Council law or proposal will make progress toward racial equity, or exacerbate racial inequity, is by conducting a Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA). Racial inequities are not naturally occurring—rather they are the result of intentional and unintentional decision-making, often by the government. A REIA is an analysis of how a proposed bill will affect different racial and ethnic groups in DC, and a conscious effort to not continue the disparities and inequities actively created and perpetuated since the founding of our nation.

A REIA researches and answers to questions such as:

• What events and decisions led to the racial inequities we see today?
• What are other jurisdictions doing? What have other jurisdictions learned about this policy area and this policy change?
• What have residents been saying about this topic?

For example, the Racial Equity Impact Assessment for the Expanding Access to Fertility Treatment Amendment Act of 2023 says that from a racial equity perspective, the bill will likely improve access to fertility treatments for Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other residents of color with health insurance, though it won’t help those who don’t have access to or can’t afford health insurance. All REIAs are available to the public here.

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) hosts three weekly free veggie giveaways of local, fresh organic produce including kale, collards, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, herbs, flowers, and MORE! They occur May 9 through November 30 (weather permitting). In Ward 5, the weekly giveaway is at the Edgewood Rooftop Farm (at the Edgewood Recreation Center - 301 Franklin St NE) every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Local gym, Bourne2Fly, is providing free fitness classes every Monday at 6:00 p.m. at their location (3408 18th St NE), sponsored by FITDC. These functional fitness classes started in May and will continue through July and provide DC residents a high quality fitness experience, connecting their mind, body, and community. Spaces are limited and registration is required on Eventbrite. 
 

The Get Grants Ready Session will discuss common errors and reasons for rejection to help applicants prepare for the next round of Great Streets, Locally Made Manufacturing, and Neighborhood Prosperity Fund grants applications. Join the info session on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 10:00 AM at 1015 Half Street, SE, Suite 675. Learn more and RSVP here.
 

Pepco, the DC Public Library Foundation and DC Public Library are calling on youth between the ages of 13 - 19 to use their creative voice to make a difference. 

Between May 22 and August 15, youth can submit an original work of writing, photography, film, visual art, or music that expresses their feelings on a social issue that matters to them. They’re looking for pieces that are not only well-crafted but have a strong voice and perspective on a subject pertaining to civic engagement.

Winners will be selected in the categories of Visual Art, Writing, Music, and Film & Photography. Entries will be judged by representatives from Pepco and D.C. Public Library's Teen Council. Prizes include:

• Prize for Writing: Laptop
• Prize for Film & Photography: Canon EOS 4000D
• Prize for Visual Art: Wacom CTL4100 Intuos Graphics Drawing Tablet
• Prize for Music: Fender Electric Guitar

• Council Passes Rent Cap for Rent-Controlled Tenants (Washington City Paper)
  • AND - Council Passes 6% Cap on New Rent Increases at Many Apt Buildings (DCist)
     
• This Week Was Already a (Smoky) Bear. Then a Bear Showed Up in Brookland. (DCist)
   
• Wharf InterContinental Agree to Fair Union Recognition Process for Workers (Press Release)
  • AND - Ex-Moon Rabbit Workers Will Get Their Union (DCist)
     
• DGS Opens New Headquarters in NE DC (WJLA)
   
• A New System in California Recasts gun Violence as a Public Health Concern. It's Saving Lives. (The Guardian)
   
• Officials Respond as DC Hits 100th Homicide (NBC 4)
   
• House GOP Floats Rewriting DC's Election Laws in Latest Hearing (WaPo)
   
• In DCPS Procurement Scandal, Black-Owned Small Businesses Weigh In (Washington Informer)
   
• DC Has Picked a Design for its 14th & U Make-over (Axios DC)
   
• DC Bill Requires Health Insurers to Cover Costly Fertility Treatments (WTOP)
   
• Bowser Taps New DC Health Director After Year-Long Search (WaPo)
   
• The Viability of Hotels as Alternative Art Spaces (Washington City Paper)

• Councilmember Parker Speaks at Pride Flag Raising Ceremony
• Open Streets DC
• Providence Reimagined
• Pride Parade Sign-up Form
• Fort Totten Transfer Station Re-Opens

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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