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Friend,
 The winter weather seems to have finally
arrived in DC and holiday festivities are in full swing!
The year is winding down in Ward 6 and on the Council, so
I’ll touch on some recent and upcoming fun Ward events – including
last week’s first in-person Brickies since 2019.
We have our last legislative meeting next Tuesday, when we'll
take a final vote on more than 50 bills, and a few more hearings and
roundtables. Then on December 21, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will
announce committee assignments for the next Council Period, which
begins in January.
But outside the Wilson Building, there's a lot of great
things happening in schools all over Ward 6! In the last week, I was
excited to visit with 2nd grade students at Two Rivers PCS, as well as
the 3rd graders at Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School! But there's been
even more star power at our Ward 6 schools recently! NASA
Administrator Bill Nelson and a few NASA astronauts from the Artemis
Crew visited
Amidon-Bowen Elementary School to distribute STEM activity kits,
do some rocket launching, and tell
the students how they can become astronauts. And
then Olympic swimmer Katie
Ledecky spoke to kids at Eliot-Hine Middle School as a part of the
STEM Forward program she founded. And folks from Google
visited Tyler Elementary to teach some kids about coding an
innovation! It's an exciting time inside our schools and I love seeing
our students get such incredible experiences on a regular
basis!
Even with that exciting news, there's still plenty more to
get through this month. So let's dive in, starting with some major
news on public transit.
QUICK LINKS: Metro for DC | Council Legislative Updates | Brickies Recap | Traffic Closures for US-Africa Summit
| Public Safety Update | Extended and Free Metro for NYE | More Out of School | 100 Years of SE Library | Leaf Collection Delays | Shop Small | Hypothermia Season | Helping Seniors Live at Home | School Lottery Applications Open | New DCPS Teacher Contract | W6
Holiday Events | Prevent Package Theft | Tix Available for Trans-Siberian
Orchestra Concerts | World Cup | Aya Shelter Profile | New
Composting Drop-off Sites |
Metro For DC Passes First Vote, Headed
to Historic Final Vote Tuesday
 It’s been a long few years since I introduced Metro For DC
in March 2020, just a few days before the pandemic hit the United
States. But last week, the Council unanimously passed the bill on
first vote, with two major additions that are very exciting: the bill
would make all buses free inside the District of Columbia, and we will
be expanding 24-hour service to 12 different bus lines. That’s in
addition to the original bill I introduced, which will create a $100
monthly balance on a SmarTrip card that any DC resident could
sign-up for and also creates a $10 million annual fund dedicated to
improving bus service.
The good news is
that the Council also passed an emergency bill that sets up a way to
fund the program, and to get it up and running sooner. With an eye to
equity, here’s the priority order for funding once it passes into law:
free bus service first, overnight bus service second, $10 million
annual fund third, and the $100 monthly SmarTrip balance last. Depending on how
soon DDOT enters into an agreement with Metro, we could see free bus
and service improvements begin as early as next July, and
likely preparation for the $100 monthly SmarTrip benefit in Fall 2024. I’m
incredibly proud of this bill, and grateful to the entire coalition
that has kept it a priority through the pandemic, understanding
the District can be a leader in creating and
investing in a world-class transit system that is affordable and
reliable.
Related: Alexandria's DASH
Bus, which went fare free last September, has released
rider survey data that should give us a good preview of what Metro
For DC could deliver. WAMU's
Jordan Pascale has the highlights here.
Read
more: Washington
Post | WTOP
Podcast | AP
News | Greater
Greater Washington | DCist
Legislative Updates From Penultimate Council Meeting
In addition to Metro for DC, the Council passed a slew of
significant bills at last week's marathon legislative session as we
close out this Council Period. As a reminder, the Council operates in
two-year Council Periods. Here are some other notable bills:
-
The
Safe Routes to School Act: I was proud to co-introduce
this bill from my colleague Councilmember Lewis George, and it expands
and creates several traffic and pedestrian safety measures to protect
our students as they get to and from school. This includes things like
raised crosswalks, curb extensions, speed bumps, expanding school
zones, strengthening and simplifying the school crossing guard
program, all-way stops at school zone intersections, directing DDOT to
prioritize schools that are more vulnerable to traffic danger, and
more.
