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Friend –

It’s been a tough couple of weeks here in the District. The snow and ice storm created real challenges, but the lack of timely communication made this already difficult situation even more frustrating – and too often, fixing one problem created another.

My staff and I have heard from hundreds of neighbors about missed trash collection (true for my block, too), icy intersections and crosswalks, and dangerous sidewalks. I believe there’s a serious flaw in how we approach storm response: the city put too little emphasis on people being able to safely walk in their own neighborhoods, and too much on getting commuters in and out. A better balance is needed, and it’s what I’ll keep pushing for. 

At the same time, Congress is again threatening to upend DC’s local tax laws – a boring-sounding change with a roughly $600 million price tag that could delay tax refunds for months. Yes, the same Congress that blew a billion-dollar hole in our budget last year is back at it. And right when we've just expended significant funds on the snow response. 

And on top of that, the reckless dismantling of The Washington Post reached a point many of us have feared for years as management laid off a third of its workforce. It's shocking how quickly Jeff Bezos allowed the Post to become just a shell of itself, once the paper became a business liability for him rather than an important part of a strong, free press that informs us and holds elected leaders - myself included - accountable.

Some good news in all this: Books from Birth, one of the first bills I introduced, just marked its 10th birthday, delivering 3.5 million books over the past decade to 103,000 kids through the DC Public Library. At the Council this week, we moved one step closer to renaming Brent Elementary to Gardner Bishop to honor the important civil rights leader who better reflects DC values. We also wrapped this week with another office hours, this time in Navy Yard (pictured).

Finally, I want to recognize Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who announced her retirement last week. I’m deeply grateful for her decades of service and fierce advocacy for DC.

With that, let’s get to this week’s Ward 6 Update.

QUICK LINKS: Snow Update, Public Safety Update, Mardi Gras, More Congressional Interference, Council Oversight, Unlivable Housing, Potomac River Spill, State of the Commute, Southwest Market Status, So Many Books to Little Ones, Blood Donations Needed, ANC Election Today, Summer Youth Program, More Events, February ANC Meetings

Miss the last newsletter? We covered everything from new designs for the Rumsey Aquatic Center, updates for the intersection of Pennsylvania and Potomac Avenues, an AARP meeting in Southwest, and a lot more. Read it here.

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Snow, Ice, and Storm Recovery: Where We Are Now

The last couple of weeks have been incredibly frustrating, and I want to be candid with you about where things stand, what’s improving, and what still isn’t acceptable.

At the outset: I’m disappointed in the District’s response to this storm and in the lack of clear, centralized communication from the Executive. I know many of you feel the same way. My office phones have been ringing nonstop, and I’ve been in frequent contact with DPW, DDOT, and DGS, pressing for coordination, faster progress, and clearer updates. While I represent Ward 6, it’s clear the initial focus was on downtown – not our neighborhoods and certainly not east of the river – and on cars, not pedestrians who walk, roll, use transit, or rely on accessible sidewalks and crosswalks.

We did see some sunshine and brief warming this week that helped melt portions of the snow, but we’ve now entered another weekend with ice still on the ground and high temperatures in the 20s.

Some important progress:

• Schools are back to normal operations, thanks to work by DGS, OSSE, and school staff to clear campuses, buses, and facilities. We've had to work on some remaining clearing issues at a few Ward 6 schools, but lots of hard work went into cleaning out. 
  
  
• Snow hauling and removal continued through the week citywide, with heavy equipment operating 24/7 and snow being taken to RFK and other sites. This matters because when snow and ice can’t melt, plowing alone just pushes snow around: hauling it away is what ultimately gives us back more space.
  
  
• Bus stop and pedestrian access slowly improved, with additional DDOT contractors and the National Guard (supposedly) now helping clear pathways.
  
  
• Trash and recycling remain the biggest pain point. Some residents have gone two weeks without pickup. The Mayor announced that alley pathways would be cleared and that alley trash collection would resume last Monday. In many places across Ward 6, that simply did not happen. Alleys were not passable, and trash was not picked up as promised. That’s unacceptable, and I’ve been very direct with DPW about the gap between what was announced and what residents experienced. At the very least, communication needs to be clear, honest, and transparent.
  • DPW says that if your trash or recycling is not collected on your scheduled day, leave your bins out, as missed collections will be prioritized. If materials have not been collected within two days, DPW says to report the issue to 311.

