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Friend —

I hope this holiday season is finding you healthy, happy, and well. This time of year it always feels like Ward 6 and DC are bustling as people wrap up year-end work and prepare for the holidays. It wouldn't be a newsletter from me if I didn't remind you to shop local whenever you can, either – we're blessed to have some amazing local makers whose products are great gifts!

We hosted our 18th annual Brickie Awards last Thursday (pictured), and it might have been the biggest one yet. We've got more about the Brickies below, but congrats again to our winners, thank you to the amazing Ward 6 restaurants and shops that donated all of the food and drinks, and thank you to everyone who spent your evening with us!

At the Council, we have one final Legislative Meeting next Tuesday before the end of our two-year Council Period. In January, we'll start anew with another two-year period and updated committee assignments that will shape the work to come. But there’s a lot more to cover below – from winter prep to being informed on that final legislative meeting and some big hearings on the horizon. And for everyone who's been asking me, yes, I'm on Bluesky. Let’s dive in!

QUICK LINKS: Public Safety | Brickie Award Winners | Contractors & Environmental Laws | Eagle Academy Closure Questions | Progress in Probate Process | A Smart Investment | Hearing on SAFE Act | NEW DATE: Rumsey Community Meeting | Office Hours | Constituent Services Win | Hypothermia Season | WMATA Closures Approaching | Deadline for Businesses | DC Library Survey | Reminder about the Southeast Library | Top Math Students | Events | Now on Bluesky

Public Safety Updates

On the public safety front, I want to share news of arrests relating to two scary incidents in the past few months. I joined neighbors near Hill East (pictured) and Southwest in the past two weeks to troubleshoot ways to improve safety on their blocks with MPD and other DC agencies. These conversations are always helpful in giving MPD direction and ensuring me and my team can get the right agencies to the table, as well. On to the updates: 

Arrest Made in Carjacking in Safeway Garage: Last newsletter, I provided an update on the carjacking that took place in late October in the garage of the Safeway in Hill East. Last Friday, First District Commander Colin Hall shared that MPD has made an arrest of a 13-year-old in the case. I'm grateful for the dedication of MPD detectives to keep working this case until an arrest was made, and it underscores how much more work is needed so a 13-year-old would never even contemplate committing a violent crime like this. The investigation remains open, as this incident involved more than one assailant. 

Arrest Made in Shooting Off H Street NE: On Friday, Commander Hall also shared that MPD made an arrest in its investigations into the Oct. 6 shooting on the 800 block of 7th Street NE. This was a shooting that took place in an alley in the early morning hours. No one was struck, but any time a gun is fired in the city, there must be accountability. Good work by MPD to stay on this and track down their suspect. 

MPD Seeks Information About Business Burglaries: MPD is requesting the community's help to identify two suspects and a vehicle connected to a series of business burglaries and property destruction incidents across the District. The offenses occurred between the night of Sunday, Dec. 1, and the morning of Monday, Dec. 2. For more details and photos, click here. If you have information about the suspects or vehicle, or details about these incidents, call MPD at 202-727-9099 or text the Department's tip line at 50411.

Cashless Retailer Emergency Bill Passes: I also want to note that at our Legislative Meeting last week, the Council had a robust debate about what to do with a law that requires businesses to accept cash as a form of payment. This is a law that was passed in 2019 but was suspended as part of the Secure DC safety bill the Council passed on an emergency basis last summer. The pause on the law is set to expire Jan. 1, 2025. On Tuesday, the Council passed on an emergency basis additional exemptions that would allow Class C and D businesses (those that serve alcohol on-premises) and businesses that serve food late in the night/early morning to be exempt from having to accept cash, while the rest of the law will go into effect in January. This is a sticky issue as we balance ensuring customers can patronize businesses in their community with businesses' legitimate safety concerns around having cash on premises. A few points I want to be sure you are aware of. First, despite the requirement to accept cash not being in effect currently, most businesses accept cash. Secondly, this emergency law is temporary and gives the Council time to consider permanent changes to the law in the coming months. 

Bill Targeting Use of Fake Vehicle Tags Coming to Vote Next Week: The Council is working to finalize legislation in time to vote next Tuesday on acts that aim to strengthen enforcement against vehicles with fake license plates. This is a key part of improving safety on our streets and with vehicles with fake tags that might be used in a crime. There's a good primer from Greater Greater Washington if you'd like to get up to speed. I'll share more once the final bill has had a vote.

Congratulations to the 2024 Brickie Award Winners!

