Councilmember Anita Bonds Update with Parking Survey Results

Dear Friends,

Government Shutdown Week 2

Unfortunately, the Federal government remains in shutdown. Congress has not yet reached an agreement to fully open and the negative impact upon families and businesses in the District of Columbia continues to expand and affect us all. The DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), having experienced over 11,000 claims for unemployment services since the shutdown,  request new claims be submitted online. DOES has created an informational web page for Federal employees seeking unemployment compensation. 

Parking Survey

Thank you to those who took time to participate in my survey on parking in your neighborhood. I am encouraged by the responses and have read each of your thoughtful comments.

Highlights of the results include:

• Over 80% of respondents own one or more vehicles.
• 72% utilize street parking
• 54% own bicycles
• 60% believe that street parking is adequate
• 51% have used Visitors Parking Permit (VPP) within the past 6 months and 70% of them support the current system of obtaining passes at police stations while mailing permits to targeted areas.
• Many commenters believe the RPP zone sticker’s price of $35.00 needs to be raised, while numerous others complain that out-of-state vehicles are taking parking spots.
• Several believe that the visitor’s permit should be all-electronic to enable data-tracking & accountability.

Full results of the survey are included within this edition below.  

As always, you can reach my office by phone at 202-724-8064 and me directly by email at abonds@dccouncil.us.  

Sincerely,

Anita

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS ANNUAL TENANT SUMMIT Last Saturday, September 28, Councilmember Anita Bonds addressed the Office of Tenant Advocate’s (OTA) Sixth Annual Tenant Summit. The all-day event was an opportunity to bring together tenants, tenant associations, housing attorneys and advocates, policy experts, community leaders, and District officials to discuss matters of concern to the District’s tenant community. Also, Councilmember Bonds Chief of Staff Brittney Madison was a panelist at the summit's Legislative Roundtable. Are you aware that the Office of Tenant Advocate can assist you with legal and technical issues related to tenants’ rights?  Need help resolving a dispute with a landlord? To speak with a Case Management Specialist, call the OTA at (202) 719-6560 or visit 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 300N, Washington, DC.

40TH ADAMS MORGAN FARMERS MARKET/BARACKS ROW FESTIVAL Also, Saturday, Councilmember Anita Bonds joined Councilmember Jim Graham, civic and community leaders in bringing greetings and celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Adams Morgan Farmer’s Market. Located at the corner of 18th St. & Columbia Road NW, The market has been continuously operating since 1973. Visiting the market has become a Saturday ritual for many Washingtonians.   Also last Saturday, Councilmember Anita Bonds visited and enjoyed meeting with business owners and residents at the Annual Barracks Row Festival. The festival featured culinary competitions, street performances, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and plenty of food and activities for children. Photo- Barracks Row Festival, property of Barracks Row Main Street.

MARY’S HOUSE    On Monday, Councilmember Bonds staff met with representatives of Mary's House for Older Adults, Inc. that seeks to provide a safe and caring communal living environment for the District’s LGBT elder residents. It would be the first mixed-income housing of this type in the city for the LGBT population. We see the development of Mary's House for Older Adults, Inc. similar to the Wanda Alston House facility that offers housing and support for LGBT youth. There are few housing environments that intentionally support LGBT elders in the country. Mary's House will be the only one of this size and concept, communal living with eight rooms with closets and private baths, that requires less than $1.2 million to build and operate. It is being touted as a possible model for the country in this area.

TACTICAL VILLAGE CEREMONY   On Wednesday, Councilmember Anita Bonds joined Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Police Chief Cathy Lanier and government officials at the opening of the Tactical Village. The Tactical Village is a state-of-the-art skills training center and a reconstruction of an urban street setting. The Tactical Village will enhance the quality of training available to thousands of officers, agents and private security employees from the Metropolitan region. The Tactical Village consists of: a mock town containing a variety of building and streetscapes. an interactive system for force option training and classrooms. a realistic environment in which to train officers, recruits and inter-agency teams in police scenarios and tactics specific to our Nation’s capital, including courses on threat response and infrastructure protection.  The centralized location at Blue Plains in SW, Washington, DC will allow for multi-jurisdictional use, available to the two dozen organizations that patrol and secure areas both inside the District and the surrounding region. Photo- Participants at the ribbon cutting, Terry Straub, Mark Tuohey, Anita Bonds, Paul Quander Cathy Lanier, Mayor Vincent Gray.

