Having trouble viewing this email?
Click here
[link removed]
If you don't wish to receive our newsletter any longer, simply click the unsubscribe
link at the bottom of the e-mail and we'll remove you! You may unsubscribe
[link removed]
if you no longer wish to receive our emails.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Council Connection
your connection to City Council by:
Mayor Justin M. Wilson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alexandria, Virginia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 1, 2020
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In This Edition

Council Initiatives
Latest on COVID-19
Back To Business
Emergency Rent Relief
Policing In Alexandria
The CARES Act
Host a Town Hall
Upcoming Issues: Inova Alexandria Hospital AND King Street

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quick Links
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

E-Mail Me [mailto:[email protected]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Past Newsletters [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

City of Alexandria Website [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pay City Taxes Online [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review Real Estate Assessments [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crime Mapping & Statistics [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex 311 [[link removed]]
(Submit Service Requests to City Agencies)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Board & Commission Vacancies [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Real-Time Traffic Data [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alexandria Health Department Restaurant Inspections [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Report Potholes [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Schedule Child Safety Seat Inspection [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Smoke Detector Installation Request [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Real Estate Tax Receipt Calculator [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

License Your Dog or Cat [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Report a Street Light Outage [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Events/Updates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 23rd Republican Primary
On Tuesday June 23rd, Virginia Republicans will hold a primary [[link removed]]
to choose their nominee for the United States Senate.
Given social distancing requirements, the City will not be able to open all polling
places. As a result, we are strongly encouraging absentee voting for all voters
wishing to participate in this primary.
The sample ballot is available online. [[link removed]]
Voters seeking an absentee ballot can apply online today [[link removed]].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2020 Census
So far 66% of Alexandrians have completed the Census questionnaire. [[link removed]]
The decennial census is vital for the City to capture a snapshot of our community
and support efforts to achieve additional Federal funding in the future.
Please complete your questionnaire today!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ACPS Strategic Plan
Our School Board is working to develop a new Strategic Plan for our schools.
The draft strategic plan [[link removed]]
is now available online.
On Tuesday June 9th, the School Board will be accepting public comment at 12:30
PM and 7:00 PM.
You can sign-up to speak or submit your comments online today [[link removed]].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mulch, Delivered
Online leaf mulch delivery orders can be submitted starting today.
Mulch is available in a full or half truckload, and each delivery ranges from $65
- $130.
Deliveries can be scheduled online. [[link removed]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ARHA Voucher Waiting List Open
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) has opened their waiting
list the Mainstream Voucher program.
The applications are ONLY available today and tomorrow and they are available online
[[link removed]].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Parker Gray High School
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Parker-Gray High School.
The former school educated African-American students for decades in our City.
For both recognition and fundraising, a memorial sidewalk is being installed.
To purchase a brick, you made do online [[link removed]]!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fifty years ago last week, Robin Gibson was murdered at the 7-11 at the corner of
Commonwealth and Glebe in our City [[link removed]].
The shooting and the miscarriage of justice that followed set off unrest in our
community that carried over into the ensuing election and resulted in change in
our community.
Yet a half-century later, a murder by a law-enforcement officer a thousand miles
away has turned our attention again to the injustices that remain in our community.
Here are my thoughts as to how we move forward as a City. [[link removed]]
While we continue our struggle with our nation's original sin, a new crisis continues
to face our community. While the COVID-19 outbreak has threatened the lives, well-being
and financial stability of so many in our community, as we have at so many inflection
points in our history, we will recover.
Two months ago, when I wrote you, 44 of our neighbors had tested positive for COVID-19.
A month ago, 754 had tested positive. As of yesterday, 1,974 Alexandrians have tested
positive for this virus. Sadly, 44 have lost their lives.
To the families of those who have been lost, you are in our thoughts during this
time. I am hopeful that the support of our community for you can be felt during
this isolating moment.
Yet, we have made progress:

* COVID-19 testing has become widely available, with Alexandria leading the region
and the Commonwealth with a high testing rate.
* Our hospitalization rates have remained low.
* Our hospital capacity has remained stable.
* Our positive testing rate continues to trend downwards.
* A week ago we held our largest testing initiative to date, with 2,980 residents
being tested for COVID-19 at two sites in the City.

