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Friend –

Fall's taking shape all across Ward 6 neighborhoods, as bright reds and oranges fill the trees (and leaf collection season is upon us). I hope you had a great Halloween -- if you missed it, we took a stroll through the Ward to capture some of the best decorations, and here's how you can compost that carved pumpkin before it morphs into some sort of metaphor for the state of the world.

On more serious matters, the federal government shutdown has become the longest in history. A lot of Ward 6 neighbors, as well as across DC and our region, are missing paychecks and are furloughed from work. But the bills keep coming, and day-to-day costs don't take a break. In addition, more than 140,000 DC residents are struggling with the Trump administration's refusal to provide food assistance (aka, SNAP) benefits. Even after a judge ruled this week that they must disperse funds to all states, the cruelty is clear as the President is refusing to follow the court's decision and appealing it in an effort to avoid helping those in need now. More on this below, but in short, the DC government has decided to tap into emergency reserve funds to ensure we can cover these federal costs for the short-term and get people help now. I've shared resources available previously and maintain a running list here, but feel free to reach out to my constituent services team if you need more assistance.

I also wanted to update neighbors on a big challenge we're seeing across the Ward: missed trash collection. We've heard from so many neighbors about DPW failing to get to your block (sometimes repeatedly) or getting to your block but missing your bins. I've spoken to DPW leadership, and they shared acute challenges they're having around staffing shortages. But it's a really unacceptable situation for neighbors, so I've been escalating calls that come into our office for them to prioritize. If you need our help getting service, please contact my team. I'll share updates as I have them on DPW's actions to fix the situation.

Finally, November also means we're about one month out from our annual Ward 6 "Brickie" Awards! This is our office's annual community celebration, completely free for Ward 6 neighbors, where we have some great food and drink, and we take time to celebrate wonderful neighbors that make Ward 6 such a great place to call home. But you help pick the people, businesses, and community organizations we recognize. Nominations are now open -- we have five categories for Ward 6 neighbors, businesses, organizations, and public servants! I need to hear from you about who deserves a Brickie, so click here!

There's plenty to get to in this newsletter, so let's jump in.

QUICK LINKS: SNAP & WIC Update | Public Safety | Working Families Get a Raise | WMATA's Brighter Future | DDOT's Streateries Plan Could Close Most | Southwest Town Center Parks | Randall Rec Final Design | A Peek at Cobb Park | New Street Safety Improvements | Solar Insta-Permits Now Available | Nominate Neighbors for the Brickie Awards! | There's an App for That | Time to Rake | Events

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DC Ensures Neighbors Enrolled in SNAP, WIC Still Receive their Benefits

Last week, the Mayor announced she was approving the use of local funds to make sure DC residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) receive their November benefits, despite the funds being temporarily cut off by the federal government (more from NBC 4) and the federal government refusing to tap into authorized funds to fill the gap. Now that two federal judges ruled the withholding of contingency funds unlawful, the Trump administration has said it would only partially restore SNAP benefits (more from NPR), and then late this past week decided to fight the Court ruling entirely. This likely means this issue isn't settled yet - but while the administration's lawyers fight in court, it's working families across DC and our nation that suffer and struggle to have enough to put on the table.

SNAP is a critical program to ensure kids and families have enough food to eat. I don't know if there's a better, more direct investment in our future than ensuring kids get enough food -- it leads to better academic, social, and economic outcomes. I'm proud that the District, like many other state-level leaders around the country, will tap into our own contingency funds to fill the gap until this issue is resolved. But we can only sustain that for so long. We're using local dollars to fill these gaps, putting a temporary band-aid on the harm caused by the federal shutdown and the Administration's refusal to fully address this crisis. I know it's hard to keep track, but in past shutdowns, SNAP was always funded by the President. This is a cruel choice. 

There are several ways people are showing up to help neighbors increasingly feeling the financial burden to keep themselves and their families fed. One way you can help is by donating some unexpired canned goods. An upcoming opportunity is by the Notre Dame Alumni Association, which is hosting two food drives at Duffy's Irish Pub (close to Ward 6 at 1901 C St. SE) on Saturday, Nov. 8, and Saturday, Nov. 22.

