Click here if this email is hard to read. 
If you'd like to stop receiving these emails, click here.

Friend --

There's been so much happening in the Ward since my last newsletter! For folks looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month, don't miss the list I've included in the Quick Links below.

This past week, we had a fantastic second meeting of the H Street Alliance, my office's new effort to bring focus and coordination to the H Street NE corridor. It's very exciting, and thanks to neighbors for rolling up your sleeves -- more below.

I've also joined neighbors in community meetings to move several important initiatives forward. On Thursday night, I started the evening meeting with ANC 6B Commissioners and neighbors to push DDOT and DPW for safety improvements along 11th Street, SE. We've got two schools along the corridor, and we're seeing serious dangerous driving impacting kids crossing the street - sometimes getting to the point that parents are physically blocking cars to ensure kids can use the crosswalk. We need action, and DDOT committed at the walk to getting us ideas within two weeks. 

After that, I headed to Arena Stage for a DPR presentation on the forthcoming Southwest Town Center Parks, a project I've funded that will connect the Southwest Duck Pond to the Southwest Neighborhood Library. For both events, thanks to neighbors who took time out of their evenings to join.

Ok - let's dive in!

Quick Links: Public Safety | Upcoming Safety Walks | H Street Alliance | WMATA Budget Improves | Ward 6 Street Project Updates | Historic Preservation Bill Hearing | DCPS School Budgets | VA Arena Cost | New Trash Cans in SW | Wash Gas ProjectPipes | Job Fair | DC TAG Info | as you are. | Shirley Chisholm ES Renaming | Low-Income Family Tax Tips | District Cannabis Tour + Hearing Date | Council Hearing Tip | Black History Month Events | Caps Ticket Giveaway

Public Safety Update

In my last newsletter, I provided a much longer update about public safety, including both urgent action the Council is taking to concentrate on crime and public safety, as well as some reasons why I'm hopeful we'll see a reduction in 2024 after a truly awful spike in 2023 -- and why I think DC was an outlier from most cities last year, particularly after we saw nearly all crimes drop in 2022. Today, I want to run through a few updates across the city regarding public safety.

Secure DC Passes First Vote: Last Tuesday, the Council had a lengthy debate before passing the Secure DC omnibus bill on the first of two votes. There will be a second and final vote at the next legislative meeting, currently scheduled in two weeks. I heard from residents who both strongly supported the bill and those who opposed it or had significant concerns. I worked hard to listen to you. And I think that's true for my colleagues as well, as the debate was wide-ranging but created a consensus and unanimous vote in support. I have been supportive of this bill, because while there are still some pieces that need more work, I think it does fill gaps in our laws that can improve law enforcement and the prosecution's ability to hold someone accountable for harm they commit (especially strengthening laws on carjackings and using guns). And of course, as I've mentioned here before, the inclusion of my mandatory shooting review amendment is something I've strongly pushed for to improve coordination between law enforcement and bring a whole of government focus to crime reduction. It's working in other cities where gun violence is dropping - getting the right people into the room regularly to review every shooting is a proven way to improve our responses.

Three MPD Officers Shot Serving Animal Abuse Arrest Warrant: On Wednesday morning, three officers were shot while serving an arrest warrant at an apartment building just off Benning Road near the eastern border of the city, and an employee of the Humane Rescue Alliance was also present. I was on the phone with MPD leaders later that day checking on their status and am very glad that they are out of the hospital and home recovering from those injuries. I hope you join me in wishing the officers and their families a full recovery from their injuries, and I commend them and animal control for their bravery -- it was very encouraging to see them all leave the hospital the day after.

The situation turned into a barricade with the suspect that put nearby schools on lockdown, as well as an entire neighborhood. It was resolved at 10pm that night when the suspect finally surrendered. This is a stark reminder we need federal action that significantly reduces the number of guns present in our country and our region. The presence of so many guns makes the work of MPD much more challenging -- this was good police work serving a warrant, something our officers need to do every single day. It shouldn't turn into a gun battle. DC has very strong gun laws on the books, including updates I worked on with the Council to pass on ghost guns and high-capacity magazines. But it's just too easy to get a gun in another state and bring it here. We need real federal action that starts to turn the tide on the number of guns available illegally or through giant loopholes. Until then, every part of the country is trying to reduce gun violence with one arm tied behind its back.