Please keep reporting problem areas to 311 and flagging them for my office – those reports are used to generate priority maps for crews and help us know what to escalate for agency leadership. I hear your frustrations, and I share them. I will continue pressing agencies for better performance and honest communication, and I’ll keep you updated as we move toward normal operations. Like many of you, I’m thankful to see some temperatures in the 40s in next week’s forecast – and I hope it helps us finally turn the corner.

Lastly, I'd love to have neighbors join us at DPW's Council performance oversight hearing on Feb. 12. The details and registration link are here. Remember: you can testify virtually or just submit written comments. 

Public Safety Update

• A man was convicted this week in connection with a fatal 2021 shooting at Watkins Rec. As reported by the Hill Rag, the 22-year-old was found guilty of first-degree murder. The incident followed a flag football scrimmage.

• Last week, MPD made an arrest in a Pennsylvania Avenue SE assault from October. On Oct. 23, 2025, two suspects approached a victim on the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, just after 1 a.m., assaulted the victim with a chair, and fled the scene. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries. MPD is still seeking assistance in identifying the second suspect.

• ABCA and MPD announced the closure of Potomac Tobacco (1300-1302 Pennsylvania Ave, SE) for illegally selling cannabis. This spot has been a concern for neighbors for a while, and I joined them for a walk here with other agency officials to highlight the problems. ABCA and MPD used the law I introduced to give them the enforcement authority to investigate and close the business for illegal sales. 
  
  
• Additional Arrest Made in 2023 H Street NE Homicide: MPD announced an additional arrest in a 2023 homicide that took place inside a business on the 1300 block close to midnight in September 2023. More from Fox 5. Good work by MPD to stay on this case.
  
  
• Arrest made in December 2025 Shooting on 8th Street SE: MPD made an arrest on Wednesday in a shooting that took place outside a business on 8th Street SE near the end of the year.

Find Something to Celebrate: Mardi Gras

It's important to find joy where we can, and luckily, Ward 6 has plenty of Mardi Gras fun happening next weekend!

• Barracks Row: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13
  Enjoy sidewalk parades, festive activities, and specials at restaurants and shops along 8th Street SE.
  
  
• H Street: noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
  This second-annual, family-friendly event starts off with a lineup at the main stage (1207 H St. NE), kicking off with the Eastern High School Blue & White Marching Machine. Music follows all day, with a puppet show, theater, and dance mixed in.
  
  
• The Wharf: 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
  A parade of floats and beads comes to the Wharf, starting at Blair Alley (near Easy Company) and going through Parker Row (near Hell's Kitchen). There will also be live music and fireworks.

Congress Moves to Overturn DC’s Local Tax Law — Now Heads to the Senate

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to block a tax law DC recently passed to protect working families and strengthen the city’s finances. The measure passed 215-210, along largely party lines, and now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

For more context: Last fall, the Council passed legislation "decoupling" the District’s tax code from certain provisions of the recent federal tax changes, allowing the city to expand tax cuts for working families that I've championed via the Earned Income Tax Credit and to create a local Child Tax Credit, putting more money back in the pockets of working people. DC is not the only state to do this kind of decoupling from time to time – at least 12 states decoupled from federal law in the last year, including Alabama. 

As I shared earlier this week, if Congress overrides our local law, it would raise taxes on working families by reversing DC’s Earned Income Tax Credit and eliminating the Child Tax Credit, taking thousands of dollars out of DC families’ pockets. And, it could cost DC taxpayers $690M over four years. It will also throw our tax season into disarray, potentially delaying local tax filings until this fall.

I wish I could say this level of interference is unprecedented, but this is the same Congress that blew a billion-dollar hole in our budget just last year. Apparently, among the very few things they're able to get done is waste DC's local tax dollars and cause a lot of problems for the people who live around them. Now, the fight turns to the Senate.

Performance Oversight of Your District Agencies

The Council's annual performance oversight hearing process for every District agency started at the end of January, and I've been speaking directly with residents and directors about what's working and how each can be better serving residents.

So far, in the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, we've held hearings for the District Department of Transportation (public witness day) and WMATA. We still have plenty of important hearings to go – you can see the committee calendar here, and the full hearing schedule for all committees and agencies here. As a reminder, this is a key way to have your voice heard and your questions answered about how agencies are performing. You can sign up to testify in person or remotely, or submit written testimony. Your voice matters!

