UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER ANITA BONDS
Dear Friends,
The only thing stronger than the flurries of snow, sleet, and freezing rain that has beset the city these past few days has been the flurry of activity at the Council of the District of Columbia. Committees are busy holding performance oversight hearings and public roundtables on the confirmation of Mayoral nominees.
The Committee on Housing and Community Development unanimously supported Mayor Muriel Bowser's nominee Polly Donaldson for the position of Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. The confirmation was favorably approved by the full Council during the Tuesday, March 3 Legislative session.
The Committee on Housing and Community Development held performance oversight hearings on constituent agencies and commissions. Also, nearly 70 public and government witnesses testified last week on the operations of the Department of Housing and Community Development, the District of Columbia Housing Authority, the Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Production Trust Fund, and the Rental Housing Commission.
Many thanks to all who shared their thoughts and expertise on how best the government can provide quality services in these arenas. To review the questions the committee posed and the responses from the agency directors, I encourage you to visit, Performance Oversight Responses.
Warm regards,
Anita
WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
WOMEN’S EQUALITY
As we celebrate Women's History Month, let us applaud the great progresses toward gender equality we've made as a society and acknowledge the many women across our nation who have contributed to the advancement of social and economic justice for all. However, there remains stark discrepancies between women and their male counterparts in employment. Last week, it was announced that only 4.6 percent of the Standard & Poor’s top 500 businesses had women as Chief Executive Officers. This is an embarrassing reminder of inequality.
I joined At-Large Councilmember David Grosso as a co-introducer of the, "Gender Analysis Accountability Act of 2015." The bill will require that all District government agencies conduct gender analysis within their departments and require that the Office of Human Rights produce an annual report for the purpose of implementing a citywide action plan to ensure equality for women and girls in economic, political, social, and cultural arenas.
Photo by Dionne Calhoun- Councilmembers David Grosso and Anita Bonds address the DC Chapter of the United Nation's Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
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STANDING WITH WORKERS
On Tuesday, Councilmember Anita Bonds introduced the “Sense of the Council Regarding Gerawan Farming Resolution of 2015.” This bill encourages municipalities across the nation to call on Gerawan Farming to cease violating California state and federal laws relating to labor relations, anti-discrimination, and minimum wage/hour compliance.
Councilmember Bonds believes that it is important for the Council to stand by the labor community in their struggles across the country, just as so many in the labor community helped deliver major advances for workers here in the District of Columbia. You may show your support for organized labor by signing their important petition here: STAND WITH WORKERS
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WOMEN’S REENTRY SYMPOSIUM
On Valentine’s Day, Councilmember Anita Bonds brought greetings to the assembly at the Court Services and Offender Supervisory Agency’s (CSOSA) Women’s Reentry Symposium, "Families Supporting Supervision Success,” conference at the Temple of Praise church located at 701 Southern Ave., SE.
This was the 2nd consecutive year that Councilmember Bonds was able to show her support for the returning women's programs.
The annual conference offers a variety of activities including, inspirational speeches, life skills and women's empowerment workshops. The closing activity was a fashion show modeled by women in the program.
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Please join the Greater Washington Urban League at the 43rd Annual
Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Gala
Let Us Entertain You!
Friday, March 13, 2015 at 6:30PM
The Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, D.C
Featuring special dramatic readings by Councilmembers Yvette Alexander, Anita Bonds, and Kenyan McDuffie.
For more info- http://gwulgala.org
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LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
On Tuesday, March 3, the Committee of the Whole in the Council of the District of Columbia held their 3rd Legislative Meeting. Highlights of the meeting include:
Councilmember Anita Bonds introduces major
affordable housing legislation
The Act will establish the first ever database of rent controlled housing units in the District of Columbia.
WASHINGTON, DC - Committee on Housing and Community Development Chair Anita Bonds introduces the Rent Control Housing Clearinghouse Amendment Act of 2015 to make it significantly easier for residents to find affordable housing units under rent control.
Rent control is one of the most successful tools the District has to provide affordable housing to residents. Since the start of rent in 1985, the development of a central database where one might find the listing of affordable housing units has not been obtained. This legislation will create a real-time, searchable online database of all housing units subject to the District’s rent control laws.
The legislation will also provide the District with data on its roughly 80,000 unit rent control housing stock to assist in the development of more effective affordable housing public policy in the future and will eliminate red tape to lighten the filing burden of rent control housing providers.
“The District of Columbia must be a place where residents of all income levels can afford to live” proclaimed Councilmember Bonds. “This legislation will significantly improve the affordable housing options easily available to residents and the housing industry alike by providing them with the ability to sit at a computer and search tens of thousands of homes.”
Thanks to the support of so many throughout the District for Affordable Housing, all 10 of Councilmember Bonds’ colleagues have signed on in support of the Rent Control Housing Clearinghouse Amendment Act of 2015. Over a hundred supporters of the legislation signed onto Twitter to express their support for Councilmember Bonds and to help individuals easily find affordable housing in the District of Columbia.
Councilmember Bonds co-introduced the following pieces of legislation:
Councilmember Bonds co-sponsored the following pieces of legislation:
A ONE NIGHT ONLY POLITICAL THEATER EVENT!
COUNCILMEMBER ANITA BONDS - COUNCILMEMBER MARY CHEH - COUNCILMEMBER DAVID GROSSO - COUNCILMEMBER VINCENT ORANGE AND
CONGRESSWOMAN ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON
STARRING IN
THE HEXAGON THEATER'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION OF
THE SPOOF, THE WHOLE SPOOF, ...AND NOTHING BUT THE SPOOF!
Join us for a Wine and Cheese Event Featuring a Silent Auction
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
At 1:00 PM - Show Starts at 2:30 PM
Wilson High School
3950 Chesapeake Street NW
Washington, DC 20016
Questions? Email audience.relations@hexagon.org or Call 202-333-SHOW
Reserve your tickets here- www.Hexagon.org
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