-
Domestic
Worker Bill of Rights: I co-introduced the Domestic
Worker Bill of Rights from my colleague Councilmember Silverman
recognizing that domestic workers, vital members of our community and
economy, deserve the same worker protections as other employees. This
bill will provide protection against discrimination for several
protected classes, includes domestic workers in the District’s
occupational health and safety laws, requires employment contracts,
and more. Domestic workers like cleaners and home healthcare aides,
who are predominately Black and Brown women, play an essential role in
our city, and deserve the protection, respect, and dignity of basic
worker protections.
-
Criminal
Record Sealing and Expungement: The Council passed the
Second Chance Amendment Act - something I worked on with the Mayor and
several Council colleagues - that makes several changes to the way the
city handles criminal records for individuals who were arrested but
charges were dropped, they were never found guilty, or their sentences
have been completed years ago. Criminal records are serious barriers
for individuals trying to take meaningful steps towards a life outside
the criminal justice system, so we need to carefully balance how we
use those records. They can prevent access to housing, employment,
education, and public benefits. This bill will expand options for a
variety of offenses for both automatic and by-motion (upon request)
sealing (removing the records from public view, although they may
still be available to certain parties like law enforcement and the
courts) and expungement (removes access to the records for all parties
in most circumstances, essentially erasing a person’s criminal record
for the offense in question).
-
Comprehensive
Policing and Justice Reform: The Council also unanimously
passed a permanent version of many of the reforms we put in places in
the summer of 2020 to reform police practices and take steps to build
trust between the police and the community they serve. In addition to
many changes that have been in effect for two years, the permanent
bill also includes new legal guidance on police chases, transparency
with FOIA and public access on sustained misconduct allegations, and
much more.
-
Department
of Corrections Reform: It's no secret that the DC
Department of Corrections (DOC) has been plagued with problems around
transparency and accountability. The Council passed my DOC reform
bill, the Corrections Oversight Improvement Omnibus Amendment Act, to
implement urgent reforms to DOC. It includes several important
provisions to bolster oversight through the Corrections Information
Council (CIC) and give the Council Committee with oversight over DOC
additional tools. It requires DOC to allow unrestricted access to its
facilities, provide timely notifications of resident deaths, provide
body-worn camera footage in a timely manner upon request, and provide
unredacted documents about operating procedures, as well as
strengthens the CIC.
-
Internet
Equity Amendment Act: My bill to expand internet equity
in the District would ensure that the District takes full advantage of
the many new federal programs Congress created in recent legislation.
These bill will make huge sums of money available to states, and my
bill will requires that as we spend the money we will receive over the
next few years, it will be spent to provide equitable, affordable
access to true high-speed internet service. As the District builds new
access point for internet service, the Office of the Chief Technology
Office will have to show how that new infrastructure is increasing
equitable internet access. And it would make equity a legally required
goal of the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.
-
Establishing
the Office of District Waterways: Despite being a city on
two rivers, DC doesn't actually have anyone in charge of managing our
waterways. This will soon change with the passage of my bill to
establish a District Waterways Office, whose role will be to
coordinate our growth on the water and ensure access ensures that
District residents have access to our waterways, but that any new
activity protects the important ecosystems in and around our bodies of
water. As our waterfront neighborhoods grow, the growth must be paired
with oversight of the actual waterways as well. I'm excited that we
will soon have a body that can specifically focus on the unique
economic, safety, environmental, and transportation-related issues
that impact our rivers and adjacent land.
-
Local
Solar Expansion Act: This bill out of the Committee on
Transportation and the Environment keeps the District on the path to
meet and even exceed our climate change goals. Importantly, it
stabilizes DC's solar nascent industry, by ensuring that our small,
locally-owned solar energy development companies can continue to
access the capital that they need to build renewable energy generation
right here in the District—including building solar systems for
households who can’t afford to pay tens of thousands of dollars up
front. And it allocates more funding for programs that reduce utility
cost burdens on low-income households. If you want to learn more, the
committee report is a thorough read.