Fire at Eastern Market Metro Station: On Thursday, we had a scare when a fire and a lot of smoke billowed throughout the Eastern Market Metro Station. DC Fire and EMS responded quickly and contained the incident. I spoke with DC Fire and EMS Chief Donnelly and WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke, who shared that the cause of the smoke was from a piece from the underside of an individual railcar (a 3rd rail shoe assembly for those following the technical name) came loose and into contact, creating sparks and smoke. Nine people were checked for smoke inhalation, with one opting to go to the hospital. Thankfully no serious injuries. WMATA will continue it's investigation and has said all indications are that this is limited to this one individual car. WMATA testified on its overall performance at my hearing at the Council this Friday (info below in the WMATA budget section), and they let the public know that they're continuing to review the incident. 

DC Opens 'Hub' in Chinatown, Bringing MPD, Social Services into Neighborhood: On Monday, the Mayor announced the opening of a physical office in Chinatown to deliver additional police presence as well as on-site behavioral health services, housing assistance, and substance use. This is a great example of the both / and approach (both policing and services focusing on key drivers of crime) I really think can have an impact, and should it prove successful, I'd love to see it expanded to other commercial corridors, particularly along H Street NE and Barracks Row. More from DCist.

Chinatown Wal-Greens Robberies Coordinated by Store Manager: For my Ward 6 neighbors who are just a few blocks away, there have been seven robberies at the Wal-Greens at 7th and H Street, NW since last July. On Tuesday night, MPD Chief Smith announced arrests had been made and shared that it turns out, the store's manager had allegedly played a key role in executing and coordinating the robberies of his own store. More from WTOP and WaPo.

MPD's Operation ATLAS and THRIVE: This week, the Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held its annual oversight hearing on MPD. One note from the Chief's testimony this week was Operation ATLAS (Action Teams Leaving Areas Safer). Chief Smith reported this launched in December. It's a roving team focused on recent crime trends to determine deployment. While the Chief was careful to not single out one effort for too much influence, she did share the team had seen significant reductions in crime in the areas it had deployed. A second initiative is Operation THRIVE (Targeted Homicide Reduction Through Intervention and Violence Elimination), which picks up on a whole-of-government approach MPD tested in 2022, when we saw a reduction in most categories of crime. I'm encouraged to hear the Chief talk about initiatives like this, which are nimble and also require more DC agencies other than MPD to get in the game when it comes to public safety.

MPD Cadet Program Produces 30 Recruits, Up to 136 Enrolled: One other item shared by Chief Smith that jumped out to me was the growth of MPD's Cadet Program. Chief Smith noted it had reached a new high of 136 cadets, with 30 new recruits entering the Academy in the past 16 months. This is encouraging news. During my time as chair of the Committee, I grew this program from just 15 spots to a total of 150 now. With the national shortage of police officers and challenges of recruiting, the goal was always for it to become a steady pipeline of DC residents who wanted a career with MPD serving the community where they were raised - all while earning college credits along the way. It's great to see this progress.

D.C. Court of Appeals Weighs DC's High-Capacity Magazine Ban: Another good story from WaPo highlights the risk the District faces in maintaining strong gun laws as our appeals court weighs a challenge to the District's long-standing ban on high-capacity ammo clips, defined as anything more than 10 bullets being fed into the gun. 

DC Opens First Sobering Center: I wanted to share this WaPo story on DC's first Sobering Center. The center is an important step forward in both serving people who need a place to recover from alcohol or drug use or overdoses. This serves two purposes: it provides a better environment for specifically working on substance abuse issues, and it reduces the strain on our emergency response system and emergency rooms. For those of you that have joined me and MPD leaders at community events, this is the center that 1st District Commander Hall has mentioned several times as a way his officers can get someone to help they need, and be able to get back on patrol and service. In particular, as we look at the incredible harm done by opioid and fentanyl overdoses, a specialized center like this can help get a very vulnerable person on a different track.

The sobering center, the hub in Chinatown, and the strategy discussed by Chief Smith all are important steps in the right direction to a better coordinated, whole of government approach to public safety.