Public Safety Update

• Council Extends Targeted Juvenile Curfew Tool: At the Council's most recent legislative meeting on Tuesday, we voted to extend authority for the Mayor and the Chief of Police to put in place limited and targeted juvenile curfews, as deemed necessary. This was a tool the Council gave the Executive branch over the summer, and I believe it was a useful part of an overall strategy to reduce organized, mass gatherings of young people, which has, in turn, kept our young people safer, ensured some of our busiest commercial corridors feel safe and welcoming to all, and allowed MPD to act. As you might have seen on Halloween, there was a large gathering of young people in Navy Yard, but the situation became far more chaotic as the federalized National Guard members tried to get involved, rather than had MPD been able to get started sooner. I've supported this legislative extension as it's limited in scope and impact. I do not support an unending and unchecked blanket curfew, nor one without clear geographic limits. The point should be that this is one tool among many for creating a safe and welcoming community for everyone, including young people. 
  
  
• Arrest Made in 2024 Child Death: The Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a suspect for a child death that happened in May 2024 on the 1400 block of L Street SE. This week, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested and charged a 31-year-old DC resident. This was a shocking and heart-wrenching incident when it happened, and I'm glad MPD has been able to advance its investigation.
  
  
• Arrest in Sursum Corda Shooting: MPD arrested a suspect involved in an Oct. 17 shooting on the 1100 block of 1st Street NW. Officers were able to make an arrest shortly after the incident, matching the description and finding a weapon.
  
  
• DC Violent Crime Down Nearly 30%, Property Crime Down 12%: As we get closer to the end of 2025, we're able to see the sustained and continued trend of safer communities across our city year-over-year. Overall, violent crime and property crime is down significantly. As always, these types of stats don't mean much if a crime happened to you or someone you know, but they're helpful to see the city headed in the right direction - and a reminder that we must continue the progress. You can always track daily crime stats at DC Crime Cards or using MPD's At-A-Glance stats. 

DC Breaks From Trump's Reckless Tax Plan, Sends Savings to Working Families

When Trump and Congress passed their budget reconciliation earlier this year, it slashed taxes for the wealthiest and biggest businesses and, at the same time, decimated the ways people count on help for healthcare, food, and plain old just getting by. Because several parts of DC's tax code is linked to - or "coupled with" - the federal tax code, that meant that DC revenue was projected to lose about $500 million that we were counting on to pay the bills. So this week, after working with DC's Chief Financial Officer, we passed legislation to "decouple" many parts of DC's tax code to avoid those staggering losses. No local taxes went up; they just stayed the same as they'd already been. But it resulted in hundreds of millions in savings.

But with so many DC residents and families hurting right now - and everything from grocery bills, to childcare, to energy costs going up, up, up - this move also gave us a chance to help a lot of people today. As part of this week's vote, we also reversed the Mayor's cuts to DC's match of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). What does that mean exactly? It means we're putting money back into the pockets of DC's working families at a time when they need it most. My quick video recap from Tuesday's Legislative Meeting explains what happened. 

At the end of the day, our action can put $1,400 a year back into the household budget of a DC resident earning less than $60,000. It's exactly the kind of move we should be making right now. A couple of years ago, I successfully pushed the Council to ramp up the match DC government provides through the EITC, and with this week's vote, it's now going to be fully realized for DC working families fighting to afford living here.

A Unified Vision (+ Funding Needed) for WMATA, 13 Other Train and Bus Transit Services in the Region

Just mentioning the words "task" and "force" is enough to get most people's eyes to glaze over, but stay with me. Last week, the DMVMoves Task Force got elected officials from DC, Maryland, and Virginia to agree on a visionary plan and funding requirements for both WMATA's fiscal stability and service growth, as well as better coordination to bring the region's 14 public transit services into more streamlined operations. The goal is to stop having to avoid "fiscal cliffs" and bouncing from crisis to crisis every few years.

Over the past 18 months, I co-chaired DMVMoves and held a series of meetings with representatives from across the DC region, culminating in a vote last week to recommend a plan for the region’s future investment in public transit. The headline was $460 million annually beginning in 2028 for WMATA (with an annual growth rate of 3%), but it also included stronger recommendations on how and where to invest in order to improve service and grow ridership. The plan also recommends aligning the 14 transit services we have in the region to improve service and rides. That could look like accepting the same payment methods or aligning the fares. But it also means better coordination to install bus lanes in inter-jurisdictional corridors and adopting VRE and MARC expansion plans.

Bottom line: this is the first time in decades that our region has had a shared plan for the future of WMATA and other public transit, and we've put a dollar figure behind it to bring that plan to life. By no means is this the end of the work, but it’s a remarkable milestone to get this many jurisdictions behind a single vision. This happened because we all understand WMATA is essential to the future success and growth of our region, and investing in public transit will help provide a competitive edge. People want more trains and buses, and they want them to run on time. WMATA is a shining example of what happens when you lean into service rather than slowly chip away at it (as we see happen in other cities around the country). It wasn’t always easy, and there’s still a lot of hard work ahead, but I’m proud of where we landed. Coverage from WUSA Channel 9.

