May 23, 2019 | Vol. 5, Issue 21
Dear Washingtonians,
I've said it before: By 2025, Washington, DC needs to add 36,000 new units of housing. The region needs to add 240,000.
I've also said that to meet our housing goals, we must continue to think bigger and bolder.
So, in my most recent budget proposal, I increased our investment in the Housing Production Trust Fund to $130 million. I increased our investment in our Housing Preservation Fund to $15 million. And I also created a new $20 million Workforce Housing Fund that will support our middle-income residents like teachers, social workers, and first responders and help insulate them from an influx of highly paid Amazon workers (Amazon has already said HQ2 employees will make an average of $150,000).
Now, we need the Council to support those investments.
On May 14, the Council cut $10 million from the Housing Production Trust Fund, completely eliminated the Housing Preservation Fund, and replaced the $20 million Workforce Housing Fund with a $2.8 million tax abatement for private developers.
These cuts will accelerate displacement and make it more difficult for low- and moderate-income families to live in DC. On May 28, the Council should restore the funding for these programs and give more Washingtonians the fair shot they deserve.
Sincerely,
 Tomorrow, join Mayor Bowser to celebrate the kickoff of outdoor pool season! The celebration at Langdon Pool and Spray Park will feature music, food, and fun for the whole family.
Then, on Saturday, May 25, all outdoor pools and spray parks will open across DC. Find the full outdoor pool schedule HERE and learn more about the kickoff event HERE.
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 This week, Mayor Bowser announced plans for Lidl US to open its first store in Washington, DC at Skyland Town Center, an 18-acre site located in Ward 7 at the intersection of Good Hope Road, Naylor Road, and Alabama Avenue SE.
The Skyland Development Team secured the lease with Lidl US, a grocer that operates more than 65 stores across nine East Coast states. The store will be the first internationally recognized full-service supermarket to enter Wards 7 and 8 since 2007.
In January, the Mayor broke ground on Good Food Markets in the Bellevue community in Ward 8, making Lidl the second major announcement about bringing a new grocery store East of the River in the first six months of the Mayor’s second term.
Learn more HERE.
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 Last week, Mayor Bowser officially kicked off the District’s 2020 Census efforts. The engagement process starts almost one year in advance of Census Day (April 1, 2020) and will continue through early 2020.
For the first time, Census questionnaires can be completed online. Residents will also have the option to provide their information by phone or request a paper questionnaire. A postcard will be sent to each District household in March 2020 with instructions to go online and fill out the questionnaire.
For more information about the Census and how you can get involved, go to dccensus2020.dc.gov.
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This week’s District Minute features stories about the ribbon-cutting at the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments, the kickoff of the fourth annual Great Graffiti Wipeout, and the reillumination of the clock at the Industrial Bank.
 The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) is the leading authority on energy and environmental issues affecting Washington, DC. DOEE works collaboratively with other government agencies, residents, businesses, and institutions to promote environmentally responsible behavior that will lead to a more sustainable urban environment.
DOEE has an opening for an Environmental Protection Specialist. This position is responsible for conducting stormwater audits; explaining techniques to control non-point source pollution; effectively communicating the benefits of lot-level stormwater practices; assessing properties and suggesting the appropriate best management practice; and entering information into a GIS-based tracking system. All details regarding this vacancy, including qualifications, can be found by visiting the job announcement.
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