ASSESSMENT CENTER/HBX EXCHANGE On Friday, Councilmember Anita Bonds brought remarks at the opening of the Department of Human Resources Family Resource Assessment Center in Anacostia. The Assessment Center provides critical services to about 600 individuals and families per week and offers services for housing assistance, job training, benefits, and child care at one location. Having visited the center several months ago, the Councilmember was encouraged by the new renovations. While the new intake center is unlikely to alleviate the high demand for services, residents can expect a sparkling new and inviting environment. DC Department of Human Services Director David A. Berns also led officials on a tour of the new Health Benefits Exchange call center, which is located in the same building.

At the Tuesday, October 1 Legislative Session, Councilmember Bonds cosponsored the following legislation:

• Bicycle Safety Act: Increases cyclists’ safety by allowing them to use pedestrian traffic control devices and by requiring that blocked bike lanes and sidewalks have a safe alternative provided by the owner of the public space.  This bill also increases penalties for drivers failing to yield the right of way to a bicycle, and for drivers colliding with a bicycle. The bill passed with unanimous support.
• Cottage Food Act: Allows cottage food businesses to operate without a license from the DOH if the specific laws concerning cottage food businesses are followed, and strengthens DOH regulations and inspections of cottage food businesses. The bill passed with unanimous support.

Councilmember Bonds co-introduced the following legislation:

• Community Renewables Energy Act: Allows DC consumers (especially renters and apartment dwellers) to more easily establish and buy into solar energy virtual net-metering.  Through these community-based systems, residents will now be able to reduce their monthly electricity bills by investing in solar power projects.  The bill passed with unanimous support.
• Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Temporary Amendment Act: Removes the requirement that ANC Commissioners file confidential disclosures of financial interest, while also instituting a requirement for Commissioners to certify that they have paid their taxes and not engaged in any illegal or improper activity. The bill passed with unanimous support.
• Visitor Parking Pass Preservation Temporary Amendment Act: Temporarily prohibits citations from being issued to vehicles displaying a valid visitor parking pass. The bill passed with unanimous support.
• Federal Shutdown Response Emergency Declaration Resolution/Act: Responds to the federal shutdown by declaring all personnel and activities of the District government to be “essential”. The bill passed with unanimous support.

The following key legislation also made it to the floor last week:

• Primary Election Date Emergency Declaration Resolution/Amendment Act: This bill would have changed the date of the 2014 primary election from April to June.  Councilmember Bonds voted to move the election to June 2014 but the bill failed: 5 yes, 7 no, 1 absent. 
• Smoking Restriction Amendment Act: Prohibits the use of tobacco products within playgrounds and public facilities, and within 25 feet of a bus stop. Smokers walking past bus stops (rather than standing at/near them) are exempted. The bill passed with unanimous support.  

COUNCILMEMBER ANITA BONDS DC PARKING SURVEY RESULTS

1. Do you dwell in an apartment building or single family house?

APARTMENT BUILDING 31.9%

SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE 68.1%

2. How many automobiles are in your household?

NONE 18.6%

1 51.1%

2 25.0%

3 5.3%

3. Do you own a bicycle, scooter, or motorbike?

BICYCLE 53.7%

SCOOTER 1.1%

MOTORBIKE 3.7%

NONE 44.7%

4. Do you utilize street parking or private parking at your residence?

NOT APPLICABLE 11.2%

STREET PARKING 41.0%

PRIVATE PARKING 17.0%

BOTH 30.9%

5. Does your street currently have parking designated for your Ward only?

YES, ON ONE SIDE ONLY 16.0%

YES, BOTH SIDES 50.5%

NO 33.5% 

6. Do you believe there is adequate parking for you and your neighbors?

YES 59.6%

NO 40.4%

7. Do you feel that businesses, corner markets, churches, or other non-profits interfere with your ability to find adequate street parking near your home?

ALWAYS 13.3%

SOMETIMES 28.2%

RARELY 26.1%

NEVER 32.4%

8. Have you used a car sharing service in the last 6 months (Zip Car, Car 2 Go, Etc.)?

YES 30.9%

NO 69.1%

9. Have you used the Visitors Parking Permit for any guests in the past 6 months?

YES 51.1%

NO 48.9%

10. If Yes, was visitors pass mailed to your residence or did you obtain from the Police Station.

MAILED 57.3%

POLICE STATION 42.7%

11. If Yes, Do you wish to continue to receive the pass in this manner?

YES 70.8%

NO 29.2%

12. Do you believe the city should expand the VPP city-wide to allow all residents to obtain a visitor’s pass by request?

YES 47.3%

NO 27.7%

NOT SURE 25.0%

13. Do you believe residents will misuse their VPP pass if offered city-wide?

YES 41.5%

NO 26.6%

NOT SURE 31.9%

14. Do you believe zoning regulations should eliminate parking minimums in new developments?

YES 38.3%

NO 36.7%

NOT SURE 25.0% 

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