Upcoming Ward 6 Community Safety Walks

We've partnered with MPD Commander Hall and his First District Community Outreach Team to lead regular community safety walks throughout the Ward. These focus energy and attention on hyper-local needs, help you get to know officers in your communities and vice versa, and empower neighbors to partner with government on safety solutions. We'd love to see you at either of our upcoming walks: 

• Friday, February 23 @ 4 pm: We'll meet in front of Rose's Luxury on Barracks Row and walk the street and alley behind to better address businesses' safety concerns.
• Thursday, February 29 @ 5:30 pm: We'll meet at 9th and South Carolina Avenue, SE, and walk the surrounding area with ANC Commissioner Frank D'Andrea. 

H Street Alliance Work Underway

On Monday night, we held our second H Street Alliance meeting at Atlas Performing Arts Center. I really appreciate the energy and enthusiasm everyone brought as we got to work on driving improvement and uplifting the entire H Street NE corridor. This meeting built on our first one, and we saw the three focused areas for breakout sessions of public safety, public space, and local businesses each leave with a set of follow-up items. We now have nearly 200 committed neighbors engaged in our three working groups, and each working group now has priorities and action items ranging from events they want to plan, to agencies they want to press for more focus and presence, to budget priorities they want to work on with the Mayor and my office. For folks engaged on that list already, we'll get an update out with more specifics. If you're just hearing about this for the first time and want to get involved, just reply to this email and let me know. 

WMATA's Fiscal Outlook Improves Short-term, More to Do

I'm happy to share that the District, Maryland, and Virginia have committed $480 million to WMATA for its upcoming fiscal year, which will help stave off the worst service cuts for next year. For months, I've worked closely with DC leadership to make sure we pay our fair share. Adding to that, WMATA announced around $50 million in cost savings internally, and we're pushing off the fiscal cliff for one year - with much smaller fare increases. So what happens next? WMATA's General Manager revises the budget (WMATA's budget runs July 1 to June 30) to reflect the additional funding, which he presented to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments on Wednesday morning - and we explored it in more depth Friday at our oversight hearing on WMATA's performance. It'll also require the three jurisdictions to approve the funding in their respective budget processes - including ours, which starts next month.

From my view, the work has to shift to a regional, dedicated funding structure. Unlike most other major transit systems, WMATA doesn't have a dedicated and reliable formula for funding that allows it to avoid major waves of disruption -- it's been this way since the system was first opened. Putting in place a dedicated funding stream is where we need to get to. That's a top priority for me in the next year and a half. 

WMATA Budget Input: That being said, there are still proposed increases in fares and cuts to service you should know about. WMATA holds its own public input sessions. All the information for upcoming opportunities to testify are here, but the fastest option is to take their survey.

Related: WMATA recently updated its ridership data portals and changed how it counts riders in a way that more fully captures ridership. For the transit and data nerds out there, check it out here. 

Ward 6 Infrastructure Project Updates

I wanted to spend a few minutes updating you on some key Ward 6 infrastructure projects in the works. I know for neighbors who live nearby, these projects are of great interest. I'm excited about the forward progress, as they'll improve safety, protect pedestrians and road users, make our neighborhoods more livable, and improve the flow of traffic. Let's touch on some of the big ones. 

Penn and Potomac: During DDOT's 13-hour public oversight hearing last Friday, we learned construction will begin this fall on Penn and Potomac Avenue, SE, the proposed traffic circle connecting multiple streets, neighborhoods, and centered around the Potomac Avenue Metro Station. This is a project that was stalled, and I advanced funding to begin it this fiscal year. The estimated timeline for completing the project is 18 months. More information here. 

Florida Ave NE: Florida Avenue NE from 2nd to H Street has been a mess and under construction for a long time. And frankly, it's in terrible shape which makes the road very challenging to use for cars, buses, and bikes (I wouldn't suggest riding a bike or scooter on Florida right now). But we're finally seeing a lot of progress on this important streetscape. The project page is here.

H Street NE Bus Priority Project: DDOT released 65 percent designs for bringing a bus priority lane and curb changes to H Street NE. The project was first announced in Spring 2022, stretching from North Capitol Street to Benning Road. The goal is two-fold: increase the speed of buses and the Streetcar along H Street, and improve safety. All of the relevant documents are here on the project page, and interested folks should keep an eye on the agendas for ANC 6A and 6C when DDOT will present updated designs and answer questions and hear comments from Commissioners and the public.