In April, the Governor released his "Forward Virginia" blueprint [[link removed]],
which lays out an approach to the easing of the current public health restrictions
and details efforts to increase testing capacity and protective equipment. On Friday,
we entered Phase 1, the first phase of that easing.

Yet, we are still not out of the woods. The City still has one of the higher infection
rates and significant community spread.
Please continue to support the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund [[link removed]],
which is distributing money [[link removed]]
into our community to support the many needs this crisis has created.
The latest updates will continue to be posted regularly on the City's Coronavirus
website [[link removed]].
The Virginia Department of Health posts data daily online [[link removed]]
regarding positive tests, hospitalizations and deaths.
The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is posting daily updates regarding
hospital capacity and capabilities [[link removed]].
Since the beginning of April, I have been doing a weekly Virtual Living Room Town
Hall sessions to answer questions from the public regarding the City's on-going
response. You can view the sessions from May online:
May 7th Living Room Town Hall [[link removed]]
May 14th [[link removed]]
Living Room Town Hall [[link removed]]
May 21st Living Room Town Hall [[link removed]]
May 28th Living Room Town Hall [[link removed]]
Please join me at this link each Thursday evening at 8 PM to watch and participate
live [[link removed]].
Volunteers are needed throughout our community. Please refer to Volunteer Alexandria
for opportunities to give back to those in need. [[link removed]]
If you have any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that you can donate, please
submit information online [[link removed]].
In March, my colleagues and I worked to propose a list of emergency actions to support
our residents, our businesses and our municipal finances. [[link removed]]
These proposed actions are now either in place or in progress. Some are detailed
below.
The entire City Council thanks our community for pulling together during this crisis
[[link removed]].
Contact me anytime [mailto:[email protected]]. Let me know how I can
help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Council Initiatives
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The City Responds to COVID-19
If you have the symptoms of being infected with COVID-19, the Coronavirus [[link removed]],
which include coughing, a fever of over 100.4 F and shortness of breath, please
contact your primary care physician for information on an exam and testing. If your
physician is not available or you do not have a primary care physician, an urgent
care center [[link removed]],
one of the Inova Respiratory Health Centers [[link removed]]
(now including a location in Old Town Alexandria), or the Inova Alexandria Hospital
Emergency Department can assist you.
If you have questions about the outbreak that cannot be answered by your physician,
the Alexandria Health Department has set up a hotline staffed during business hours
at 703-746-4988. Additionally, the Virginia Department of Health [[link removed]]
has a hotline at 877-ASK-VDH3.
While 1,974 Alexandrians have been diagnosed with COVID-19, 9,356 tests (PCR) have
been administered and 190 residents have been hospitalized.
Inova Alexandria hospital is currently operating with 313 beds, of which about 63%
are currently being utilized. They are currently treating 41 COVID-19 patients,
which is a reduction from recent numbers.
There are plans in place to construct a 500+ bed "surge" capacity hospital facility
for Northern Virginia at the Dulles Expo Center, but at this point the Governor
has not proceeded with that construction.
The Governor has issued two successive orders that impact our economy and our daily
lives.
The first was Executive Order 53 [[link removed]],
which imposed temporary restrictions on a variety of businesses, banned gatherings
and schools for the remainder of the year. This order was extended for Northern