Unlivable Conditions at Museum Square: Pushing for Accountability and Reform

This week, I visited with neighbors at Museum Square Apartments in Mount Vernon Triangle, a large, older apartment building that provides affordable homes to around 58 households currently, but has been left in shocking disrepair by the property owners. I wanted to meet directly with tenants and see the conditions for myself. What I saw and heard was unacceptable.

For nearly two months, there wasn’t a single working elevator in this expansive, multi-story building, with all five total elevators out of commission. Residents, including seniors and people with disabilities, have been forced to climb up to eight flights of stairs just to leave their homes, if they're able.

Just before I arrived, one elevator started working, but residents described it as unreliable and unsafe, and based on past experience, doubted it would continue to operate. Two elevators are bolted shut. The freight elevator that was briefly announced as operational last week lasted only a few hours. At the same time, the building has required a 24-hour “fire watch,” with staff posted on every other floor due to ongoing issues with the fire safety system.

Despite all of this, residents are still expected to pay the rent on time. It's absurd. 

It's also clear that the city lacks the right tools to hold these property owners accountable. My office has been working closely with the Department of Buildings, which has cited and fined the property owner for failing to maintain the building. I’m also coordinating with the Office of the Attorney General, the Fire Marshal, and other agencies to press for immediate fixes and stronger enforcement.

I’m exploring legislative solutions to give the District more tools to step in, hold bad actors accountable, and ensure landlords provide people with safe, dignified housing. I'll continue to push until this building is brought into compliance and residents get the safe housing they deserve.

More for WUSA9.

Potomac River Sewage Spill: Demanding Answers and Accountability

While snow, ice, and something called snowcrete rightfully captured many people's attention, we also had a major sewage spill into the Potomac River, caused by a pipeline rupture on Jan. 19 near Lockhouse 10 on the C&O Canal. While the rupture took place in Maryland, it impacts the river flowing into the District. Last week, I sent a letter to DC Water and the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) demanding answers, transparency, and a joint briefing.

For eight days, between the initial rupture and the near-completion of a bypass pipe and pump installation, an estimated 40 million gallons of untreated sewage per day overflowed into the Potomac. While DC Water, DOEE, and federal partners have been executing a response plan and installing a bypass to convey wastewater to the Blue Plains treatment plant, some overflow has persisted, and independent testing has found E. coli levels far, far above levels considered safe for human contact.

Residents deserve clear guidance about potential short- and long-term impacts, including reports of fish kills and risks to people and pets who may come into contact with contaminated water.

In my letter, I requested detailed information about what caused the rupture, how much sewage has entered District waterways, when all overflow will be fully halted, what inspections have found so far, and the timeline and permanent fix for this damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor. This is a critical, aging sewer line that carries millions of gallons of wastewater every day.

I will continue pressing DC Water and DOEE for transparent communication, swift repairs, and a permanent solution to prevent future failures - and I'll provide updates as the clean-up continues and relay any ongoing risks to the public.

New State of the Commute Report: What It Means for Our Region

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Transportation Planning Board recently released its 2025 State of the Commute report, the region’s primary, triennial survey of commuting behavior, based on more than 7,500 completed responses, providing the first fully stabilized, post-pandemic look at how people are getting to work.

Some key findings stand out:

• Telework remains well above pre-pandemic levels, with 48% of workers teleworking in some form in 2025, contributing to the elimination of an estimated 3.3 million daily work trips across the region.
  
  
• Drive-alone commuting has largely returned to pre-pandemic levels and is once again the most common commute mode, raising concerns about growing mid-week congestion (and, of course, the climate implications).
  
  
• Public transit has rebounded sharply since 2022, thanks in part to service restorations and reliability improvements, and is now the second-most common commute mode.
  
  
• Commute times and distances have remained relatively steady since the pandemic, reinforcing the need for reliable, frequent, and accessible transit as hybrid work patterns continue.

These findings underscore why continued investment in transit reliability, congestion management, and travel options beyond driving alone is so important, especially as more people return to in-person work at least part of the week.

