The Ward 5 Report
March 4, 2014
Ward 5 Highlights
On Tuesday, February 11, 2014, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie partnered with MPD and The Greater Brookland Business Association to host a Public Safety Meeting on the recent business-related crimes within the Brookland neighborhood. Over 50 residents, including several business owners, met in the gymnasium at Turkey Thicket to discuss enhanced police patrols and ways to increase neighborhood safety.
Commander Dierdre Porter, 5D-MPD, reported that even though recent crimes have left residents and business owners alarmed, robberies and general thefts have actually decreased in the Brookland neighborhood. Recent statistics show that from January 1 – February 6, there were 4 robberies in 2013, while there was only 1 in 2014 for the same time period, indicating a 75% decrease. Commander Porter assured residents that police foot patrols will increase around the 12th Street corridor and that MPD will work closely with business owners to conduct safety assessments. Tom Bridge, President of the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association (BNCA), offered to take the lead on organizing safety committees to delegate block captains and to conduct neighborhood walk-throughs.
Development of Former Hecht Company Building
On January 28, developers broke ground on the redevelopment of the Old Hecht Building on New York Avenue in Northeast D.C. This building was constructed in 1937 and was acquired by Douglas Development in 2011.
Douglas Development plans to restore the Hecht Building and construct office space and residential units with ground-floor restaurants and retail. Plans have been announced for a Planet Fitness, a low cost gym, to occupy 20,000 square feet of space. A Mom’s Organic Market is currently being built next door, and 1,150 space parking garage is being built under the building.
“The redevelopment of the Hecht’s building will be catalytic for the New York Avenue Gateway. It dovetails with the strategic planning my office is conducting for the Gateway, and I am pleased to be working closely with Douglas Development as this effort gains momentum,” stated Councilmember McDuffie.
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Senators/ Satchel Paige LLC & Diamond Dream Foundation
Winter Baseball Clinic
Councilmember McDuffie joined Mayor Gray and Andre Lee to host The Senators/Satchel Paige LL Winter Baseball Clinic in partnership with the Diamond Dream Foundation. Participating youth had the opportunity to learn baseball techniques such as pitching and catching, in addition to being exposed to educational components on nutrition and healthy living.
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Congratulations POSSE Scholars
On January 8, 2014 Councilmember McDuffie attended the POSSE Foundation of D.C, awards reception where 60 scholarships were awarded to deserving high school seniors. The mission of The POSSE Foundation is to help public high school students gain college admission. Congratulations to the seven Ward 5 recipients:
- Kahlil Epps of St. John’s College High School, who will be attending Grinnell College.
- Teresita Galarce of Crain of Georgetown Day School, who will be attending Lafayette College.
- Sohrab Pasikhani of Woodrow Wilson Senior High, who will be attending Lafayette College.
- Josue Hernandez of Columbia Heights Educational Campus, who will be attending the University of Rochester.
- Courtney Thomas Jr. of Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, who will also be attending the University of Rochester.
- Tyriek Mack of School Without Walls, who will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Gabrielle Tielman-Fenelus of Bullis School, who will also be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Councilmember McDuffie send his warmest congratulations to all of the POSSE Scholars and wishes them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors.
Grand Opening of The Carolina Kitchen on Rhode Island Ave NE
Councilmember McDuffie joined Mayor Vincent Gray and owner Lance London at the ribbon cutting ceremony of The Carolina Kitchen on Rhode Island Ave. NE. The restaurants specializes in southern cuisine blending Creole and Cajun spices.
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Legislative & Committee Updates
Affordable Housing Legislation and Funding
In January, Councilmember McDuffie released the following message regarding his legislation increasing funding for the production of affordable housing:
Dear residents,
I am proud to announce that in response to legislation I introduced earlier this month, the Mayor, Chairman Mendelson, and I have come to an agreement that 50% of all future budget surpluses will be dedicated to the District’s Housing Production Trust Fund. The Trust Fund provides financial assistance to non-profit and for-profit housing developers for the production of housing units for low-income residents and is a major driver of affordable housing development in the city.
As you may be aware, today the District’s Chief Financial Officer announced that the District produced a $321 million surplus in Fiscal Year 2013. It is reasonable to expect that in the coming years, the District’s finances will continue to improve, yielding even greater surpluses. I have advocated for using the District’s surpluses to fund the preservation and production of affordable housing because I believe we should reinvest our prosperity in the affordability of the city. The historic step that we are taking today will bring us vastly closer to our goal of producing 1,000 units of affordable housing per year.
In service,
Kenyan
Title IX Hearing
Last year, Councilmember McDuffie introduced the “Title IX Athletic Equity Act of 2013,” which aims to increase the quality and quantity of athletic opportunities for girls in the District’s public schools through data collection and strategic planning. The District currently has the lowest sports participation totals in the country for both boys and girls. On January 22, the Committee on Education heard from advocates and experts at a well-attended hearing on the bill. Councilmember McDuffie noted the importance of sports programming for girls, including “decreased incidences of diabetes and heart disease, higher self-esteem, lower rates of depression and drug use, greater academic success, and opportunities for leadership development and mentorship.” The bill is awaiting a mark-up in the Committee on Education.