16th Annual Brickies Recap 
I think it’s safe to say that getting to come back in person
for the 16th annual Brickies was one of the
highlights of this year! Thank you to our sponsors who provided the
great food and drinks, the Hill Center for hosting us, neighbors who
nominated folks, and the many, many neighbors who joined us. This is
always such a special evening as it reminds us of the many bonds we
share as neighbors, block by block. Here are the 2022 Brickie Award
Winners:
-
Community Organization: Friends of Southwest
DC
-
Neighbor Award: Jerome Jefferies (AKA the “Mayor of
10th
Street”)
-
Business Award: The Queen Vic
-
Civic Pride Award: Save Mott’s
Market
-
Public Service Award: Nathaniel “Coach Skip”
Greene
Read more about the winners on my Brickies
recap post. Once again, congrats to all the awardees! Also thanks
to HillRag
for this great write up of the
event. Can’t wait to do it
all again next year!
Mt. Vernon Triangle: Road Closures for This Week’s
US-Africa Leaders Summit
 I'm sure you're aware of it if you live
nearby, but avoid driving this week near the Convention Center. The
US-Africa Leaders Summit is taking place this week in DC through this
Saturday. Given the nature of the event, security measures
include closing
roads and rerouting traffic around the Convention
Center. MPD has provided lots of helpful information
to help navigate the closures. You can see an interactive
map of closures and parking restrictions here, and
follow DC
Police Traffic for updates.
Public Safety Update
As the year winds
down, too many people are still being harmed by people choosing to use
a gun to do terrible harm to others and the broader community. The
numbers are down and trending in the right direction, but they’re
still far too high. People want to know what the plan is. Regular
readers of the newsletter might recall I’ve mentioned before the Gun
Violence Reduction Strategic Plan, which was developed by a great
team of criminologists who have a long history with the District of
Columbia. It’s a plan that factors in many
of the both/ and solutions you’ve heard me talk
about.
Tomorrow,
Thursday Dec 15, beginning at 9:30 am, I’ll be hosting a roundtable
hearing on the plan, and we’ll hear from the plan’s author, David
Muhammed, as well as Thomas Apt, another leading thinker in long-term,
sustained violence reduction. And we’ll hear from a panel of
organizations working in the District to reduce violence, as well as
government leaders. It promises to be an informative discussion and
I’ll be pushing to find out what the plan is as we head into a
new year and we
absolutely have to see the number of gun-involved
incidents drop. If you're interested in what and how the District can
make sustained, long-term reductions in gun violence, tune
in.
You can watch the
roundtable on the Council’s
website or on my office Facebook
page.
Arrest
Made in 20+ Offenses on Capitol Hill: MPD
detectives made an arrest of a couple in late November and charged
them with a staggering number of violent offenses committed around
Capitol Hill. This is great work by MPD to track and make an arrest,
with more still under investigation. It was remarkable how many
offenses MPD was able to tie in charging documents, which demonstrates
that a small number of people are responsible
for the
majority of violent
incidents. More in the
Washington Post.
Related: If
you've heard about the revised criminal code, but aren't sure what
it's really about, read my recent Op-Ed in the Hill Rag - "The
Revised Criminal Code Act: An
Important Step Forward, But Often
Misunderstood"
Metro Extended Hours and Free Service for New Years
Eve
Today, WMATA
announced that for New Years Eve, Metrorail and Metrobus
service will be extended until 2 AM on Sunday, January 1 and
that all trips after 8 PM on Saturday, December 31 will be
free (no need to worry about forgetting your SmarTrip card
when you're out celebrating). Normal fares and service hours will
resume January 1 at 4 AM for the bus and 7 AM for trains. Metro is by
far the best option to get around on busy nights like New Years Eve to
avoid drinking and driving, as well as to lessen traffic congestion in
the city on a night where lots of people will be walking out and about
on foot. So stay safe, have fun, and take the Metro this New Years
Eve!
More Out Of School Time Programs Coming Soon!
The Mayor recently announced 113 nonprofits that will
be recipients of grant funding to expand existing and create new
programs for about 15,000 school kids for beyond the school day. As
any parent can tell you, finding ways to keep kids engaged before and
after school hours, as well as days off, can be a huge challenge. The
$16.4 million funding comes from the Office
of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST)
to provide kids with access to free or low-cost programs in academics,
art, sports, dance, financial literacy, music, social-emotional
support, and more. Developing strong youth development programs for
students to be involved with after school and on weekend are important
for students’ ability to feel connected to their communities, discover
and cultivate interests and passions, and create pathways to future
opportunities.