Hearing on Streateries Shows Strong Upside, But New DDOT Rules Might Close Most 

On Thursday, I chaired a roundtable on DDOT's new rules around streateries, which impose significant new regulations on design and placement as well as a big increase in fees. Several restaurants, BIDs, and community members testified that the practical impact was going to be far fewer streateries, which they argued would be a loss to the city and to their community or business.

DDOT Director Kershbaum defended where DDOT landed and made some fair points in response to many criticisms from residents and business owners. Everyone agreed we need a permanent program that brings consistency. Streateries were an emergency addition during the pandemic meant to give people a way to eat at a restaurant when it wasn't safe to do so indoors. Five years on, streateries remain a popular offering, and when done right, they bring vibrancy and safety to corridors, and they support local businesses in a way that translates into more jobs and tax revenue for the city. Currently, there's no cost for a streatery from the city, which is why you see a wide range from some really wonderful ones that add to the block's charm to a fair number of eyesores that sit empty. And there are legitimate safety and quality of life concerns to balance, and the presence of a streatery does complicate DDOT's work around paving, installing bike or bus lanes, and other functions we want to see. 

However, on the whole, I think I side with the businesses who made compelling points about the fees and overall cost to comply with DDOT's new regulations and the loss of sales tax revenue to the city. Much like with Metro, there's tremendous value to the District overall in not trying to fully recoup the cost of a public service. The streatery pricing is too high, more than double what DDOT charges for a sidewalk cafe just steps away, and we'd price out restaurants who make productive use of those extra seats. The regulations would really limit year-round use of a streatery and leave them more exposed to abuse outside of business hours. I'm thinking about what next steps look like, but if the Council is going to step in, it will need to do so before the end of November.

Watch the hearing here (beginning with the first witness).

Construction Kicks Off for the Southwest Town Center Parks Project

We're starting to get a clearer picture of what the future Southwest Town Center Parks will look like, and I think neighbors in Southwest are going to love it. Last week, DPR and DGS hosted a community meeting for construction kickoff, detailing plans for what we'll see along this promenade of sorts that will connect from the Southwest Library to the Duck Pond. I secured the remaining $4.5 million in the budget for the construction of the second parcel, meaning the project is now fully funded and can happen all at once. Right now, DPR and DGS expect construction to wrap up next fall, with public art a core component of this built environment for all. Fourth Street SW, which divides the parks, will remain open during construction. See the full presentation from the Oct. 22 meeting.

Work Is On the Way for Randall Rec

There was also a meeting last week on the upcoming modernization project for Randall Recreation Center and Pool in Southwest, where DGS and DPR presented the scope of the $18.5M project. As well as preserving and giving new life to the historic recreation center, the work for the site will include:

• New pool house
• Pool and pool deck repairs and shading
• Renovated plaza
• Outdoor seating and gathering spaces
• Public art
• Playground repairs
• Native gardens
• Stormwater retention facilities

Work starts in 2026, meaning Randall will be closed from about the spring through the fall. Look through the presentation for more details about what will be a gorgeous reimagining, centering public art and Southwest DC aesthetics throughout. The next and last step before construction will be the construction kick-off community meeting.

Getting Close to the Finish Line at Cobb Park

Last week, I joined Kenyattah Robinson and his team at the Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District to get a first-hand look at the soon-to-be modernized Cobb Park. It's been a few years now since we originally funded the project, and neighbors are excited to see their vision come to fruition. The winding path takes you through the green space, and the playground is, frankly, both beautiful and fun. (I mean that: I tested the swings!) An added benefit of an urban park: the playground gets some natural shade from neighboring buildings - sure to keep the kids cool.

As it becomes even clearer to more people what a destination this will be, the CID and I are continuing to push DDOT for safer pedestrian crossings nearby, particularly at 3rd Street NW. Keep an eye out for news on the ribbon cutting -- it's always fun to be one of the first at a new park! 

Safety Improvements Coming to 15th Street and Independence Avenue SE

The Department of Transportation is proposing safety treatments around the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SE. These include:

• Reinforcing the existing parking restriction with daylighting near the crosswalk to reduce pedestrian crossing distance and enhance visibility.
• Shifting existing bike lanes on 14th and 15th Streets SE to the curbside and including green skip intersection markings to improve separation and visibility between people biking and driving.
  • This requires converting the existing parking on the east side to go from the curb to "floating," and removing 50 feet of parking along the west side curb.

