Dear Friend,
Yesterday the DC Council took several important votes on rent control, excluded workers, and workplace safety. While we did not win every vote we are proud of the movements in the streets that have fought hard for all three campaigns and we are deeply committed to continuing the struggle.

Rent Control
In direct opposition to the calls by thousands of residents and tenants to improve our rent control laws the DC council instead choose to simply extend the status quo. While rent control generally provides for predictable and stable rent increases, reauthorizing the current rent control laws allows continued unaffordable rent increases, and loopholes that lead to displacement embedded in the current system.

While this is a disappointing set back it is not the end of our movement. DC JWJ will continue to work closely with the DC Tenants Union and the Reclaim Rent Control Coalition to build tenant power and win expanded rent control.

Excluded Workers
After months of organizing the excluded worker movement won a major victory in securing $9 million in cash assistance for all DC excluded workers. This campaign was hard-won. Chairman Mendelson threatened to cut into the $9M committed on first reading when he postponed the Local Budget Act vote last week. He refused to expand the language to include all excluded workers, and fought bitterly against it. Ultimately, the Council voted 11-2 to include a definition of excluded workers that included both undocumented workers and workers in the cash economy. This a testament to the success of DC residents who stood up and stood together to demand the DC Council meet residents’ needs in the ways they most see fit.

In solidarity,

Nikko Bilitza
DC Jobs with Justice
Organizer