What's in the Free Library and Pantry?
I will be discussing this during Monday's single member district meeting, but unfortunately, the free pantry is out of commission while the shelving is being replaced. In the interim, I am still always accepting donations of non-perishable items and canned goods as well as books. I have a special request for early reader books for our youngest neighbors. All items can be left on my porch, in the black box, for deliveries. Please call/text me at 202.271.3710 or email me at 4b06@anc.dc.gov for the address.
October Single Member District Meeting
The next ANC 4B06 SMD meeting is scheduled for October 7, 2024, at 7 pm.
Ward 4 State Board of Education Representative Frazier O'Leary has been invited to attend.
I will also have an update on the BZA Application at 245 Peabody Street and the missing traffic calming officer at 2nd and Peabody.
Virtual Meeting Details: https://rebrand.ly/p9b4kni
Meeting ID: 289 691 286 189.
Passcode: PXYr2u.
Dial in by phone: 202-594-9550.
Phone conference ID: 305 696 769#.
The next ANC 4B Community Safety and Support Committee meeting is scheduled for October 17, 2024, at 7pm.
The National Park Service has been invited to attend.
https://anc4b.com/2024/09/30/community-safety-support-committee-october-2024/
October 2nd Board of Zoning and Adjustment Hearing - 21101 (245 Peabody Street NW)
On October 2, 2024, I attended the BZA hearing on behalf of ANC 4B in support of Estrellitas Montessori's application for a special exemption. The Commissions resolution in support of this application can be found here. My testimony is found below. The hearing video can be found here.
A follow-up hearing will be held before the BZA on November 13, 2024, at 9:30am.
Updates on Emergency Rental Assistance
During Tuesday's Legislative Meeting, I joined my colleagues to pass the Emergency Rental Assistance Reform Act. The bill requires tenants to submit proof of eligibility to receive Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) benefits and puts more power over eviction proceedings in the hands of the courts. Prior to the meeting, I worked with my colleagues to push forward an amendment offering exceptions for tenants who can't access documentation, as is the case for some tenants who are immigrants or experiencing domestic violence and don't have direct access to their own financial paperwork.
Over the past several months, the ERAP program has been experiencing real challenges. Tenants have stressed long processing times, website crashes, and challenges submitting applications. On the other hand, affordable housing providers have cited delays in receiving funds from the Department of Human Services, with many at risk of foreclosure, threatening the District's stock of affordable housing.
The challenges ERAP has experienced in the face of massive demand points towards a larger issue of high prices, low wages, and rising housing costs impacting so many in our communities. The District is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis that is putting many at risk of eviction or displacement, and we need comprehensive legislation to address it. That's why I've introduced bills like the Green New Deal for Housing, which would drastically increase the quantity of affordable social housing to support tenants at risk of being priced out of their neighborhoods.
We also owe it to the people of DC to create an ERAP system that is accessible and provides the needed support for people at imminent risk of eviction. As the Council considers permanent legislation around ERAP reform, we need to scrutinize the underlying problems in the affordable housing ecosystem, and bring all parties to the table — tenants, affordable housing providers, and agencies — to work towards a solution that targets the larger crisis of affordability facing our city.
STEER Act Officially in Effect!
On Tuesday, the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (STEER) Act officially went into effect! I was proud to co-introduce this bill with the leadership of Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen and worked to fund it in the FY25 DC budget. The bill addresses some of the biggest concerns our city has faced around traffic safety and enforcement of laws against reckless driving. Here's what the bill does:
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Authorizes the DC Attorney General to bring cases against dangerous drivers, no matter their place of residence. In the past, out-of-state drivers have been able to operate with impunity, with cases of drivers racking up thousands of dollars' worth of tickets and continuing to drive on our streets. The law now allows the DC Attorney General to bring suits against Virginia and Maryland drivers who violate our traffic safety laws and rack up traffic tickets.
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Installs "speed governors" in the cars of drivers convicted of criminal reckless driving. For people convicted of criminal reckless and aggravated reckless driving, the DMV can now install a speed governor in their car, a device that automatically limits the car's speed when driving over the speed limit.
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Prevents car owners from getting tickets while their cars are stolen. Previously, MPD has had no way of quickly notifying the DMV and DPW when a car was stolen, leading to some victims of car theft receiving speeding or parking tickets. The STEER Act fixes this.
We all deserve to have safe streets and to have drivers held accountable when they violate our traffic laws. I'm grateful to have this bill in effect and put power in the hands of the people to keep our streets safe.
Securing Funding for Ward 4 Projects
Tuesday marked the beginning of the new fiscal year for DC! That means all the bills, programs, and projects funded in the FY25 budget now have the funds available to begin implementation. During the budget process, I was proud to fight for several important Ward 4 projects that will begin work in the coming months. Here are a few:
- Playground replacement at Lamond Rec Center
- HVAC replacement and ADA compliance upgrades at Takoma Rec Center
- Completion of grading and land improvements on the playground at Powell Elementary School
- Renovation of the locker room at Takoma Aquatic Center
- Technology upgrades for Fourth District’s community room
- Modernizations for Upshur Rec Center, Emery Heights Community Center, installation of a new Walter Reed outdoor pool, and renovation of the splash parks at Takoma and Fort Stevens recreation centers
- Playground resurfacing at Hamilton, Raymond, and Fort Stevens Rec Centers
Georgia Ave Bus Priority Project
Over the next several weeks, DDOT is hosting a series of community pop-ups and open houses on the Georgia Ave Bus Priority Project. For those who aren't familiar, the project was proposed in 2022 and is focused on improving bus operations and safety along the busy Georgia Ave corridor. Last fall, DDOT held a series of events to present the community with a high-level overview of the project. Now, DDOT is picking these events back up to share updated concepts with the community. Here are the upcoming dates:
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Tuesday, October 8th: Open house at Petworth Library from 4:30 to 7pm
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Saturday, October 12th: Pop-up at Uptown Farmers Market from 9am to 1pm
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Sunday, October 20th: Pop-up at Takoma Park Farmers Market (MD) from 9am to 1pm
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Thursday, October 24th: Open house at Shaw Library (Ward 2) from 4:30 to 7pm
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Saturday, October 26th: Pop-up at Petworth Farmers Market from 9am to 1pm
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New Snow and Ice Removal Service Request Consolidation
DPW is excited to announce improvements to our Snow & Ice Removal Service Request process!
