DCOA E*News At-A-Glance
On June 24, 2014, the Council of the District of Columbia passed the
final Budget Support Act which did not fund the Senior Citizen Real Property
Tax Relief exemption for the next fiscal year, effectively eliminating the
program. The Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief exemption was originally
signed into law by Mayor Gray on March 23, 2014, and offered low and
middle-income seniors an exemption from real-property taxes if they are at
least 70 years old and have owned a residence in the District for 20 consecutive
years or longer. With the elimination of the program, all seniors should
continue to pay their property taxes and look to other opportunities for
relief.
Property tax assistance for older adults include: Homestead Relief,
Senior and Disabled Credit, Senior Tax Deferral, and Schedule H Individual
Income Property Tax Credit. You must apply for these programs with the Office
of Tax and Revenue (click here for
link), and they will determine if you meet the eligibility requirements for
these benefits. If you need assistance with your taxes and/or help enrolling in
these benefits, please contact Legal Counsel for the Elderly at 202-434-2120 or
visit their website by clicking
here.
 Free six-week classes will help persons live with chronic conditions. Supported by the D.C. Department of Health and the D.C. Office on Aging, Living Well with Chronic Conditions can help persons with diabetes, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, cancer, or any other chronic condition that may impact quality of life.
Workshops can also help you:
- Decrease stress, fatigue and/or frustration.
- Manage your symptoms effectively.
- Communicate better with your doctors.
- Make informed decisions about your treatment.
- Set and meet realistic personal goals.
- Learn healthier eating habits.
Register Now for a Living Well Workshop!
Thursdays:
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
D.C. Office on Aging, 500 K St NE
(Seniors, people with Disabilities, and Caregivers encouraged to register)
Contact Nita Sharma at 202-442-9129 or nita.sharma@dc.gov.
|
 The Age-Friendly Block-by-Block Walk is one way
Age-Friendly DC seeks to make the District a better place to live for
those who are 60 and older.
Walk participants will
identify neighborhood assets and issues needing attention all through
the lens of older DC residents. Why? Because what's good for older
residents can be good for those with different mobility needs -
wheelchair, tricycle, walker or stroller. The data will help the city
improve policy and practice to make daily life better for everyone.
Volunteers
of all ages are needed to participate. Teams will be organized to walk
neighborhoods divided by Single Member District (SMD) areas. But you
don’t need to be a resident of a particular SMD to volunteer. You just
need to want to help.
Register to volunteer online:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0549a9a92da3fa7-september
|
Now that summer is here you may be contemplating taking a trip. If you are caring for someone with dementia, the D.C. Caregivers Online Chat at Noon may have information to help you as you prepare. The chat will be held on Tuesday, July 8 at 12 p.m. and will provide "Tips for Traveling with
Dementia," click here to listen live. Or just check back at your convenience and hit "replay" to find out what you missed.
The live web chats are held biweekly on Tuesdays at 12 p.m. to assist caregivers with information, resources and tips that may assist them with their caregiving. For more information, contact Linda Irizarry at 202-534-1442 or linda.irizarry@dc.gov.
|
On June 17, 2014, Pepco and DDOT filed an application for
approval of the “DC Power Line Undergrounding” (DC PLUG) initiative. The $1
billion project is the culmination of work by the Mayor’s Power Line
Undergrounding Task Force, established after a series of severe weather events
in 2012 that caused widespread outages and left extensive damage across the
city. The proposed plan calls for DDOT to construct the necessary underground
facilities and for Pepco to install the electric distribution system
improvements over a three year period, which begins in April 2015.
The areas
identified in the proposed plan will include the high-voltage feeders most
affected by overhead electric systems primarily in Wards 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. The
initiative will be paid for by two surcharges on all DC customers’ electric
bills. The rates have not been determined yet, but one of the surcharges has
been proposed at $0.18 or 0.18% per month.
D.C. Public Service Commission
("Commission") will hold the first of a series of public hearings
on the underground proposal.
Hearing Location:
Monday, July 21, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
D.C. Public Service Commission Hearing Room
1333 H Street NW, 7th Floor East Tower
Washington, D.C. 20005
Persons
interested in commenting at the hearing or have written comments should contact:
Ms.
Brinda Westbrook-Sedgwick, Commission Secretary
Public
Service Commission of the District of Columbia
1333 H
Street, NW, 2nd Floor, West Tower
Washington,
D.C. 20005
*For
more information about the Triennial Undergrounding Plan and Community
Hearing, please click on the links below:
Are you interested in making a difference in your community? Train to become a DCOA Ambassador and help connect your neighbors, friends and family members to DCOA programs and services. DCOA has valuable programs, services and resources to help residents age 60 and older remain in their communities and assistance for their caregivers.
Resources are also available for persons living with disabilities age 18 and older. Call 202-724-5622 to register for an upcoming training.
Training Dates:
July 17, 2014, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
August 21, 2014, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
The District of Columbia Commission on Aging is a citizen’s advisory group to the Mayor, Council of the District of Columbia, Office on Aging, and the general public on the needs and concerns of older Washingtonians. The commissioners serve as advocates on behalf of the District’s nearly 104,000 seniors and accomplish their responsibilities through outreach to individuals and institutions, as well as to groups and governments.
The commissioners are appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council of the District of Columbia. For more information and to apply to become a member, visit the Office of Boards and Commissions (obc) website http://obc.dc.gov/page/obc-application-form-and-guide-eligibility.
|