The 18th Brickie Awards (our annual Ward 6 holiday party and community awards) was a night to remember! We had hundreds of neighbors join us at the stunning Arena Stage in Southwest to celebrate the people making a difference throughout Ward 6. Guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks from local businesses, and we even had a special hand dancing performance from our friends at the King Greenleaf Recreation Center. Thank you, Zeke, for bringing your students to liven up the night! 

Missed the winners? Here's the list:

• Neighbor Award: Ward 6 Pedestrian Advocates (the Ward 6 Pedestrian Advisory Committee member Cheryle Adams & Capitol Hill Village Sidewalk Safety Team, led by Scott Price)
• Community Organization Award: Waterfront Village
• Public Service Award: DC Health’s Ward 6 Rodent Control Team
• Business Award: Solid State Books
• Civic Pride Award: The Shirley Chisholm Elementary School Community (pictured)
• Special Recognition: The Hill is Home

You can learn more about each honoree in the Hill Rag's recap of the evening.

DC Contractors Must Follow Our Environmental Laws

I want to highlight an issue I'll be focused on early next year: ensuring that when a business that holds a contract with the city breaks our environmental laws, there are consequences, including the risk of losing that contract. Thanks to WUSA 9's Eric Flack for covering this lawsuit filed by Attorney General Brian Schwalb against Fort Myer Construction Company. Fort Myer is one of the city's largest contractors – especially when it comes to roadway paving. It's also a company that has received numerous environmental citations affecting the Anacostia River that go nowhere while they keep receiving a lot of taxpayer dollars for their work. The remedy here is going to be complex, but at its core, I want to be sure the Office of Contracting and Procurement can't just let a big corporation keep taking millions of tax dollars when they're also in violation of other DC laws. Every small business in Ward 6 knows they have to show "clean hands" certificates when dealing with the city. We need to hold big companies to the same standards. 

Eagle Academy's Closure is a Cautionary Tale for Oversight Challenges with DC Charter Schools

Last week, the Council's Committee of the Whole held a roundtable to investigate the sudden closure of Eagle Academy Public Charter School, which announced its closure literal days before the start of the school year, leaving families in the lurch. Eagle Academy had two campuses, one in Ward 8 and one in Ward 6. I used the hearing to dig in on how things had gotten so bad, the warning signs ignored or missed with their finances, and on top of that, I wanted to know what happened to the nearly $4 million in tax dollars they were given for a school year that didn't happen. DC hasn't gotten that money back.

At the core here, it's clear the volunteer Board of Directors for the school didn't have the tools or training to understand the dire financial situation the school's leadership had put them in, and the Public Charter School Board hadn't been made aware that the same leaders of DC's Eagle Academy Public Charter School were operating in Ohio and Nevada (where the state had closed the school and was clawing back their public dollars). Public charter schools educate nearly half of all DC kids and are taxpayer-funded. And just like if there were a story of waste and possible deception within DCPS or any other taxpayer-funded agency, the Council must ensure accountability and prevent it from happening again. All of this comes as Eagle Academy left hundreds of students and families scrambling to find a new school right when they should be focused on preparing for a new school year. More on this issue from the Post.

Simplifying Wills and Estate Planning Can Do a Lot to Protect DC Families

On Nov. 25, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety approved my legislation to modernize and simplify DC's probate and estate processes. Settling a loved one’s assets after they pass can be complex, time-consuming, and overwhelming — especially for lower-income families. This bill updates a system largely unchanged since 2001, making probate more accessible and efficient.

Key improvements include:

• Allowing court staff to handle routine appointments instead of requiring judicial review.
• Reducing probate notice requirements to speed up the process.
• Raising funeral expense reimbursements to $10,000 and the small estate threshold to $80,000.
• Doubling homestead and family allowances to $30,000.

The legislation received its first approval by the Council on Dec. 3, with a final vote scheduled for Dec. 17.

City Investments in Nationals Park and Capitol One Arena Will Keep Teams in DC for Decades

The DC Council gave final approval to two deals to keep the Wizards and Capitals in DC through 2050 and clear the way for the Nationals to sign an extension by committing to improvements at the city-owned ballpark (pending a new lease getting signed). If we're going to make investments in professional sports teams, these are the venues where the money actually has a strong return because both venues host hundreds and hundreds of events a year and generate economic activity – unlike a football stadium at RFK, which would sit dark more than 90% of the year, for instance. I'm glad we're being proactive with Nationals Park rather than waiting until the threat of them leaving forces us into action or risks the team moving. That's what should have happened with Monumental Sports, and we're fortunate that things broke the way they did to keep the teams here ultimately. They're both extremely accessible via Metro, give the city control of the land and the facilities, and rather than sit outside of the city (as is the trend across much of the U.S. these days), they're key anchors to vibrant and growing neighborhoods surrounded by housing, culture, and business. More from the Post.