Saving the Southwest Farmers Market

On Monday night at 7 p.m. at Arena Stage, I'll join a meeting hosted by SWNA (the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly) to talk about securing a new location for the Southwest Farmers Market. Southwest neighbors are probably already aware, but the property owners of the lot at 4th and M Streets, SW abruptly announced the lot's closure as they begin construction. This was always a temporary space, but the suddenness of the closure, combined with zero effort before the announcement to help relocate this beloved and important community amenity, is really frustrating. I'm committed to working with neighbors to find a good solution for (if you can imagine it) warmer weather when strolling a farmers market is exactly what you'd want to do.

Wow! 10 Years of Books from Birth!

Can you believe it? This year marks 10 years of DC’s Books from Birth program – a partnership between the DC Public Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library that mails one free book every month to every enrolled child in DC from birth through age five.

My very first bill when I was elected created the Books from Birth program, and I'm so proud of what it's grown to become. Over the past 10 years, more than 3.6 million books have mailed directly to more than 103,000 children in DC. DCPL has done a fantastic job of reaching families and helping them enroll – more than 70% of eligible children participate! 

This program is so important because building an early literacy foundation doesn’t just support kids’ success in school; it also supports families. Having books in the home from day one helps spark a love of reading, strengthens parent-child bonds, and sets children up for long-term learning.

DC Public Library will be celebrating this milestone all year long, and I can’t wait to join them in recognizing a decade of putting books directly into the hands of our youngest residents.

If you have a child under five and aren’t enrolled yet, I strongly encourage you to sign up and start receiving books each month!

Red Cross Response and Urgent Need for Blood Donations

The American Red Cross has been actively supporting DC residents during and after Winter Storm Fern by opening and staffing emergency shelters, sharing safety information, coordinating with emergency managers, and providing meals, water, and supplies. Volunteer teams remain on standby as more winter weather is possible.

At the same time, storm-related cancellations of blood drives have created a serious blood shortage. Locally, more than 220 units of blood went uncollected last week, and shortages are being felt nationwide. Blood donations save lives after a crisis and for long-term health challenges.

If you’re able, please consider making an appointment to donate blood this week at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Live in Northeast Ward 6? You May Have a Special Election Today

ANC 6A has a special election today, Saturday, to fill two seats on the Commission. If you live in Single-Member Districts 6A01 or 6A02, have your voice heard by voting between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1300 H St. NE.

ANCs are your neighbors, and they step up to help improve your community as unpaid, elected leaders. I work with them daily and greatly value their insights and hard work. If you can get out today, go cast your vote!

Need to confirm which ANC and Single-Member District you're in? You can find more by entering your address here.

Summer Youth Employment Program Applications Now Open

Applications for the 2026 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program are now open, giving young people ages 14 to 24 the opportunity to earn income, build job skills, and explore career pathways through paid summer work experiences. Each year, thousands of DC youth participate in placements across the public and private sectors, gaining hands-on experience and mentorship that can shape their future education and career choices.

Now's the time for families, young people, and potential host employers to start planning. Youth can apply here (deadline is March 6), and employers looking to host participants can apply here.

Events

• NEW DATE – DC Camp Fair: Today, Feb. 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Stuart-Hobson Middle School (410 E St. NE)
  This event brings together a wide range of camps in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, from traditional camps to academic, arts, music, and special-interest programs.
  *Rescheduled from Jan. 31
  
  
• Efficient Home Training: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m., online
  Electrify DC is hosting a virtual group coaching session with electric coaches from Go Electric DMV. Bills are high right now with the cold, and you'd be surprised how much money you can save each month with simple efficiency changes. At this virtual event, you'll learn how to switch to cleaner, more energy-efficient appliances, helping you save money and start the year with a healthier home.
  
  
• Presidents' Day: Monday, Feb. 16
  DCPS is closed, and some city services will be adjusted for the holiday.

February ANC Meetings

• 6B: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7 to 10 p.m., virtual and at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
  
  
• 6C: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 to 9 p.m., virtual
  
  
• 6A: Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 to 9 p.m., virtual
  
  
• 6D: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 7 to 9 p.m., virtual
  
  
• 6E: Thursday, Feb. 26, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., virtual

Ticket Giveaway

Thanks for reading the Ward 6 Update! If you want to see the Washington Capitals take on the Utah Mammoth on March 3, reply to this email for a chance to get two tickets.

See you around the neighborhood,

Charles Allen