Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  The Council took its first vote on the FY27 budget this past Tuesday. We made significant progress considering where we started when we first received the Mayor's proposal in April. Complete cuts to essential lifelines like Family Success Centers, the Credible Messengers Program, Access to Justice, Alliance, and housing vouchers would have meant displacement, deepening…

Happy Pride! Earlier this week, officials from across DC government gathered to raise the Pride Flag outside the Wilson building like we do every year as both a symbol and a charge—DC is for everyone and love always wins. The afternoon's celebration of our LGBTQ+ community was a welcome break from the back-to-back budget conversations, public hearings, and markups…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  As we inch closer to the Council's budget votes in June, a number of funding gaps still remain that my office is working to address. At the Council's budget work session on Wednesday, we talked through many of those concerns, including the gap between funding for DC Public Schools and Public Charter Schools, Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  The work happening inside the Wilson building each day is important, but I know what often matters most is what's happening in your own neighborhood—at your parks, schools, and recreation centers. That's why over the past few years, I've prioritized getting long overdue projects moving and kicking off new ones. Just two…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  Welcome to the new and improved Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter! We are trying out a new email platform to improve deliverability and ensure neighbors are connected to all the latest Ward 5 updates from my office. If you happen to be viewing this newsletter from your browser or had it forwarded to…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  I love being reminded of how green Ward 5 is every spring. Neighbors head back outside for sports practices, farmers markets, garden clubs, and more.  Each year, my team and I also host Healthy Communities Spring Cleaning, a series of community clean-ups to help keep Ward 5 beautiful and green. …

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  Yesterday's youth-centered roundtable on "teen takeovers" was a powerful witness to the strength of our community and the ability of our young people to create solutions. Earlier this week, I sent a letter to the Mayor and Chairman detailing aspects of what I believe could get us started on a comprehensive youth agenda that…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  It's filling our news cycles, social media feeds, and Council debates: the conversation about "teen takeovers" and how to respond. For months, large gatherings of youth in neighborhoods like Navy Yard, the Wharf, and U Street have led to a variety of responses from neighbors and lawmakers alike. Our screens are filled with images of the National…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  With DC Public Schools on spring break, the Council on a brief recess before budget oversight, and DC Emancipation Day yesterday, it was a quiet week in the Wilson building. Even still, my team and I are hard at work preparing for budget hearings, following up on constituent services requests, and connecting…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  Last year, the Office of Planning began work to fully rewrite the District's Comprehensive Plan for the first time in nearly 20 years. Often called the "Comp Plan," it is a high-level guide that sets a positive, long-term vision for the District through the lens of its physical growth, equity, and change.…