Virginia until last week, and has now been replaced by Executive Order 61 as the
entire Commonwealth is now in Phase 1 [[link removed]].
The second was Executive Order 55 [[link removed]],
which imposed a stay-at-home order. This remains in effect until June 10th.
I have joined with my counterparts from throughout the region in supporting this
order and asking our residents to stay home to slow the spread of this virus. [[link removed]]
The Alexandria Health Department is advising residents to practice social distancing
by maintaining 6-feet of separation from any other person, washing hands frequently
with soap or hand sanitizer [[link removed]]
and wearing a face covering whenever in public where social distancing might not
be possible. This is not only to protect your health, but to protect the health
of others.
The City has an extensive contact tracing effort underway, to ensure that all those
who may have come into contact with someone infected with COVID-19, are notified
and take appropriate precautions. The City's Medical Reserve Corps is seeking volunteers,
both with and without medical training, to assist during this crisis. You can sign-up
on-line. [[link removed]]
On the 14th of March, the City Council ratified the City Manager's declaration of
a Local Emergency [[link removed]].
This expands City Government capabilities to respond to this challenge. That emergency
remains in effect.
The Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) are closed [[link removed]]
and will remain closed through the end of the school year.
ACPS has arranged food for ANY child 2-18 and ANY family who needs it [[link removed]].
Food pick-up is available from a variety of locations around the City.
ACPS has set up "ACPS-At-Home" to provide details to students and families during
this extended closure. [[link removed]]
Our educators are doing an amazing job continuing to teach our students during
this closure.
In April, I sent a letter to all of the multi-family landlords in the City and asked
that they be lenient on late rent payments and defer evictions during this time
[[link removed]].
The impact of the on-going Virginia Judicial Emergency declared by Virginia's Chief
Justice [[link removed]]
provides that evictions remain deferred for at least another week. .
Additionally, I joined with my counterparts in other Northern Virginia jurisdictions
to ask the Governor to delay evictions and implement flexibility into a variety
of human service programs. [[link removed]]
The City is working quickly to assist businesses that have been hard hit by this
crisis.
Visit Alexandria launched "ALX At Home" to make it easier for residents to support
shopping at Alexandria businesses. [[link removed]]
In March, the Council approved a variety of business tax deferrals and fee waivers
to assist businesses with cash flow challenges. [[link removed]].
We have already suspended enforcement of a variety of regulations and laws to facilitate
restaurant carry-out, delivery and hours, as well as sidewalk vending for restaurants
and retailers. [[link removed]]
Last week, the Council approved additional suspension of rules to allow expanded
outdoor dining in parking spaces, parking lots, sidewalks, and other places [[link removed]].
We worked with businesses across the City to implement new delivery and pick-up
parking zones in front of their establishments.
In March, I sent a letter to Governor Northam requesting further regulatory changes
to allow restaurants to offer carry-out of mixed beverages during this time. [[link removed]]
In April, the Governor issued an order making this change [[link removed]].
Additional financing and support options are being made available for small businesses
throughout the City. [[link removed]]
The recently enacted Federal legislation provides additional supports for businesses
that may require assistance [[link removed]].
In March, Comcast began providing free "Internet Essentials" service to low-income
families for 60-days. Sign-up is available online [[link removed]].
All of the utilities serving the City have suspended disconnects due to non-payment,
including:

* Alexandria Renew [[link removed]]
* Dominion Virginia Power [[link removed]]
* Virginia-American Water Company [[link removed]]
* Washington Gas [[link removed]]
* AT&T [[link removed]]
* Verizon [[link removed]]
* Comcast [[link removed]]
For those whose jobs have been impacted by the virus outbreak, details are available
from the Virginia Employment Commission [[link removed]].
The Federal CARES Act provided extended unemployment insurance, including coverage
for workers who otherwise would not be eligible.
Inova Blood Services has significant need for blood donations during this time.
Schedule a donation today. [[link removed]]
DASH is running all service for free, with boarding occurring using the rear door.
[[link removed]]
Metro has also made significant reductions to service and is reserving the system
for "essential trips only." [[link removed]]
We have cancelled many city meetings and events [[link removed]].
All activities and programs produced by the Alexandria Department of Recreation,
Parks [[link removed]]&
Cultural Activities have been cancelled [[link removed]]
through June 22nd. Facilities, playgrounds, and fenced areas are closed [[link removed]].
Summer program registration is delayed indefinitely. [[link removed]]
The Department recently launched RPCA at Home to support residents during this time
[[link removed]].
Last week, the Department announced the schedule to reopen the impacted services
[[link removed]].
The Alexandria Library has closed all of its branches indefinitely. [[link removed]]
They have announced their reopening plan as well [[link removed]].
Changes have been made to visitation and procedures at the Alexandria Jail by the
Alexandria Sheriff's Office [[link removed]].
The City has suspended enforcement of a variety of parking regulations and rules.
[[link removed]]
The Governor has extended the validity of driver's licenses, identification cards
and vehicle registrations that were scheduled to expire [[link removed]].
The City has suspended yard waste collection, bulk waste collection, compost collection
and mulch deliveries. [[link removed]]
The City is asking that all waste fit into cans to reduce waste and protect our
employees. Starting last month, the City is now providing a drop-off service for
yard waste while curbside collection is suspended [[link removed]].
Additionally, we have reopened the Hazardous Waste collection point [[link removed]].
With a declared State Emergency declaration in effect, price gouging laws are in
force right now across the Commonwealth. Report suspected violations to the Virginia
Attorney General's Office [[link removed]].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Getting Alexandria Back To Business
It is still too early to take stock of the full economic impact of COVID-19 and
the resulting public health restrictions, but it is safe to say that Alexandria
businesses have suffered a devastating blow.
Alexandria small businesses, particularly those in the service economy, employ many
of our residents who live dangerously close to poverty. Supporting these businesses
helps us support our residents. In many cases, these residents are those who did
not qualify for some of the Federal assistance that has been available recently.
Early in this crisis, the City approved millions of dollars of tax deferrals [[link removed]]
to provide Alexandria small businesses with the liquidity to assist them in surviving
and later reopening.
We have worked with businesses to access Federal grants and lending. We have made
a variety of regulatory changes to support the transition of our businesses to a
"new normal."
As we now begin reopening, the City is launching the Alexandria Back to Business
Grant Program [[link removed]].
This program, utilizing a portion of the City's Federal CARES Act funding, will
provide grants to Alexandria businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19.
The grants, of up to $20,000, are designed to support the investments that our businesses
must make to adjust. Designed to fund the purchase of PPE, health and safety equipment,
cleaning services, etc. Anything that helps ease a business' transition to this
new environment will be considered for this program.
In addition to these financial and regulatory efforts, the City recently launched
ALX Promise. [[link removed]]
This new program will recognize those businesses that have gone beyond the minimum
standards to keep their customers and employees safe during this time. Watch for
the logo around our City!
Ultimately, Alexandria needs our small businesses to survive. While we cannot solve
the economic dislocation caused by this crisis, we are working to help our businesses
change and thrive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emergency Rent Assistance Available
When the crisis started at the beginning of March, there were just a bit over 2,000
Alexandria residents who were unemployed. During the ensuing 10 weeks, nearly 13,000
Alexandrians have filed as unemployed. [[link removed]]
With this precipitous increase in unemployment throughout our City, our residents
have been faced with challenges in paying their rent. While foreclosures have
been deferred due to the closure of Virginia's courts, our residents who are out
of work are incurring overdue rent, late fees and other expenses that will burden
them even once they are able to go back to work.
Too many of our residents are facing the choice between complying with Stay at Home
orders and other public health restrictions, and paying their rent.
While the City has a variety of housing relief programs that have been in place
[[link removed]],
many for decades, these efforts are insufficiently scaled or structured for this
crisis.
To address the challenge we are facing in this time, the City has launched a new
Emergency Rent Relief program [[link removed]].