The State of Sidewalk Repairs: During DDOT's oversight hearing last week, I pressed the Interim Director on how DDOT approaches the repair and maintenance of sidewalks, which I don't think they do with nearly the same urgency as for our roads. I know this is a serious issue for many Capitol Hill neighbors, especially our seniors who are part of Capitol Hill Village or live in the apartments near Sherwood Rec Center. ANC 6A03 Commissioner Roberta Shapiro had led the charge on this in the community through activism and an excellent sidewalk survey. 

Kingsman Park, Field, and Basketball Court: We got word on Valentine's Day that DGS is advancing an overhaul of Kingsman Park in Northeast. They'll work with DPR on a community engagement window this spring and aim to begin construction this summer with the work finished by late 2024. That's welcome news for a project we worked together on to secure funding for now two years ago!

Southwest Town Center Parks: As mentioned above, we had a great meeting with DPR and DGS this week to focus on revised plans for new public parks that connect the Southwest Duck Pond and Southwest Library, including sections facing onto 4th Street, SW. They're hoping to get underway later this year!

All across the Ward, we've got several big projects that we've won working together. If you have any questions about a project in your neighborhood or see a need that should be added, please reply to this email and let me hear from you!

Hearing Announced for Historic Preservation Enforcement Legislation

Chairman Mendelson has scheduled a hearing on my bill, the Protecting Historic Homes Amendment Act of 2023, for March 27, 2024. The bill would increase the penalties for substantial illegal demolitions, alterations, or new construction of historic homes. It came about through partnerships with Capitol Hill ANC Commissioners and after I reached out to the Office of Planning following the near-demolition of a historic home. I learned that fines imposed for violations of the District’s historic preservation laws aren't nimble enough to account for the severity of the harm and can easily be absorbed as a cost of doing business by a property owner or developer. Information on how to testify or submit testimony will be posted on the Council’s Hearing Management System soon - please speak up about how this impacts you. Background from Capitol Hill Corner here on the issue.

Initial Reactions to DCPS School Budgets for SY24-25

On Tuesday, DCPS released its initial budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. While I was encouraged to see the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula increase by 12.4%, this increase is primarily to help cover increases in compensation for our teachers and to mitigate the loss of one-time federal and local pandemic recovery dollars. What I’m seeing so far is that individual school budgets have increased, but not by more than the 12.4% that’s coming through the UPSFF, which effectively means that school budgets will see cuts. I’m still digging through the numbers and encourage parents to reach out to me with specific concerns. I've heard from some of you already and we're working to track all the potential cuts so we can fight them back. Thanks to those PTAs that are quickly analyzing and sharing the impacts. DCPS will have oversight and budget hearings coming up where I’ll be present and asking questions to make sure our schools get what they need. Thanks again to the parents and school communities already reaching out - let me know what you're seeing in your local school budget or just reply to this email.

VA Caps and Wizards Arena Deal Could Cost at Least $5 Billion

The Council's Budget Office reviewed the numbers for Virginia's Arena deal (and Washington City Paper's Loose Lips got a hold of a copy) and found the deal could actually cost closer to $5 billion over the course of the arrangement. Every stadium deal in the country runs over the estimated costs or only counts upfront costs and not interest payments - and makes rosy projections. I still think the hold up the project experienced this week in the Virginia General Assembly will likely be resolved, but I think this assessment at least makes the conversation a little more informed. And in case you missed it, unsurprisingly, Ted Leonsis did a round of interviews in which he clarified public safety was not the driving factor in trying to make this move.

Constituent Services Win: New Public Trash Cans Coming to Southwest

Kudos to Jeanne on my team for her work to get 10 new public trash cans in Southwest around 4th and M Streets. This is something the BID, the neighbors, and more have been asking for, and we finally got word they're on their way!

