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In August, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner led
an historic mission to El Salvador strengthening our cooperative international
relationship with the Central American country. While visiting, Mayor Bowser
and San Salvador Mayor Ernesto Luis Muyshondt García-Prieto signed a Sister City
Agreement establishing a cooperative relationship between Washington, DC and El
Salvador’s capital to further the areas of economic development, youth development,
public safety, sustainability, culture, education and government collaboration
in both cities. In addition to signing the historic agreement, Mayor Bowser met
with a variety of local leaders, entrepreneurs, and Salvadorans from different
walks of life including Mayor of Intipucá José Elenilson Leonzo.
This
historic sister city relationship is established during a time when Salvadorans
play an integral role in Washington, DC’s business community and cultural
future. Home to a large Salvadoran population, the DC region has a multitude of
Salvadoran business owners, families, entrepreneurs, community leaders,
artists, and more.
“Salvadorans
have played an important role in building the diverse, inclusive, and thriving
Washington, DC that we live in today,” said Mayor Bowser. “With
thousands upon thousands of Salvadorans living in the DC region who continue to
make tremendous contributions not only to our local economy, but to the culture
of our city, I am proud that San Salvador will be the first Sister City
Agreement I am entering into as Mayor and will work hard to ensure we can build
safer, stronger communities together.”
 Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner greeting El Salvadoran businesses at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mayor Bowser, along
with Mayor Ernesto Luis Muyshondt García-Prieto, announced the grand opening of
a new library in San Salvador, also a result of the new Sister City
relationship where MCN Build, a DC-based company, donated funds for the
library’s construction.
 The DMPED delegation was able to immerse in the culture while visiting a local coffee roaster
Mayor Bowser
was joined by Events DC, the District’s convention and sports authority, on August
29 to break ground on multi-purpose recreational fields marking
the beginning of
the RFK Campus redevelopment plan. Construction will
begin in September 2018 and the fields are expected to open for play in March
2019.
“The
community has waited a long time to see this land put to good use, and today, we
are all proud to get this project started,” said Mayor Bowser.
“When these fields are complete, this will be the community space our residents
deserve. Here at RFK, Washingtonians will have it all – the amenities of a big
city, access to a thriving waterfront, and fantastic outdoor fields and play
space.”
The groundbreaking will transform nearly
27 acres of asphalt into three new state-of-the-art artificial turf fields with
community amenities. The recreational fields are part of restoring the RFK
complex as one of the District’s original sports and entertainment corridors in
the city.
While continuing campus programming and
construction on the fields, the District will remain focused on advancing the
RFK campus redevelopment plan. To learn more about the overall RFK Campus
redevelopment concepts, visit www.RFKCampus.com.
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that her Administration and The George Washington University
Hospital (GW Hospital) have signed a Letter of Intent to improve access to high
quality healthcare services for Washingtonians, specifically for residents
living in Wards 7 and 8. Together, the partners will develop a new acute care
community hospital and health services complex located on the St. Elizabeths
East campus in Ward 8, to be managed and operated by GW Hospital and fully
integrated and aligned with the GW Hospital network of care and its affiliated
faculty practice plan. The new hospital is expected to open in 2023 and include
approximately 100-125 inpatient beds. The Mayor was joined at today’s
announcement by City Administrator Rashad Young and Director of the DC
Department of Health Care Finance Wayne Turnage.
"Together,
let’s take a 20th-century health-care system and transform it into a
21st-century system that gives all Washingtonians access to the right care at
the right time." - Mayor Bowser
The
District has a budget of over $300 million in capital for the construction of a
new hospital, including the construction of a parking garage. GW Hospital will
invest more than $75 million over ten years.
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 The Parks at Walter Reed is in the midst of hosting a three-part summer jazz series showcasing local
recording artists, musicians and vocalists from the greater Washington,
DC region. The Parks invites neighbors and friends to join – everyone is
welcome! Some seating will be available, but attendees are encouraged
to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets to enjoy an evening of live
music on the Great Lawn.
Join us for the next Jazz in the Parks series event on September 15th from 4 - 7 PM!
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The D.C. Department of
Housing and Community Development (DHCD) released several opportunities to
develop or preserve affordable housing.
First, the District is seeking proposals to transform seven
vacant properties in Anacostia and Congress Heights into affordable housing. DHCD is accepting
proposals for the following Southeast sites: 1414
22nd St. SE, 1615 V St. SE, 1637 V St. SE, and 2206 16th St. SE in Anacostia; and 1444, 1452, and 1454
Alabama Ave. SE in Congress Heights, which are adjacent
parcels. Read more here.
Second, DHCD released its Summer
2018 Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide gap financing through local
and federal programs for projects that will produce new affordable housing
units or preserve existing units. The RFP provides that permanent supportive
housing must make up five percent of the units in new construction and vacant
rehabilitation rental properties.
Lastly, DHCD also
launched a new $200,000
grant program for small residential building owners to make key repairs
to their properties.
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