For eligible residents, who have had their employment impacted by this crisis and
meet eligibility requirements, the City is provided up to $600/month, for up to
3 months to assist.
This will not solve all of the economic challenges that are impacting our residents,
but we are hoping it will help keep residents afloat during this time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Policing in Alexandria
At various points over the years, I have written in this newsletter attempting to
relate the national conversation on policing to our experiences in Alexandria [[link removed]].
We have a highly skilled and diverse police force serving Alexandria.
The department is taking steps to improve the diversity of the workforce in future
recruiting efforts. We are fortunate to have a skilled and professional Sheriff's
Department with a sworn workforce that similarly represents our community's diversity.
Our officers participate in training aimed at de-escalation of volatile situations.
We outfit our police officers with non-lethal force options to assist in the de-escalation
of these incidents. Our officers have been trained in crisis intervention and the
proper ways to address civil disobedience.
We have officers that participate in training designed to address implicit bias
in policing [[link removed]].
The Alexandria Human Rights Commission conducts a review of each police [[link removed]]
use of force incident. The Commission also reviews internal investigation data to
question and provide accountability of the department.
At the end of April, the City Council approved our FY 2021 - FY 2030 Capital Improvement
Program. Included in that budget as a placeholder was included within the CIP to
fund the deployment of body-worn cameras for our police officers [[link removed]].
A new position in the Police Department this year will prepare for implementation
of this effort.
The City has also worked to improve the transparency of data related to policing
in Alexandria.
In 2017. the City released a first of its kind external study and analysis of five
years of Alexandria Police traffic citation data [[link removed]].
Conducted by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University
[[link removed]],
this effort looked at over 91,000 citations issued from 2011 - 2015.
In February of 2018, the City Council adopted this procedure as policy to ensure
that this type of accountability and analysis remains a practice in the future.
[[link removed]]
Since that time, the analysis has been conducted annually, with the 2019 data released
earlier this month [[link removed]].
The goal of this review was to identify possible areas of biased policing. While
the study authors provide significant detail as to the challenges of bench-marking
this type of data, the result of the study should prompt further analysis and conversation.
To ensure that the conversation does not end here, our Police Chief Michael Brown
has appointed a Community Advisory Team to advise the Police Department on these
issues [[link removed]].
Our Police Department has gone beyond what most departments not under consent decrees
have chosen to do proactively. This has been the result of community activism and
leadership within the Department.
Yet we can never declare "victory," Every day, these efforts must continue as we
work to provide a level of transparency that increases public confidence in the
great work done by the men and women who serve and protect our community every
day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The CARES Act In Alexandria
The City of Alexandria may possibly receive up to $27 million of the Commonwealth's
allocation of Federal CARES Act [[link removed]]
funding. The City Council is developing plans to put that money to good work immediately
to serve the residents and businesses of our community.
From the beginning of this crisis, it has been clear that the two levels of government,
local and state, who are required to balance our budgets annually, could not address
the immense financial need that has been created. Only the Federal Government could
provide a sufficient amount of money to address some of these challenges.
In late March, the President signed the CARES Act [[link removed]]
which provides $2 trillion to assist residents, businesses and government. With
this legislation and the prospect of further legislation ahead, my focus has been
to ensure that we leave no dollar on the table.
Our City government has worked to assist residents and businesses to access the
various funds that have been made available for their benefit. The legislation also
created a $150 billion fund to assist state and local governments. Virginia will
receive $3.3 billion of these funds. Jurisdictions with a population of 500,000
or more go directly to the Federal government and the remainder is distributed
by the applicable state government.
The United States Department of Treasury has now released guidance detailing how
the funds can be used. [[link removed]]
While the City and other jurisdictions urged maximum flexibility from the Federal
Government, the money the City will receive will be limited to:
1) Expenditures incurred as a result of the pandemic response.
2) Expenditures cannot already be in the City's budget (must be new spending)
3) The money must be utilized by the end of 2020
The City has urged the Governor to distribute the money on a per capita basis. Last
month, I wrote to the Secretary of Finance advancing that approach [[link removed]].
The City recently received notification of our first allocation of $13.9 million
and the Council voted to allocate these funds last month [[link removed]].
The City has already spent approximately $5 million in expenses that we believe
will be eligible for these funds. The remainder of the funds are expected to be
allocated in these priority areas:

* Public health staffing and capabilities
* Food assistance
* Residential rent assistance
* Small business assistance
While we have expended significant amounts of money to address this crisis, the
largest financial impact on the City has been the loss of revenue. These funds are
not allowed to replace the revenue that the City lost, but it will help us support
the residents and businesses who are suffering during this time.
I am still optimistic that Federal policymakers will arrive on an approach that
addresses the significant lost revenue that the City and other jurisdictions around
our nation have experienced.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Host a Town Hall in Your Living Room!
As Mayor, I am continuing my regular series of Town Hall Meetings.
You supply the living room and a bunch of your friends and neighbors. I will supply
the Mayor who will hopefully have the answers to any of your questions about our
City.
Just drop us a line [mailto:[email protected]] and we'll get a Town
Hall on the calendar! Thanks for the interest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upcoming Issues

Inova Alexandria Hospital
In 1962, then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson came to the corner of Seminary Road
and Howard Street to preside over the opening of the new Alexandria Hospital of
Seminary [[link removed]].
While the hospital has gone through quite a bit of transition (and a few locations)
since it's original founding in 1872, the facility on Seminary nears 60 years of
serving our community.
We are fortunate to have excellent healthcare professionals serving our community
at Inova Alexandria Hospital, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, modernizing
healthcare delivery in a growing community requires a modern hospital facility.
Alexandria deserves such a facility.
Recently, Inova has been working to determine the future of their real estate, including
the Seminary facility. In my April newsletter, I wrote about the newly announced
Inova HealthPlex [[link removed]],
which will be built in Oakville Triangle, across Richmond Highway from Potomac Yard.
Last week, Inova announced a new hospital to be built in Springfield [[link removed]].
Contained in that announcement was an update on the future of Inova Alexandria:
"As part of the ongoing eastern region assessment, Inova continues to review options
for modernization of Inova Alexandria Hospital and is working with partners and
city officials on options for the best path forward. All options, from renovating
in place to relocation, are under evaluation. Additional information will be made
available as this project develops."
Whether Inova decides to pursue a new Alexandria Hospital facility on their existing
location or another location in the City, there are both opportunity and risks.
The City continues to work with Inova to ensure a modern hospital facility to serve
our community for generations to come.
King Street Pedestrian Zone
Almost 14 years ago, the City spent a summer experimenting with a closure of King
Street to vehicles on weekends [[link removed]].
By giving the road space over to pedestrians, the City attempted to replicate numerous
cities around the world who have created new vitality from asphalt.
Now, over a decade and a half later, a newly expanded Waterfront Park, with public
art, active programming and adjacent businesses has created expanded visitation.
Councilman John Chapman and I proposed [[link removed]]
that the City prepare a new recommendation for a pedestrian zone in the unit, 100-block
and potentially 200-block of King Street in Old Town.
In response to this proposal, our staff brought a recommendation to the Alexandria
Waterfront Commission and the Alexandria Transportation Commission for feedback
and review. You can view the concepts and proposals online [[link removed]].
In March, the Council endorsed a modified proposal that attempted to address a few
competing concerns [[link removed]].
But that proposal did not last long as the funding for implementation fell victim
to the COVID-19-related budget reductions.
Yet, the moment may have met the proposal, at least temporarily. The crowding on
the sidewalks in Old Town has made it difficult to safely socially distance. Additionally,
the transition into Phase 1 of reopening has increased demand for outdoor dining
options. To accommodate both, the City recently implemented a temporary closure
of the 100-block of King.
This was not how we intended to pilot this concept, nor how anyone envisioned implemented
it, but this will serve as a test of an idea whose time has come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mayor Justin M. Wilson
703.746.4500
[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
www.justin.net [[link removed]]
Alexandria City Hall
301 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Paid for by Wilson For Mayor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forward this email
[link removed]

This email was sent to [email protected] by [email protected].

Update Profile/Email Address
[link removed]


Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(TM)
[link removed]


Privacy Policy:
[link removed]

Online Marketing by
Constant Contact(R)
www.constantcontact.com



Mayor Justin M. Wilson | 301 King Street | ALEXANDRIA | VA | 22314