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Friend —

Happy back-to-school week for a lot of folks, and for those who don't have kids, I hope you are enjoying a quiet week before September brings us all back to full speed.

Thursday evening I joined the H Street Alliance for bingo at Ben's Chili Bowl, which was a fun night to enjoy the corridor with neighbors in a little friendly competition with some fun prize bag giveaways! 

There's plenty to cover below, from public safety updates and Vision Zero news to a big change for an intersection and a tour with the DC Green Bank. Let's get to it.

Quick Links: Public Safety | Unlicensed Cannabis Businesses | Statement on Councilmember T. White | Vision Zero | WMATA-ATU Local 689 | Future at Pennsylvania & Potomac | 8th Street Bus Priority | DC Green Bank | A Books from Birth Milestone | A School's New Name | SNAP Changes | Voter Registration | Beware this Scam | Back-to-School Resources | Labor Day | Upcoming Events

Public Safety Update

I want to start this section sharing the incredibly tragic news that on Wednesday evening, MPD Investigator Wayne David was killed in the line of duty when an illegal gun he was attempting to retrieve discharged. A 25-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department, he was by all accounts a dedicated guardian and public servant to his home city. My heart aches for his family and the MPD community. There are no words that can fill the space when someone so beloved is taken from us, but I offer my deepest condolences and comfort to the family and colleagues left behind in this senseless loss.  

We have too many illegal guns in our community and across the country. Investigator David dedicated his career to getting those guns off our streets, and his untimely death should be an urgent call to take action federally and locally to stem the tide of illegal guns that put our officers and our neighborhoods at risk every day.

MPD Drug Enforcement at 1100 4th St. SW: Earlier this year, I helped lead a walk with MPD, neighbors, and local businesses to highlight ongoing challenges with illegal actions taking place outside the Safeway in Southwest. It's been a focus of MPD, and this week, MPD First District Commander Hall shared an update that they have made arrests at this location that will advance in court for illegal drug sales. This is an area where we want to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, and this enforcement is part of that effort. 

MPD Enforcement Action at Eastern Market Metro Park: Similarly, Commander Hall and I have worked together to make the area near the Eastern Market Metro station a continued priority. He updated me that in the last two weeks, MPD has taken similar measures to enforce repeat issues with illegal drug sales. On two different days, MPD made arrests for illegal possession, including in one case arresting two individuals who were in a stolen car with outstanding bench warrants. This is great work by MPD on the needed enforcement side, and it also allows the city's substance abuse professionals to more freely work with people who aren't doing the selling, but instead suffering from addiction. I'll share more as I hear it.

MPD Stepping Up Presence at 8th and C Streets SE After Two Incidents: Last weekend, we saw two unrelated incidents involving a gun at 8th and C streets SE on Barracks Row. In one instance, a late-night confrontation happened between patrons leaving a business that resulted in gun violence and one person injured. In another, a person waiting on their scooter for food delivery had their scooter stolen, though it was recovered nearby and returned to the owner. Commander Hall has told me they are investigating each of these and will shift patrols to this area in the short-term. 

MPD Warns About Scam Impersonating Officers: As more public information is available to people who try to use it to fool residents, MPD's warning about a phone scam threatening arrest contains a lot of good advice in general. Remember, if someone calls you from a DC agency, you can verify off the call before taking any action by either calling the publicly listed phone number for the agency or reaching out to my office, which can verify on your behalf. 

Enforcement Update for Unlicensed Pot Shops

Not long ago, DC created a pathway for businesses to operate with legal, regulated cannabis sales. In that time, we haven’t seen many problems with those that have gone through the legal process: They work well, they’re regulated, they’re inspected, and while its a little unwieldy, the system works. However, we also have a large number of unlicensed, unregistered, illegal businesses that are flouting the law with no regulation. I’m proud to have gotten through the Council new legislation to make sure DC has the enforcement tools needed, such as putting padlocks on doors, to shut down these unlicensed operations. Watch my recent video to learn more.