Wash Gas' ProjectPipes is a Bad Deal for DC Residents and the Climate

Last week, I sent a letter with 10 of my colleagues opposing Washington Gas' ProjectPipes, which proposes spending close to $700 million dollars (paid for by you, the ratepayers, by increasing your monthly bill significantly) to replace most of the gas pipes in the city. While that might sound responsible, it's actually very expensive and inefficient way of dealing with leaking pipes, which is fast becoming a serious and costly issue. And, it directly conflicts with the District's Climate Goals, which call for a complete transition away from all fossil fuels (yes, natural gas is a fossil fuel) by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. It doesn't make sense to sink a massive amount of money into infrastructure meant to last decades for an energy source the District is actively aiming to discontinue well before then.

An effort by DC's Department of Energy and the Environment in Ward 5 found repairs could be done faster, with less disruption, and for a fraction of the cost of wholesale replacement. DOEE studied a focused replacement of leaking gas pipes and determined it was 25 times more expensive to do a full replacement instead of repairing existing pipes. Rather than pull together a plan to focus on the most serious leaks by repairing those pipes, Washington Gas is asking for approval for this massive, massive project - on your dime. 

The Council isn't alone in our opposition or skepticism: just this week, the Office of People's Counsel added its own petition questioning the project and asking for an investigation. OPC is an agency that exists to represent the interest of utility ratepayers (you and me) in court, at the Public Service Commission, and in advocacy to the utility itself. DCist has the story here.

Upcoming Construction Job Fair for Ward 6 Residents 

I want to pass along information for an upcoming job fair for a construction project hiring fair in Southwest focused on hiring Ward 6 neighbors, specifically. Smoot Construction and DAVIS construction companies will be interviewing job candidates on Feb 28 from 10 am to 12 pm at the Southwest Neighborhood Library. Click here or scan the QR code to the right to register. This is for Waterfront Station A, which will eventually be home to three DC government agencies in the Southwest community. 

DC Tuition Assistance Grant Deadlines Announced

For families who use DC's Tuition Assistance Grant (DC TAG), the window to complete the application just opened. This is money to help cover the cost of college for DC residents. Don't miss your deadlines - because this involves the federal FAFSA program, there's very little that can be done to help once the window to apply closes. Info here.

Southwest Neighborhood Assembly Scholarships Open March 1

Just a quick note for Southwest neighbors that SWNA provides annual scholarships open to Southwest residents. Save this link for when the application is available.

as you are. on Barracks Row Hits Goal

I was very happy to see as you are. bar, a fantastic and important neighborhood business along Barracks Row, receive so much support from the community when they put out the call for support. I held my last community office hours there last Friday and was reminded how welcoming a space it really is. WaPo wrote about the outpouring of support they received when they asked for help catching up on bills and setting themselves up for a more stable future. Congrats Jo and Rach!

Shirley Chisholm Elementary School Renaming Now Official 

I want to offer a big thanks to the school students, community, and leadership at Shirley Chisholm Elementary School - formerly Tyler Elementary - for officially getting the school's name changed. This process involved, and was driven by, students and parents who wanted to see their school named for someone who better reflected their values. I was happy to do my part and advance the legislation once the school community had done their work, and now it's official. Congratulations to the newly-christened Shirley Chisholm Elementary School community!

Don't Leave Money on the Table Not Filing Taxes

Here's my annual plea to anyone with children who earned somewhere between $20,000 to $64,000 last year: FILE YOUR TAXES! There's money available to you in your return -- likely hundreds of dollars, if not a little more. Here are the resources you need (and please, if this doesn't apply to you, share this with your neighbors / listservs): 

DC has the most generous local match of what's called the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). That's money back in your pocket, intended to help low-wage families by putting extra $$ into the monthly budget. But you only receive that money when you file your taxes -- though the good news is once you've filed, you don't have to do anything else. Visit EITC.DC.gov to answer any questions or call their EITC Hotline at 202-759-1931. 

These benefits come directly from an amendment I moved in the FY22 budget, and we've been able to get people extra money every year since. It's a great way to support neighbors. And this is sneakily a big way to help out a lot of people -- last year, 51,000 households received a benefit from the EITC. In the past, I've referred to it as a Monthly Basic Income because the additional funding is distributed across all 12 months.

If you need help doing your taxes, take advantage of the free tax assistance every Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 5 pm at the Southwest Library. Here's more information on how to prepare and where else you can get help. Don't leave money on the table!