Hearing on Making Apartment Buildings Safer

Yesterday, the Council's Committee of the Whole and the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held a joint hearing on the Secure Apartments for Everyone (SAFE) Regulation Amendment Act of 2024. Introduced by Attorney General Brian Schwalb, the bill would require the Department of Buildings (DOB) to conduct on-site security assessments for properties with specific safety challenges and issue detailed security reports with recommended measures. That includes requiring safety improvements following violent or drug-related offenses. It also proposes expanding the District's nuisance laws to include crimes of violence and mandates that all rental properties with five or more units maintain self-closing and self-locking exterior doors. 

Ward 6 is home to many apartment buildings, big and small. And at any given time, my office is working with a lot of tenants to help resolve safety and security challenges in those buildings, sometimes with unresponsive or neglectful building management. And on the other side, we work with many fantastic property owners and managers who aren't getting the help they need to protect their tenants against other problematic tenants in the same building. I was glad to join the hearing, because I can definitely support legislation to give DC's Attorney General and DOB more ways to force action faster in both of these scenarios.

We're Going to Modernize Rumsey Aquatic Center: Give Your Opinion

Last week, I went door-to-door around the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center to make sure neighbors knew about the upcoming modernization of this important and beloved neighborhood resource. I want to ensure neighbors are informed and have a chance to weigh in before planning on this project I secured funding for begins. So, I hope you’ll join me, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of General Services for the first community meeting to share your vision for the future of this pool and community center:

Thursday, Dec. 19 | 6:30 p.m. | Eastern Market's North Hall, 225 7th St. SE

(Please note: DPR has rescheduled this meeting from what they initially had set for this Thursday, Dec. 12.)

I fought to add funding for the project in the District’s budget, and now I’d like your input as DPR and DGS prepare to move forward. There's been talk of various ideas for what can happen inside the new walls of the future building; this presents an opportunity for us to think creatively and create a space that’s beloved by Hill neighbors for years to come. RSVP here!

Join Me for My Last Office Hours of 2024

Before we all get in full holiday mode, I wanted to make sure we offered one more time to meet you in the community. I hope you’ll join me for office hours at the Pretzel Bakery on Friday, Dec. 13, where we’ll start the day with coffee, carbs, and conversation from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Please RSVP so we can expect to see you there!

Constituent Services Win for Resident Whose Wrong Name was on Birth Certificate

I wanted to share a constituent services win for one of our residents, a returning citizen who was adopted as a child but whose legal first name had not been correctly documented on his birth certificate. The discrepancy created serious challenges for him in getting a government ID and maintaining stable housing - and with how he thought of himself. Kimberly from my team was able to connect him with Foundry United Methodist Church and Bread for the City, which do great work with individuals with limited means who need help with a hot meal, clothing, and importantly, obtaining or changing an ID. Working together with them and the courts, we got him on the right path to legally change his name, and just this week we received word he had been successful, and a new, correct birth certificate had been issued! I'm proud of the work my constituent services team does in our office, and this was such a touching and meaningful success story, I wanted to share it with you. If they can ever be helpful, please reach out here. 

Stay Warm and Informed with Hypothermia Alerts

I know I don’t have to tell you it’s been extra chilly for early December in the District. With that, the DC government aims to keep you informed with hypothermia alerts and cold weather emergencies, which you can receive through AlertDC. Explore all the info for hypothermia season at cold.dc.gov.

WMATA Station Closures Dec. 20-30

WMATA plans to close some Downtown Metrorail stations for the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines between Friday, Dec. 20, and Monday, Dec. 30. This will allow WMATA to improve tracks and signaling and make a smoother ride for customers. During the closure, shuttle buses will replace train service at affected stations, providing customers with alternate access to stations. Stations will reopen Dec. 31. Work will be completed in two phases:

• Dec. 20-26: Farragut West, McPherson Square, and the lower level (Blue, Orange, Silver service) at Metro Center will be closed.
• Dec. 27-30: Farragut West, McPherson Square, lower level (Blue, Orange, Silver service) at Metro Center, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, and the lower level of L'Enfant Plaza (Blue, Orange, Silver service) will be closed.