There are obvious connections to public safety as well,
especially when we talk about reaching youth, connecting them to
support systems, and getting them involved in the community before
they interact with the criminal justice system. Additionally, kids who
get involved in this kind of programming are more likely to then go
back and get involved or contribute to their communities in other
ways once they’ve left school. You can explore the programs available
through the Learn24
Program Finder.
Happy
100th
Birthday to the Southeast Library!
 The Southeast
Library is 100 years old! It opened on December 8,
1922 and has been serving the Capitol Hill neighborhood ever since.
Beginning next spring, the library will be undergoing a significant
renovation I was proud to secure funding for in the
budget. Having attended many, many meetings at the Southeast Library
as we work through our process, I can promise you the renovation will
set us up nicely for the next 100 years. You're going to love it.
Check out the latest
on the project here, including updated
designs.
Leaf Collection Delays
As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, DPW has not been
able to stick to their published leaf collection schedule. I estimate
they’re currently about two weeks behind. I understand the frustration
and have been able to get some information or action when I’ve
contacted DPW when neighbors are flagging issues for me. I recommend
first contacting 311 if your block has been missed, and then feel free
to reach out to me or my team if it does not get resolved. There is
also a map
where you can track the status of leaf collections
around the city, as well as the myDPW
app for alerts about leaf collection as well as
street sweeping and towing and booting. Of course, we've also needed
to flag for DPW blocks that are incorrectly marked "collected", so
flag that for us as well.
Shop Small this Holiday Season
As you go shop for your holiday gifts this year, remember to
support our local small businesses in Ward 6 and around the District.
Check
out this video from my Ward 6 Small Business Day tour
I did last month ahead of Small Business Saturday. Our small
businesses are great neighbors year-round and when you spend local,
more of your dollars stay right here in our community. If you need
some ideas, check out https://www.dcshopsmall.com,
a great guide to small businesses around the
DMV.
It's Hypothermia Season: Here's How You Can Help
 
It feels like we had nice fall weather all the way until
early December, but it seems like winter has finally arrived. DC’s
Hypothermia Season is November 1 – March 31, and any time the
temperatures drop below freezing, the District opens extra shelter
sites and beds to ensure we can get everyone in from the cold, as well
as expanding hours and meals during the day. The District’s
Hypothermia Alert has started being activated on particularly cold
days and will continue more frequently as the temperatures drop. Make
sure to look out for our unhoused neighbors and call the shelter
hotline at 202-399-7093 or 311 if you see someone who needs
transportation to a shelter. You an also find a map
of the shelters here.
Expansion of DC’s Safe at Home Program Helps Seniors
In 2016, DC launched the "Safe at Home" program based on
legislation I led the Council to pass to help seniors live and age
safely in their homes by funding modifications like railing, stair
lifts, and bathroom cut-outs, to reduce the risk of falls and other
accidents to the elderly. Last week the Mayor and Department of Aging
and Community Living announced an expansion of this program — Safe
at Home 2.0 — with more holistic support beyond just home
additions and modifications, for seniors to be able to live
comfortably and independently. Beginning in January, the program will
include voluntary vision screening, medication management, and balance
and strength classes. The classes will take place at senior wellness
centers across the District — the Ward 6 location is the Hayes Senior
Wellness Center. Make sure to spread the word to seniors and their
families in your community who you think would benefit from these
supports!
School Lottery Applications Are Open 
Up top, I mentioned some fantastic events taking place at our
schools in Ward 6 just this week. With all the excitement, don't miss
that the lottery application for DC Public Schools for the 2023-24
school year is open! You have until February 1, 2023 to submit
applications for high school and March 1 for PK3-8th grade. Visit myschooldc.org/
to learn more about different schools and what to expect from the
lottery application process. Here some helpful links where you can
start:
DCPS Teachers Union Approves New Contract
It’s been a long road to get here, but I’m elated
at the news that our DCPS teachers have reached and approved a new
contract with DCPS. Our teachers in public schools have had an
incredibly long and challenging few years. They deserve a pay raise
and the certainty that comes from a contract. Kudos to WTU and DCPS
for finally landing in a place of agreement. Read
more.
