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WARD 1 UPDATE
Hello Neighbors:
At the end of the year I sent out my 2024 Progress Report, with a recap of some of the action I took last year (and the year before) on the environment, housing, road safety, public safety, education, and more. If you didn’t already, I hope you’ll take a look, offer your feedback, and your ideas for future legislation and oversight I might undertake to continuously improve life in Ward 1 and across the District.
This week the committee I chair, the Committee on Public Works & Operations, filed our biennial Activity Report, which summarizes key legislation and activities from Council Period 25. For those who like to get into the weeds of how a committee can shape legislation and hold executive branch agencies accountable, it’s a pretty good read.
My team and I have already been working for some time on legislation for the current Council Period 26, which started January 1. Watch this month for one of the most consequential pieces of legislation I’ll introduce this year – the Bottle and Can Recycling Refund Amendment Act of 2025, what many people call a “bottle bill.” It’ll remove a huge percentage of the bottles and cans that end up in the street, our rivers, and parks by requiring a 10-cent deposit, which consumers will get back when they return their bottles to the store. Ten states have it and it’s been proven highly effective in reducing bottles and cans (and even other trash) from the waste stream and from the environment. There are a bunch of other benefits to a bottle bill which we’ll be talking about in the coming days. D.C. would be the first new state to launch a bottle bill in more than
20 years.
Also on my legislative agenda:
- A bill to create new neighborhood management authorities in the U Street corridor and in Columbia Heights to do things like maintain public spaces and public assets (e.g., the Howard Theatre), promote and support the neighborhood and neighborhood businesses, coordinate human services, and promote public safety. It would be similar to a Business Improvement District (BID), but better suited to the needs of these neighborhoods, with the ability to provide more expansive services and with a different structure and funding sources.
- Two public safety bills that did not receive hearings last council period: one to assist recruiting for the police department (my CADET bill) and one to make it easier to close homicide cases via stronger witness support.
I’ve already reintroduced 10 bills from last session and have plans for additional legislation, including to address what has always been one of my top issues: affordable housing.
Get ready for performance oversight season – I’ll share more about this in the near future. For now, know that this is one of your best opportunities to weigh in on how executive branch agencies operate, their policies and practices, and on budget issues.
Winter weather updates
As the District continues to clear out from the snowfall earlier this week, I wanted to share some important information about what to do in the case of winter weather. To report sidewalks that have not been shoveled, call 311 and the DPW Sweep team will send an inspector. Reminder: owners are responsible for clearing the sidewalks in front of their property. Seniors and persons with disabilities who are unable to shovel snow can request help from a Snow Hero. Call 311 and a volunteer will be sent to come clear your sidewalk. This is also a great
way to volunteer if you are able – shovels provided!
DDOT is responsible for clearing snow from protected bike lanes, while DPW is responsible for clearing snow from unprotected bike lanes. I’ve received a number of concerns from residents about unplowed bike lanes this week, and I plan to discuss this issue with DPW again at our upcoming performance oversight hearings. If you see a bike lane that needs attention from the snow team, please reach out and we’ll follow up with the appropriate agency.
As temperatures dip below freezing, I urge everyone to be mindful of our neighbors who may be in need of shelter. Warming centers are available and the Shelter Hotline is operating 24/7. Call the Shelter Hotline at 202-399-7093 or call 311 if you see someone in need. Find more cold weather and hypothermia resources on our
website.
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