 Business Owners: Don't Get Hit with this Steep Federal Fee!

As a heads up, there's a pending federal requirement that requires greater clarity on who owns most businesses and corporations operating within the United States, with a sharp penalty for non-compliance. The US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has a full page on Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting (BOIR). The deadline to be in compliance was Jan. 1, 2025, but that's been delayed pending a lawsuit.

Still, the daily fine is steep for companies that aren't registered, so I wanted to put this on your radar if you own a business. This was introduced under the Corporate Transparency Act, aimed at ensuring transparency in ownership structures and combating financial crimes, such as money laundering. Pending the status of the lawsuit (noted on the linked page), business owners must submit their reports by Jan. 1, 2025 (or within 30 days of formation for newer entities). Failing to submit the BOIR can lead to civil penalties of up to $500 per day and additional criminal penalties. Learn more, and submit your information. As a reminder, this is a federal requirement, not a DC one, so my knowledge and ability to assist is going to be limited.

Help Shape DC Public Library’s New Rules of Behavior

DC Public Library is updating its rules for expected behavior in all of its libraries, and it wants your help. Your feedback will help inform these rules and ensure that libraries are a safe, welcoming, and equitable place for all. Share your thoughts by taking this 5-minute survey.

 Southeast Library Your Go-To? Hit the Tech Lab Nearby During Construction

I wanted to remind everyone that while the Southeast Library is being modernized, there's a tech lab and pick-up spot at Arthur Capper Rec Center not too far away at 1000 5th St. SE. Learn more here. Happy reading!

Stuart-Hobson Students Shine in Math

Stuart-Hobson Middle School’s 6th-grade students achieved the highest performance in the District on the latest Math Required Curricular Task (RCT)! Huge congratulations to these hardworking students, and heartfelt thanks to the teachers and parents whose dedication makes this school so exceptional.

Upcoming Events

• Learn About Pre-K at DCPS: Wednesday, Dec. 11 | 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | Online
  Join representatives from the DCPS Early Childhood Education Division for an overview of the Pre-K Program at DCPS and the lottery for Pre-K. Learn about what happens during a typical Pre-K day, the curriculum, and what makes DCPS unique. There will be a Q&A at the end where participants can ask questions about Pre-K and navigating the My School DC Lottery.
  
  
• Holiday Light Bike Ride: Saturday, Dec. 14 | 4:30 p.m. | Starting at Watkins Elementary, 420 12th St. SE
  Join Hill Family Biking for a special holiday, nighttime bike ride where you can adorn yourself and your bikes with lights to tour some of the best holiday light displays on Capitol Hill. Glow stick necklaces will be provided for all participants to help light up the night on this 4-mile ride that ends at Eastern Market playground for hot cocoa and cookies.
  
  
• H Street NE Market 20th Anniversary Block Party: Saturday, Dec. 14 | 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | 800 13th St. NE
  To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the FRESHFARM H Street NE Market will be transitioning to a year-round operation! They’ll celebrate with a community block party with music, sampling, family-friendly activities, and giveaways.
  
  
• Get Winter Ready: Tuesday, Dec. 17 | 4 to 6 p.m. | Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Place SW
  The DCPSC Winter Ready DC campaign prepares District residents and businesses for winter by offering home weatherization items, information on utility assistance programs, and resources on how to cut energy costs throughout the colder months. Next week, you can get the supplies you need to winterize your home, receive a free home weatherization item (while supplies last), and get information on utility assistance programs. Registration is encouraged, but not required.
  
  
• Community Meeting on Kingsman Field and Dog Park: Tuesday, Dec. 17 | 6:30 to 8 p.m. | Rosedale Recreation Center, 1701 Gales Street NE
  Join the DC Department of Parks and Recreation and the DC Department of General Services for a community meeting where we will discuss the upcoming renovation planned for modernizations I funded for Kingsman Field and Dog Park, located on D Street NE, between 13th Street and Tennessee Avenue NE.

I'm on Bluesky!

Keep up with me and the Council on Bluesky for legislative updates and neighborhood news. I'm not abandoning other platforms – simply broadening the reach to meet more people where they are. I hope to connect with you there!

Break for Some Basketball?

Want a break from the holiday hustle? Just for reading this newsletter, you could score tickets to see some division rivals: reply to this email for a chance to get free tickets to the Hornets v. Wizards game at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26. No, the Wizards didn't win one game in November. Yes, they did beat one of the best teams in the NBA already in December. I can't make sense of this either, but figure it out with me for free!

See you around the neighborhood,

Charles Allen