Wednesday, December 27, 2023
(Washington, DC) – On Monday, January 1, District Government will observe the New Year’s Day holiday. While some services will be affected, many District employees will continue serving to maintain essential District operations.
WHAT’S OPEN ON MONDAY, JANUARY 1
Access to Emergency Shelter
All low-barrier shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness operate year-round. All low-barrier shelters remain open 24 hours and will remain open all day on Monday, January 1. Individuals and families seeking access to homeless services should call the DC Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center at 311 at any time of the day or night.
The Downtown Day Services Center (The Center) located at 1313 New York Ave NW, is providing walk-in services to guests with no appointment required. Center hours of operation are 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Entry will be permitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests will be provided with a wristband that must be worn while in the Center. Available walk-in services include showers, laundry, medical & mental health treatment, computer access, electronic/mobile device charging, housing case management, employment counseling, harm reduction services, legal counseling and other vital services. Full capacity lunch services will continue Monday through Friday 11 am – 1 pm.
Zoe’s Doors Youth Drop-In Center located at 900 Rhode Island Avenue NE, is providing walk-in services for residents experiencing homelessness. Center hours of operation are from 2 am – 8 pm on Monday, January 1.
DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) services and supports are available during this holiday season. Community members experiencing mental wellness challenges or crises may call 988 anytime to connect with a trained counselor. The following resources are also open on Monday, January 1:
- The DC Stabilization Center, located at 35 K Street NE, is a 24/7 safe place for people experiencing a substance use disorder crisis to get the help they need and is open to individuals 18 years and older at no-cost, and with no insurance necessary.
- The Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) provides 24/7 emergency psychiatric services and extended observation beds for individuals 18 years of age and older by calling (202) 673-9319.
- The Community Response Team (CRT) provides 24/7 support to adults who are experiencing emotional, psychiatric or substance use vulnerabilities, including on-the-spot assessment and referral to behavioral health care. The response team is available by calling (202) 673-6495.
The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) outdoor parks, playgrounds, athletic courts, and fields will be open. All previously permitted events on these outdoor spaces will take place as scheduled.
Modified Service Adjustments
The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) will not collect household trash and recycling on Monday, January 1. Trash and recycling collections will “slide” for the remainder of the week into Saturday. For example, households that normally receive trash and recycling collections on Monday, will be serviced on Tuesday, January 2. Leaf collection will operate on schedule. Bulk trash removal will be suspended on Monday, January 1 and will resume on Tuesday, January 2.
- The Benning Road Transfer Station is closed for renovations until further notice.
- The Fort Totten Transfer Station is always be closed to the public on Mondays. It will be open on Tuesday, January 2 for normal residential drop-off.
Construction:
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will suspend construction and work zones for non-emergency work in roadways, alleys, and sidewalks within the District’s right of way. This includes manhole access and construction-related deliveries. Approved construction activities may resume Tuesday, January 2 during permitted work hours.
Lane Restrictions:
DDOT will suspend reversible lane operations city-wide on Monday, January 1 on the following:
Canal Road between Chain Bridge and Foxhall Road NW
Rock Creek Parkway (controlled by the National Park Service)
16th Street NW between Irving Street and Arkansas Avenue NW
The DC Department of Buildings (DOB) does not normally permit construction on District Government holidays, and violations could result in a Stop Work Order and fines. No construction will be allowed on Monday, January 1 for the holiday without a companion Afterhours Permit. Without a companion Afterhours Permit, work for which a construction permit is required is illegal and could result in a Stop Work Order and may be subject to a $4,000 fine. Illegal construction reports can be made using the Illegal Construction Inspection Request Form or afterhours by calling 311. DOB offers many online services, tools, and resources, enabling customers to conduct business 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Parking Enforcement:
All parking enforcement will be suspended on Monday, January 1 except for Streetcar ticketing and towing. Parking enforcement will resume on Tuesday, January 2.
All DC Circulator routes are operating on normal schedule.
DC Streetcar runs a Sunday schedule on Monday, January 1 from 8 am to 10 pm It is operating on a normal schedule on Tuesday, January 2.
WHAT’S CLOSED ON MONDAY, JANUARY 1
DC Public Schools (DCPS) is closed from Friday, December 22 through Tuesday, January 2 and will reopen on Wednesday, January 3.