We are streamlining the way residents can report snow-related issues, making it easier and more efficient. Currently, residents must choose from multiple specific service request options. By consolidating these options under a single “Snow & Ice Removal” category, we aim to reduce incorrectly filed requests and improve response times, ultimately enhancing both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
DPW Service Level
Many of our spring services will conclude at the end of September and fall season operations will resume in the coming weeks.
Leaf Collection Season is Coming! Collection will begin on October 28th, 2024 for DPW-serviced households. Once collections begin, visit https://dpw.dc.gov/leaf to track leaf collection weekly.
Download the MyDPW App leaf collection updates!
Join the Mayor's Office of the Clean City at their "Roll-Off Days." Roll-off days rotate to different wards on Saturdays each month and allow residents to responsibly dispose of bulk trash, debris, and electronics to E-Cycle! For additional information visit Cleancity.dc.gov
10/5/2024
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Roll Off Day Ward 1
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10 am - 2 pm
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Banneker Community Center, 2500 Georgia Ave NW
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The Department of Energy and Environment E-cycling events. Visit https://doee.dc.gov/ecycle for more information
Upcoming dates are:
- Saturday, October 5 | 10am-2pm
Collection vehicle on the corner of Georgia Ave NW & Howard Pl NW (near Banneker Community Center) Ward 1
- Saturday, October 12 | 10am-2pm
Collection vehicle on Pennsylvania Ave NW between 19th & 20th St NW (east of James Monroe Park) Ward 2
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Food Waste Drop-Off sites: DPW hosts twelve weekly staffed Food Waste Drop-Off sites across the District. See the locations/hours of operation here: https://zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff
Curbside Composting Pilot Program: Not in the Pilot Program but interested in participating in the future? Please fill out this waitlist form to be one of the first to hear about program updates and openings: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CompostPilotInterest
Free mulch/compost pickup at Fort Totten Transfer Station is back! Residents can fill up to five 32-gal bags (bring your own bags & shovel) from Wed-Fri 10 am-2 pm & Sat 7 am-2 pm at 4900 John McCormack Rd NE.
Spring Services
Street cleaning, alley cleaning, mowing/grounds maintenance, and graffiti removal spring services resumed on April 1st and run through October 31st. Please contact 311 to request an alley cleaning or street cleaning. For more information regarding DPW spring services visit https://dpw.dc.gov/page/spring-services24
Assigned Mechanical Street Sweeping service resumed on March 4th and runs through October 31st. Vehicles parked on Assigned Mechanical Street Sweeping streets during sweeping hours are subject to $45 tickets and $100 relocation fines. If your street is missed, please contact 311 to submit a Signed Street Sweeping Missed service request.
Unified Communication Center UCC
DPW is committed to delivering efficient and effective services to our residents and quickly resolving issues. As our partner in providing streamlined and effective resolutions, we wanted to share the best channels for residents to utilize.
In order to improve our customer service and our internal tracking mechanisms, DPW launched the Unified Communication Center (UCC) in November 2023 aimed at decreasing our response and resolution times. Through the UCC, we have consolidated our call centers and phone numbers into one accessible line. In February 2024, our average hold time was under 2 minutes, affirming our swift assistance for all callers. We also consolidated our emails into one central address. Each contact, whether by phone or email, is provided a Service Request (SR) if they don’t already have one. For a service inquiry, our representatives offer service information and pass along Service Level Agreement (SLA) benchmarks. In instances where an SR is past our SLA benchmarks, our operational escalation team intervenes to quickly resolve the outstanding request.
To ensure smooth communication for everyone, as a first step, we kindly request you share the contact details of the UCC with all members in your office and constituents who reach out to you. This will make the service resolution process quicker for residents and raise awareness about DPW's new communication center. DPW’s leadership team is here to address continual issues or problems that have not been addressed satisfactorily by the UCC.
The UCC is still new, and staff are still learning. If you have used the UCC, please share feedback on what’s working well and what needs improvement. We’d love to hear from you so we can continue to improve!
UCC Phone: (202) 673-6833 (Mon – Fri) 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Central Email: dpw@dc.gov.
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MPD Sector Meetings
I'm sending out a reminder for our upcoming Sector meeting. Sector 2 will be Tuesday, October 8th at 6pm. Sector 1 will be Thursday, October 10th at 7pm and Sector 3 will be Wednesday, October 16th at 6pm. I will be attaching the flyer that has the QR code to log into the meeting. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me via email. Thank you for continuing to support and stay safe.
Here's the link as well
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