Hearing on Air Quality Bill
On January 2, the Transportation & the Environment Committee held a public hearing on Bill 20-368, the “Air Quality Amendment Act of 2013”, introduced by Councilmember McDuffie. The bill responds to air quality challenges posed by poor buffering surrounding industrial businesses by creating a procedure for responding to air quality complaints from residents and increasing penalties for emissions. Several Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and residents testified in support of the bill.
Hearing on Solid Waste Facility Bill
On February 5, the Council’s Transportation & the Environment Committee held a public hearing on Bill 20-638, Councilmember McDuffie’s “Solid Waste Facility Permit Amendment Act of 2014”. The bill is designed to protect residents by requiring quarterly inspections of the District’s two private solid waste facilities; allowing public comment during the solid waste facility permit renewal process; mandating that stakeholders be notified when renewal applications are received; and requiring that the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs hold a public meeting for each renewal application it receives. The bill additionally clarifies the existing moratorium on new facilities. Community members from Ward 5 were present to testify in support of the legislation.
Committee on Government Operations
It’s that time of the year! The Council is holding Performance Oversight Hearings for all District Agencies, Offices, Boards, and Commissions, and with approximately 30 entities under its purview, the Committee on Government Operations has been busy!
Thus far, the Committee has held Performance Oversight Hearings on February 10, 20, 24, and 27. Councilmember McDuffie has inquired into the operations of agencies such as the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, the Office of Risk Management, the Public Employee Relations Board, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer, the Office of the Inspector General, The Department of General Services, the Office of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, the Office of the City Administrator, the Office of Employee Appeals, the Public Service Commission, the Office of the People’s Counsel, the Office of Community Affairs (including the associated Commissions, Boards, and Offices), the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, and the Executive Office of the Mayor. The Committee will conclude its Performance Oversight Hearings on March 6, when Councilmember McDuffie will hear from the Board of Elections, the Office of Campaign Finance, and the Department of Human Resources. If you would like to testify about the performance of any of these agencies, please feel free to email Ronan Gulstone (rgulstone@dccouncil.us), or call the office at 202-724-8028.
Following the Performance Oversight Hearings, the Council will begin the Budget process by conducting a round of Budget Oversight Hearings. At these hearings the respective committees will examine the Mayor’s proposed budget as it pertains to each agency under their purview. The Committee on Government Operations’ schedule is as follows:
April 14, 2014
Office of the Chief Technology Officer
Board of Ethics and Government Accountability
Office of Risk Management
April 17, 2014
Office of the Inspector General
Public Employee Relations Board
Department of General Services
April 28, 2014
Office of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
Office of the City Administrator
Executive Office of the Mayor (including the Office of Community Affairs and the associated Boards, Offices and Commissions)
May 1, 2014
Public Service Commission
Office of the People’s Counsel
Office of Employee Appeals
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia
May 7, 2014
Department of Human Resources
Board of Elections
Office of Campaign Finance
Once the Mayor’s proposed budget is released, if you would like to testify about the proposed fiscal year 2015 of any of these agencies, please feel free to email Ronan Gulstone (rgulstone@dccouncil.us), or call the office at 202-724-8028.
Finally, Councilmember McDuffie also convened a meeting of the Committee on Government Operations to approve Bill 20-313, the “Comprehensive Planning and Utilization of School Facilities Amendment Act of 2013.” Bill 20-313 requires the District to develop a more robust educational facilities planning effort that incorporates data and future usage projections from both District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), and Charter Schools, and requires the District to provide a safety and security assessment of educational facilities as part of its Master Facilities Plan. Importantly, Councilmember McDuffie ensured that the legislation would not infringe on DCPS’s ability to retain vacant school buildings in its inventory when it believes that due to population growth in a neighborhood or Ward, there will be a future need for the building.
Bill 20-313 now moves to the full Council for consideration. It is anticipated that it will receive a first reading on March 4, 2014.
Announcements
Councilmember McDuffie’s 2013 End-of-Year Report is available for review and download.
Office of Tax and Revenue Hosts Tax Resolution Day
Throughout March, the DC Office of Tax and Revenue staff will be in YOUR community to offer a number of tax services at the following convenient locations: (Tax preparation will not be provided.)
The date for Ward 5 is Tuesday, March 18, 2014 from 4pm until 8pm at the Lamond-Riggs Library 5401 South Dakota Ave., NE.
For more information, contact OTR’s Customer Service Center at
(202) 727-4TAX (4829) or visit www.taxpayerservicecenter.com
DHCH Seminar on Notices to Vacate
Ward 5 Events
Councilmember McDuffie, or a member of his staff, will attend the following events:
DC Department of Health Summit on Rat Abatement
The DC Department of Health (DOH) is sponsoring a one day Rat Summit in each of the city’s 8 wards. Business owners, residents, neighborhood associations, and community leaders are all welcomed to attend.
The Ward 5 Rat Summit will be
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Harry Thomas Sr. Recreation Center
1743 Lincoln Rd, NE, 2nd floor
10:30am until 1:00pm
In an attempt to abate the rat population, DOH would like to provide information and education to community groups, residents, and business owners on topics such as proper waste storage, rodent proofing, and their ability to assist with rodent abatement. This summit will feature guest speaker Robert Corrigan, PhD author of Rodent Control, A Practical Guide for Pest Management Professionals.
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Bates Area Civic Association 