DC Public Library (DCPL) All DC Public Library locations will be closed on Sunday, December 31 and Monday, January 1. The Library will be available online at dclibrary.org. For more information on available Library programs, visit dclibrary.org or download the Library’s app.
Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) recreation centers, community centers, and indoor aquatic centers will be closed on Monday, January 1. DPR facilities will operate at normal hours on Tuesday, January 2.
The Department of Human Services Economic Security Administration Service Centers will be closed on Monday, January 1.
The DC Health & Wellness Center (77 P Street NE) will be closed on Monday, January 1.
DC Health’s Vital Records Division will be closed on Monday, January 1.
DC Health’s Licensing and Renewal Division will be closed Monday, January 1 except for the online license applications system which will be available at doh.force.com/dchealthrenewals/s/portal-page.
All Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be closed on Saturday, December 30 and Monday, January 1. Regular business hours will resume on Tuesday, January 2. Customers are encouraged to use online options by visiting dmv.dc.gov or downloading the agency’s free mobile app.
The Department of Employment Services Navigation Call Center and all-American Job Centers will be closed on Monday, January 1. Residents are encouraged to file unemployment insurance claims online at does.dc.gov.
The DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) Hotline will be closed on Monday, January 1.
The Sasha Bruce Youth Drop-In Center for District residents experiencing homelessness will be closed on Monday, January 1.
|
Councilmember Lewis George's November 10th Ward 4 Dispatch can be found here.
Update on the Fight to Expand SNAP
Last week, I told you about how the fully-funded $40 million increase to SNAP food assistance for 140,000 DC residents hit a major snag: the Mayor is refusing to provide the increased benefits to the DC residents who depend on SNAP. Since Congress let expanded SNAP benefits expire earlier this year, thousands of DC residents are down to receiving just $30 to cover their groceries for the entire month — even as food prices have skyrocketed. The full Council recently took action by sending a letter criticizing the decision and urging the Mayor to change course and follow the law. Council letters do not always make for good reading, but this letter is worth your time. It succinctly describes how we got here, why the Administration’s justifications do not add up, and why withholding this SNAP assistance compounds other failures in DC’s social safety net. Beyond the Council letter, the Office of the DC Attorney General has also weighed in and said that the Mayor lacks the legal authority to withhold or divert SNAP funds without Council approval. More than one out of every three DC residents struggles with food insecurity. As we enter this holiday week, please join me in urging the Mayor to reverse her decision, which is both unlawful and harmful.
Rental Assistance Portal Reopens January 2
On January 2, DHS will reopen applications for its Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) for eligible DC residents who have fallen behind on their rent. The portal will close again once it receives 3,500 applications, which may only take a few days. That is why it is important for residents to apply as soon as they can once the portal reopens. At the Council, we increased funding for emergency rental assistance by $43 million this year to meet more residents’ needs and have resisted efforts to divert rental assistance funding to other programs.
Welcoming New ANC Commissioners in Ward 4
Please join me in congratulating our two newest Ward 4 ANC Commissioners: 4E04 Commissioner Randy Zmuda (4E04@anc.dc.gov) in Sixteenth Street Heights and 4D02 Commissioner Abel Amene on Kennedy Street (4D02@anc.dc.gov). I was proud to swear in Commissioner Zmuda and Commissioner Amene, who stepped up to fill important vacancies on their respective Commissions. Abel Amene is also the first noncitizen to hold public office in the District. Meanwhile in Riggs Park, a candidate has stepped up to fill the vacancy at ANC 4B10 and other candidates can also file their petitions to run through January 2.
|
 Yard Waste Collection is now year-round. Residents must call 311 to make an appointment for yard waste collection. Residents can also visit 311.dc.gov to make an appointment or download and schedule an appointment using the 311 mobile app available at the Google Play and Apple App stores. DPW only collects yard waste in paper bags. DPW will collect up to 20 paper bags of yard waste from residences that receive DPW’s trash and recycling collection services. Scheduled yard waste collection is an enhancement to the yard waste program. Residents are still able to leave their paper yard waste bags at the point of trash collection. Residents who wish to can drop off their yard waste at the Fort Totten Transfer Station during normal residential business hours.
Special Waste Collection Event (i.e., Household Hazardous Waste, electronics recycling, and document shredding) will take place on one Thursday and one Saturday each month through March 2024 at RFK Lot 2, 2400 E Capitol St. NE (across from the DC Armory). View the current schedule here.