Statement on Charges Against Councilmember Trayon White

On Sunday, Aug. 18, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White was arrested on federal bribery charges. I shared a statement on social media shortly after it happened, but I wanted to address it in this newsletter as well. Public service is a public trust. It requires elected officials to make decisions in the District's best interests — not our own. The charges facing Councilmember Trayon White are shocking, extremely serious, and a profound disappointment to residents who trusted him to represent them. While he is innocent until proven guilty in a criminal court, I agree with Chairman Phil Mendelson that the Council must immediately move forward with our own investigation and review process through the creation of an ad hoc committee to propose the next steps, including potential expulsion from the Council. In the interim, Councilmember Trayon White cannot continue to chair his committee that creates significant conflicts with the charges. I've talked with a lot of Ward 8 neighbors who are concerned and disappointed. And at the Council, all of us, especially our at-large colleagues, want to help ensure Ward 8 priorities don't get left behind in the interim. Taking these actions will put Ward 8 first and protect the public trust and the integrity of the Council.

Drafting Legislation to End Predatory Fees in Large Apartment Buildings

I was meeting with neighbors at the Cielo in NoMa recently when they brought up what seemed like confusing and exorbitant new charges on their monthly bills. This was the first I'd heard of it, but residents were being charged huge fees for utility costs of the common areas of the building (like the community room, gym, mailroom, etc.). It's a seemingly new practice where buildings are adding new charges, some up to $1,500 or more per year, in new fees that weren't disclosed at the time of signing a lease. And now I'm hearing about it from a lot of other residents, too. These hidden fees strike me as predatory and wrong, and I want to do something about it. I'm working on legislation to improve transparency in what fees are collected. Most people rightly assume their rent covers expenses for common areas, or they expect all fees to be disclosed upfront so they know what they're signing up for. There's a lot of frustration growing with residents who feel they had no idea about these fees when signing or renewing a lease. I'll share the final bill when it's ready for introduction in the coming weeks. I spoke with ABC7 about it earlier this week. If this is an issue you'd like to weigh in on, feel free to reply to this email. 

Everyone Deserves Safe Streets

Last week, The Washington Post highlighted that 10 years from when DC announced a goal to reduce road deaths to zero (known as Vision Zero), not only will DC not meet our Vision Zero goals, but we've gone in the wrong direction. I know on the first day of school, most parents worried about and planned around the likelihood that someone would speed or run a red light or stop sign on their walk to school. That’s not OK. Accountability and road design are two parts of what we need to do. On accountability, key parts of my STEER Act will take effect on October 1, focusing on holding reckless drivers accountable and curbing speeding — no matter what state or city they live in. We’ve made progress with road diets, protected bike lanes, and safer pedestrian crossings, but accountability must be part of the equation. I remain committed to lowering the number of traffic deaths and major crashes in my role as Transportation chair. We must and will continue to keep redesigning our roads with everyone's safety in mind, prioritizing people over speeding cars.

I know in every change to streets, bike lanes, or sidewalks can bring improvements and new challenges. The big-picture goals are two-fold: one, advance the District's goal to increase public transit ridership, walking, and multi-modal by making it safer and more pleasant. Second, these changes tend to make the street safer for everyone. When you look at the data for crashes, the vast majority of crashes (especially those where there's a fatality or major injury) involve a car. See for yourself on DDOT's Crash Dashboard. I want to see all road users, no matter how you get around, follow the rules of the road to be safe. I also want to be clear-eyed that if I'm trying to see the biggest reductions in traffic deaths and serious harm, it has to be centered on individual drivers and road design that invites dangerous, fast car travel. 

WMATA and ATU Local 689 Land on Bargaining Agreement

Last week, the WMATA Board approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, an organization of transit workers in and around DC. This agreement – representing both concessions and collective action by labor and management – is a big deal, supporting hard-working people at Metro with better health and benefits. It supports safer operations with more downtime between shifts and long-term cost management for the overall system. You can learn more about the agreement here.