DDOT will accept comments on these proposed changes through Jan. 26.

Insta-Permits on the Way for Small Home Projects + Solar Panels!

Later this month, the Department of Buildings will expand and rebrand its Postcard Permit Program to Instant Permits. With this comes same-day permit approvals for small home projects and new enhancements, including most solar panel installations. This is good news, because there's a dead sprint now to get your project finished before the end of 2025 in order to claim the last of the federal tax credit toward a new solar project. I'm thrilled DOB has been proactive in getting this in place in time.

Residents will be able to skip a full plan review, filling out a short online application. Once it’s approved, you pay, and permits are issued instantly online. Most instant permits will cost $36.30; solar permits will cost $250.

As for the expanded access: Owners of one- and two-family homes will be able to receive permits for installing up to 15 windows and solar panels (up to 15 kilowatts) instantly!

You'll still schedule a DOB inspection after the work is done; that way, you know everything is up to code and safe.

Nominate a Neighbor for the 19th Annual Ward 6 Brickie Awards!

As I mentioned at the start, the 19th annual Ward 6 Brickie Awards will be here before we know it! We're planning a great evening to celebrate the Ward 6 neighbors, organizations, groups, and businesses that go above and beyond to make Ward 6 a great place to call home. But first, we need your input. Nominate someone you know for this year's Brickie Awards, and save the date to join me on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 6-8pm! We'll be at Skyline 609 on H Street, NE, this year, and we'll send out more information on some of the great local restaurants supporting the event, soon. RSVP today!

Be A Pro at Working City Government From Your Phone

Want a reminder about street sweeping? Spot an issue needing repair? Want to pay a ticket or replace a lost ID? There's an app for that. Below are a few tricks to use your phone to easily put DC government to work for you:

• Department of Motor Vehicles
  This app is primed for residents to be able to do a lot. A few examples include changing your address, replacing and renewing your driver's license, renewing or replacing your registration, paying a ticket, seeing Vision Zero education videos, and even adding your digital vehicle registration card to your Apple Wallet. Learn what else it's designed to do and how to download it here.
  
  
• Department of Public Works
  DPW's app lets you set up alerts about street sweeping and leaf collection, and see tow and boot services. You can select blocks you want to receive alerts about, so you can get those posted alerts straight to your phone. The app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
  
  
• 311
  If you ever need to make a 311 request, this app is a good one to have on your phone: You can easily submit a request with details and a photo and keep track of its progress. Learn more. Honestly, it works better than the website, and it's faster than a phone call.
  
  
• DC Public Library
  Anyone who still has hundreds of pages to read but needs to easily renew their library book can do so with the DCPL app. The app also lets you search the entire catalogue, place or cancel holds, and browse events at your nearest library. It's available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

ICYMI: It's Time to Rake Your Leaves

DPW started leaf collection last week, which means it's time for us to clear our sidewalks and bag up those leaves to be picked up for composting. Keep up with DPW's collection progress here, and again, feel free to reach out to my team if you encounter any problems.

Also: While it's great to rake the leaves for pickup and definitely clear the sidewalk, there's no judgment for leaves staying on lawns for their normal decomposition process. It's natural and good for the earth, so go ahead and pat yourself on the back for sitting on the couch this weekend instead of raking the lawn!

Upcoming Events

• DC 2050 Explore Possible Futures Workshop: Saturday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DC office of Planning (899 North Capitol St. NE)
  The DC Office of Planning is hosting workshops for all residents to launch Phase 2 of DC 2050: "Explore Possible Futures." Learn about new concepts and share your thoughts on the different approaches for how OP should plan for future growth in the District.
  
  
• Capitol Hill Tree Lighting: Saturday, Nov. 22, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Eastern Market Metro Park (701 Pennsylvania Ave SE)
  It will be the 19th year of this tree lighting, where the community celebrates illuminating the tree that was planted to honor the late George Didden III.
  
  
• Save the Date: My next office hours will be on Dec. 12 at Tango Pastry on H Street, NE! 

Start a Holiday Week with Hockey

Thanks for reading the latest Ward 6 Update! If you're looking to get a hockey game in before filling up on turkey and/or sides, reply to this email for a chance to get tickets to the Caps game on Monday, Nov. 24, when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m.

See you around the neighborhood,

Charles Allen