More Ward 6 Holiday Events and Initiatives
Check out some great events and opportunities for giving
going on around the Ward this holiday season!
Keep Your Packages Safe This Holiday Season
Make sure you take measures to keep your holiday packages and
deliveries safe this year. Last year was the first time in several
years that reported package theft was down in the city. Let's continue
this trend by tracking packages, send them to alternative pickup
sites, work with neighbors to bring packages inside, or have them
delivered where or when someone is available to immediately get them.
There are also two programs to assist people in purchasing security
cameras at homes and businesses:
-
Private
Security Camera System Incentive Program: Residents and
businesses/organizations who purchase and install security camera
systems on their property and register them with MPD can get a rebate
of up to $200 per camera, with a maximum rebate of up to $500 per
residential address (e.g., home offices, condo buildings, and
apartments) and $750 for all other eligible addresses.
-
Private
Security Camera Voucher Program: Provides a private security
camera system to eligible residents free of charge. District
residents—either owners or tenants—who receive public assistance may
be eligible to have a camera system installed at their home.
Additionally, if you choose to purchase anything online from
somewhere like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, I encourage you to
take advantage of MPD Safe Exchange Zones. These are designated areas
serve as a safe place for people to exchange goods or money to prevent
pre-staged robberies. MPD also strongly encourages the public to be
especially wary of meeting people who refuse to meet at a Safe
Exchange Zone location. See
the list of Safe Exchange Zones.
Free Tickets for Ward 6ers to Trans-Siberian
Orchestra
Got plans for the day after Christmas? You might now. My office has
two tickets to giveaway to both Trans-Siberian Orchestra showings at
Capital One Arena (3pm and 7:30pm) on December 26. You must be a Ward
6 resident. If you’re interested, send a note to Erik Salmi ([email protected]) and we’ll do a drawing early
next week.
World Cup Events
In addition to the holiday season, the World Cup is in full
swing, with the final taking place this Sunday! There are many great
places showing the games and hosting watch parties around Ward 6
including Wunder Garten, The Queen Vic, Biegarten Haus, Fight Club,
Prost DC, Kirwan’s, and more. I hope you've enjoyed the
extended hours the District granted during the World
Cup.
Ward 6 in the News: The Aya Family Shelter Profiled in
Bloomberg
Check
out the article that Bloomberg's CityLab wrote about Ward 6's Aya
homeless shelter and the inspiration and motivation behind the design
and architecture:
"Families that stay at the shelter are quite young: The average
age for children there is 3. So the city required it to offer safe
spaces for play. Studio Twenty Seven designed a series of
outdoor-style indoor play rooms on the building’s east side, rooms
that climb in a stair-wise pattern up the building. Brick brise-soleil
screens along these rooms offer a playful mirror of the architectural
textures found in mid-century apartment buildings in the
neighborhood."
Apply to Add New Composting Sites
DPW is expanding its Food Waste Drop-Off program to add two new
locations in the spring! They are accepting applications
from community members to establish, manage, and staff a new sites to
operate weekly for 52 weeks, rain or shine. Each location requires one
site manager to lead operations and serve as the primary point of
contact for the site, working closely with DPW and its FWDO
contractor. All members of the public are encouraged to apply,
including passionate community members, nonprofits, faith-based
organizations, businesses, business improvement districts, or other
interested parties. Learn
more and apply here.
Thanks for reading along if you've made it this far! I hope you
have a wonderful rest of the holiday season and are able to make it
out to some of the many festive events going on around Ward 6.
And for all my Caps fans, sharing a big congratulations to
the Caps’ Great 8, Alex Ovechkin, on becoming just the third
player in NHL to score an astounding 800 goals in his career. So
many Ward 6 residents have fond memories of that incredible Stanley
Cup run and Ovi’s hall of fame career so far.
I'll be back in your inboxes once more before the end of the year
for a year in review wrap-up and to share some my thoughts as we look
ahead to the new Council Period and new year.
Charles Allen
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