Starter kits for DPW’s Curbside Composting Pilot Program have been delivered to approximately 9,000 participating households in all eight wards. Food waste collection has started in all 8 Wards. For missed collections, please file a 311 service request for "Missed Curbside Compost Collection" by calling 311 or visiting 311.dc.gov. If your bin is lost, stolen, or broken, please file a 311 service request for "Lost/Stolen Compost Bin, Broken Compost Bin, or Opt-Out of Curbside Composting Pilot Program."
Leaf Collection
The second pass at leaf collection in Section A in Wards 1-8 is still underway. The second pass for Leaf Collection will begin in Section B on Monday, January 8, 2024. If you live in Section B, have your leaves raked to the tree box or curbside by Sunday, January 7, 2024.
Go to Leaf Collection | dpw (dc.gov) to learn about leaf collection and when we will be in your neighborhood.
Not sure what section you live in?
Find your section at Leaf Collection | dpw (dc.gov)
Leaf collection schedule updates are made every Friday by 5 pm. All sections will receive two weekends’ notice of when to rake their leaves out.
Check out our leaf collection tracker.
Modified Service Adjustments
The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) will not collect household trash and recycling on Monday, January 1. Trash and recycling collections will “slide” for the remainder of the week into Saturday. For example, households that normally receive trash and recycling collections on Monday will be serviced on Tuesday, January 2. Leaf collection will operate on schedule. Bulk trash removal will be suspended on Monday, January 1, and will resume on Tuesday, January 2.
The Benning Road Transfer Station is closed for renovations until further notice.
The Fort Totten Transfer Station is always closed to the public on Mondays. It will be open on Tuesday, January 2 for normal residential drop-off.
Parking Enforcement:
All parking enforcement will be suspended on Monday, January 1 except for Streetcar ticketing and towing. Parking enforcement will resume on Tuesday, January 2.
All DC Circulator routes are operating on normal schedule. DC Streetcar runs a Sunday schedule on Monday, January 1 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. It is operating on a normal schedule on Tuesday, January 2.
 |
|
|
|
| |
|
Wednesday, January 24, 2024, 6:30 PM
|
|
Click the webex logo to join the meeting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AGENDA
|
|
Opening Remarks
Director’s Vision for DPW; Recent Wins
DPW Leadership Team
Community Outreach Team
Office of Waste Diversion Accomplishments/Successes/Compost Pilot
Personnel Priorities
Community Collaboration - MuralsDC East of the River projects
Unified Communications Center Roll Out
Nightlife Taskforce
Capital Projects Progress
Operational Enhancements/ Key Successes
Solid Waste Management
Parking Enforcement
Fleet
DPW Performance Measures
What to expect from DPW in 2024
Q&A
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
This week, Metro’s Board of Directors approved the elimination of the $2 fee on Senior SmarTrip® cards. Beginning Tuesday, January 16, 2024, Senior SmarTrip cards will be issued at no cost to customers age 65 and older.
As part of Metro’s ongoing commitment to expand access and affordability to public transit, the Senior SmarTrip program will now join all other Metro reduced fare programs in offering SmarTrip cards at no additional cost. Today, customers must pay $2 to receive the card.
The elimination of the $2 fee removes the need for a third-party payment collection, which is currently a barrier to participation for social service agencies and other organizations to distribute the card.
Eliminating the card fee makes Metro even more affordable for seniors, improves the customer enrollment experience, and enables new partnerships to distribute the cards in the region, which fulfills Metro’s Strategic Transformation Plan.
Because of this change, we are working to expand the number of distribution outlets in the new year. A list of locations where Senior SmarTrip cards are available will continue to be updated at https://wmata.com/reducedfares.
|
Rest in Peace Jasmin Jefferson
On December 7, 2023,, the family of Jasmin Jefferson contact me to apprise me of their daughter's hospitalization the week prior, following a medical emergency while working as a lifeguard at Roosevelt Pool. Sadly, Jasmin passed away on December 23, 2023. She was surrounded by family and friends.
For more information about Jazmin, the family has been interviewed by The Washington Informer Report Sam Collins has written two stories about Jazmin, her accident and why critically needed reforms to staffing at the Department of Parks and Recreations facilities, including pools are needed.
|
|