A New Pennsylvania-Potomac Avenue Intersection Starts to Get Closer

The intersection of Pennsylvania and Potomac in Southeast has been a project years in the making, and DDOT has confirmed we’re headed toward construction this fall. I’m proud to have been able to use my role on the Council to accelerate this delayed project in the budget. The upcoming 18 months (or so) of construction should bring us a safer, better intersection with lower traffic speeds encouraged and improved pedestrian experiences, as well as a new park space for all. Learn more and stay up to date with the project, and I’ll share more updates as I have them.

Stay Informed on the 8th Street Bus Priority Project

The 8th Street Bus Priority Project has gone through its planning and concept selection and now moves into the design phase, where DDOT develops construction drawings based on elements included in the final concept. The project aims to enhance bus operations and safety from East Capitol Street NE to M Street SE by implementing improvements to bus service, access to bus stops, and safety along the corridor. DDOT is continuing to collect feedback (scroll down on the project webpage for the survey), and the project will be covered in the ANC 6B Transportation Committee Meeting on Wednesday, September 4. That'll be a great time to get the latest on the project.

I support this project and its goal to improve the performance of two of the busiest bus lines in the entire WMATA network. I will continue to work closely with businesses along Barracks Row, in particular how we use our curb space, to be sure the new design is one that sets up Barracks Row for success, ease of access, and a better connection to the rest of the city. 

DC Green Bank is Financing DC's Fight on Climate Change

If you care about fighting climate change, the DC Green Bank is one of the District's top ways we finance that fight. And this week I was able to take a tour at two sites to see what those projects look like in DC neighborhoods. In addition to financing solar projects, the DC Green Bank also helps provide financing on affordable housing projects that include energy-efficient designs or ones that offer other environmental benefits. That's a great way to solve two problems at once. That's exactly what we saw at Florida and 3rd NE in NoMA, where the DC Green Bank is helping NRP Group build a 100% affordable housing building with high-efficiency systems. What does that mean? Lower utility costs (residents' bills will be 25% lower), making affordable housing even more affordable. Plus, fully electric appliances make this a big win.

Next we went to Howard University, where thanks to a loan from the DC Green Bank, 580 solar panels have been installed on Howard’s business school by Black-owned Volt Energy. These panels generate enough power for 1,500 homes, lowering Howard's utility costs — and protecting the long-term fiscal health of the HBCU.

The DC Green Bank is one of my favorite local institutions that rarely garners attention, but carries out really smart policy. When the Mayor had proposed her most recent budget, a ton of money had been cut from the DC Green Bank. I secured new funding and worked with colleagues on the Council to be sure it was included in the coming budget to keep these important investments moving forward. Given that the DC Green Bank can take one dollar from DC government and turn it into nine dollars of private investment, we couldn't afford to scale back these kinds of projects. Thankfully, when the next budget begins on October 1, its budget will be strong and ready to continue lining up new green infrastructure. 

Celebrating a Milestone for Books from Birth!

I'm excited to announce that we've delivered our 3,000,000th book through the Books from Birth program! This was one of the first pieces of legislation I passed, and seeing it make such a significant impact has been incredible. Through our partnership with the DC Public Library and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, we've reached nearly 100,000 children, giving each one a home library of 60 books by the time they're 5 years old. It’s about more than just reading — it's about building a love for learning and creating moments for families to connect. Watch my recent video about the milestone.

An Elementary School Celebrates a New, Fitting Name

Last weekend, I had the honor of attending the Service Day and Renaming Celebration at Shirley Chisholm Elementary School, where the community came together to remove former slave owner and secessionist John Tyler’s name and rename the school for an incredible woman and leader who reflects the values of today’s students and school. I’m proud to have led the renaming legislation through Council and to have celebrated with the families last Saturday!

SNAP Allotments Return to Previous Amounts on October 1

Since January 1, 2024, there has been a Temporary Local Benefit (known as “Give SNAP A Raise") to households receiving funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).This temporary benefit concludes Monday, September 30. In October, all households will return to receiving their regular SNAP allotment. The Council had created an increased benefit for the current fiscal year, however, with the tighter budget, this was an area where we couldn't restore the cuts proposed by the Mayor. If you know someone who is on SNAP, make sure you share this update with them. If you or someone you know runs a business that works with SNAP benefits, this will impact you as well, and I urge you to start planning for it accordingly. 