District Cannabis Visit + Call for Testimony Supporting Enforcement against Illegal Pot Shops

I was invited to tour one of three medical cannabis cultivation facilities in the District, which supplies medical cannabis to legal dispensaries in the District. Thanks to the folks at District Cannabis for answering all of my questions, walking through their impressive process to ensure quality control and compliance with District and federal laws, and talk to me about the challenges facing the medical market.

In case you don't know, DC has a strong and well-established medical marijuana program, in part because Congress has blocked the District from establishing a well-regulated recreational marketplace. The result has been to create two systems: one is a highly, highly regulated medical industry, while the second is a completely unregulated, illegal "gifting" black market with cannabis from who knows where and sometimes other illegal substances and firearms on site. These illegal shops take up vacant storefronts along our major retail corridors, and I and most neighbors want them gone.

So where do we go from here? The Council passed legislation last year to create an "on-ramp" for the illegal "gifting" shops to become legitimate by entering into the medicinal program and operating legally just like any other dispensary. This recognizes the need to regulate cannabis as a controlled substance like alcohol, but within the legal limitations on taxation and sale imposed by Congress.

The problem has still been with enforcement, though. What happens if an illegal shop never tries to go clean? Who shuts them down? The law that was passed didn't have any teeth, so I led the Council to pass emergency legislation in early January to create an enforcement regime, and under that authority, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration can now shut down illegal shops and bring some order to this issue. Once all of the applications are processed and either approved or denied (which include distancing requirements between shops), we'll see ABCA start enforcement. 

Here's what I need from you: If you care about seeing enforcement happen to help bring some order and safety to our H Street, Penn Ave, and Barracks Row corridors, please sign up to testify at the public hearing on the permanent version of my enforcement bill on Wednesday, March 6 at 9am.

How to Keep Up With Any Hearing at the Council

Finally, a quick tip for anyone wanting to follow the Council or a specific bill or issue closer. The Council runs a very useful website called LIMS (Legislative Information Management System) that local policy veterans know is where every bill lives. But we recently upgraded the system to vastly improve access to our hearings -- that includes the schedule, witness list, submitted testimony, and relevant documents (including pre-hearing oversight questions that are chock full of information). You can find any hearing by starting here: https://lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings/ 

Celebrate Black History Month! 

Finally, I want to take a moment to highlight some of the many ways to celebrate and grow from Black History Month. I wanted to share a few unique ways to make the most of the second half of Black History Month.

DC's Black Wall Street - "Acquire and Protect Wealth": DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking is hosting an important workshop and resource fair on Wednesday, Feb 28 at 10:30 am. Register here to participate. Don’t let the bureaucratic agency name fool you – this is going to be a really well-run workshop that can dispense some excellent information.

Spend Some Time With This Map of African American History and Culture in Washington: Pulled together by DC’s Historic Preservation Office and Office of Planning, this map is worth your time and a deep dive to better understand and learn about the “people, places, and events that have shaped the history and culture of the nation’s capital.”  

DCist - How To Spend a Day Enjoying DC’s Black-Owned Businesses, Restaurants, and Black History: A fun write-up that scripts out an iteneary you could enjoy before the month is over, with plenty of Ward 6 locations. They note a few spots to end your evening on H Street, which has a number of fantastic Black-owned businesses.

Tour the Frederick Douglass House: If you haven’t made it over to Frederick Douglass’ home (you'll have to leave Ward 6 for this one), this is the time – plan a tour now. It’s a National Historic Site and offers a connection to one of DC’s most prominent Black denizens and connects to our history. Plus his home boasts some incredible views of the rest of the city and the river.

Remembering William H. Outlaw: If you want to keep it in Ward 6, check out this 2022 In Memorium for William Outlaw from the Hill Rag, a longtime northeast DC resident. You might recall we did a ceremonial street sign to honor his family legacy after his passing! 

Caps Ticket Giveaway!

You made it to the end, reader! Ward 6 residents can reply to this email if you'd like to be entered into a raffle for two tickets in the DC Council suite for the Saturday, March 9, Caps v. Blackhawks game. 

Thanks again and hope to see you around the neighborhood soon!

Charles Allen