November 2025

This month, I'm feeling thankful for the people who have given us their time and thoughtful feedback to support our planning work. Our office has held and attended over 100 public events in the past year to talk with residents. We could not do this work without the community's voice and we're grateful for the opportunity to plan for the District's future alongside you.

Sincerely,
Anita Cozart
Director, DC Office of Planning

• Rhode Island Avenue Planning Study Completed
• Notice of Funding Availability: Ward 7 Shared Commercial Kitchen Grant
• You're Invited: Designing Queer Futures Workshop
• Help Shape Food Retail in Your Neighborhood
• 📢 Engage in Planning Efforts

Rhode Island Avenue Planning Study Completed

We are excited to share the final report for the Rhode Island Avenue Planning Study.  The study presents a vision for the future of the corridor with 25 actionable strategies and new Streetscape Design Guidelines to make this vision a reality. Check out our Instagram for a video reflection from the project managers, and to the left, see renderings of three opportunity sites along the corridor: A mixed-use center from 13th-16th Streets NE A cultural and civic center between 18th-24th Streets NE A District gateway from 28th St NE to Eastern Avenue Our work included research, analysis, District agency collaboration, and community conversations with hundreds of residents and stakeholders. In all, more than 350 residents and business owners provided feedback.  Thank you to everyone who supported this project!

Notice of Funding Availability: Ward 7 Shared Commercial Kitchen Grant

We are seeking grant applications from qualified organizations to support expanding food access and entrepreneurship in Ward 7. Criteria for eligibility includes experience supporting food-based small businesses and connecting food entrepreneurs with commercial kitchen spaces.

The Ward 7 Shared Commercial Kitchen Grant will fund an organization to provide technical assistance to an operator of an existing kitchen space, identify and make necessary upgrades for licensing, develop materials to permit and license as a shared commercial kitchen, and develop a business plan for continued operations of the shared commercial kitchen.

View the NOFA here. The Request for Applications will open on December 3, and applications are due by January 5, 2026.

You're Invited: Designing Queer Futures Workshop

Virtual, December 16, 1:00-2pm

We invite LGBTQIA+ community members, elders, advocates, and allies to join us for a workshop. Share what belonging, safety, and pride in public space mean to you. We are convening community members to discuss recent engagement insights and identify opportunities related to belonging, housing, and celebrating history in DC’s public realm. Register to receive the meeting link.

Help Shape Food Retail in Your Neighborhood

Take a survey from the DC Food Policy Council. The District currently invests millions of dollars to help families access fresh food, but we know the District still faces food access gaps -- both economic and geographic. The DC Food Policy Council wants to hear about how you currently get the food you need for yourself and your family and how you would like to access food in your neighborhood.

📢 Engage in Planning Efforts

Learn more and get involved in our community planning projects:

• DC 2050
• Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant Public Life Study
• Designing Queer Futures
• Poplar Point Plan

Left to Right: Food Policy table at the Dreaming Out Loud fall festival on Nov. 1; DC 2050 public workshop Nov. 15; Pumpkin Toss composting event Nov. 15