Make Sure Your Voter Registration Is Up to Date

We’re less than 10 weeks until an election, so now’s the time to verify the Board of Elections (BOE) has your current residential address. It’s important so you can vote for what we can here in DC, and also because BOE will only mail ballots to mailing addresses it has on file. You can check your registration status, and you can register or update your information.

Beware Scams Targeting Your Bank Account

The Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking is aware of a smishing scam targeting District residents for their financial accounts and personally identifiable information. Smishing is a cybercrime that uses deceptive text messages to trick victims into providing their sensitive information. Scammers are expert imposters skilled at quickly gaining your trust, and along with it, your sensitive information. They often do so by sending official-looking text messages or emails along with a phone number. The message urges you to call immediately because your computer has been hacked or your bank account’s security has been compromised. Once the victim provides their sensitive information, the scammers use it to access the victim’s account, change their password and pin, and withdraw all their money – including their overdraft protection.

More Resources as Kids Go Back to School

• No more risks of your kiddo losing that Metro Card: The Kids Ride Free SmarTrip Card can now be added to Apple Wallet for students 13 years and older. 
• The Learn24 Program Finder helps families locate out-of-school time (OST) programs for school-aged youth that meet their needs, desires, and passions. Families can use the program finder to identify OST programming in specific focus areas, ages, locations, and more for school-aged children. There will also be an event to explore all programming Saturday, September 7, at Deanwood Community Center, 49th Street NE.
• The DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) provides services and programs for families of children with different abilities. Learn more about OSEE’s Special Education Services and Programs. 
• DC Public School’s Back-to-School Block Party will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, at Jefferson Middle School Academy, 801 7th St. SW. Expect free food and activities for all ages, including a bounce house, face painting, and student performances.

Have a Safe Labor Day

The District Government will observe the Labor Day holiday Monday, September 2. Some services will be affected, and many employees will continue serving to maintain essential operations. A few highlights are below, and you can learn more here.

• The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) will not collect household trash and recycling collection on Monday. Collections will “slide” for the remainder of the week into Saturday, Sept 7. For example, households that normally receive trash and recycling collections on Monday, September 2, will be serviced on Tuesday, September 3. 
• Some Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) outdoor pools and spray parks will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, marking the final day of the 2024 season. 
• Metrorail will be open from 7 a.m. to midnight. Metrobus will also run on a Sunday schedule.
• The following will be closed on Monday:
  • DC Public Schools
  • DC Public Library locations
  • DPR recreation, community, and indoor aquatic centers
• All low-barrier shelters for people experiencing homelessness operate year-round. The following low-barrier shelters are open 24 hours and will remain open all day Monday:
  • New York Men’s Shelter
  • 801 East Men's Shelter
  • Adams Place Shelter
  • Emery Shelter
  • Pat Handy Women’s Shelter
  • Harriet Tubman Women’s Shelter

Upcoming Events

• Sunset Cinema at the Wharf still has free movies in the lineup, with King Richard on Thursday, September 5. 
• Celebrate the District’s agricultural, culinary, and artistic talents at the DC State Fair. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, at Franklin Park (K and 13th streets NW) find contests, local vendors, and more.
• 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. And next up, it’s headed to Ward 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 7, at King Greenleaf Recreational Center, 201 N Street SW.
• The Department of Parks and Recreation is activating local parks and connecting residents to art, music, and culture with its pop-up jazz performances. Catch Jazz in the Park x Play in the Park from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 12, at Eastern Market Metro Park, 8th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

Who Wants Cirque Du Soleil Tickets?

Like hitting the end of summer break, we've reached the end of this week's newsletter. Thanks for sticking around! For that, you can enter to win two tickets for Cirque du Soleil at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11, at Capital One Arena. Just respond to this email.

See you around the neighborhood,

Charles Allen