Community Announcements

Greater Greater Washington – Like Slow Streets, Streateries, or car-free Beach Drive? DC Council wants to hear about it.

Like Slow Streets, Streateries, or car-free Beach Drive? DC Council wants to hear about it. – Greater Greater Washington (ggwash.org)

TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Transportation & the Environment Public Roundtable

Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 @ 12:00PM

Location: Virtual Meeting

The Committee on Transportation & the Environment will hold a Public Roundtable on the following Matter:

Transportation in the District After the Pandemic

The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony, which will be made a part of the official record. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Ms. Aukima Benjamin, Staff Assistant to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, at (202) 724-8062 or via e-mail at abenjamin@dccouncil.us; witnesses will receive information on how to join the roundtable at that time. Witnesses who anticipate needing language interpretation, or requiring sign language interpretation, are requested to inform the Committee of the need as soon as possible but no later than five business days before the roundtable, which is March 15, 2021. We will make every effort to fulfill timely requests, however requests received in less than five business days may not be fulfilled and alternatives may be offered.

Watch Live:

– On the Council site, at https://bit.ly/2ooL0l1
– On the OCTFME site, at https://bit.ly/2JNZIro
– On TV, usually Channel 13

Full information can be found at this link.

ABRA Reopen Washington DC Alcohol Act Information Session

On Monday, March 22nd, ABRA hosted a virtual information session on draft policies that will be sent to DC Council for approval at a date tbd. Below is the slide deck from the presentation. The draft legislation can be found at this link: B24-0044 – Reopen Washington DC Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Amendment Act of 2021 (dccouncil.us)

Thank you for participating in our virtual Reopen Washington DC Alcohol Act Information Session. Click here to download the slide deck from the presentation . We encourage you to share this resource widely.

Your feedback is important to us. Please complete our brief survey which can be completed in less than five minutes. Responses can be made anonymously.

Take the Survey

If your questions were not answered during the presentation, please contact ABRA’s Community Resource Officer Sarah Fashbaugh directly at Sarah.Fashbaugh@dc.gov or (202) 397-3971.

03/18/2021 – Office of the Tenant Advocate: Renter’s Rights 101 during the Public Health Emergency Webinar

The Office of the Tenant Advocate is hosting a monthly Renter’s Rights 101 during the Public Health Emergency webinar/online class (held in both English and Spanish) for tenants in DC who would like to be better informed about their rights. The class covers what tenants should know about their leases, their responsibilities as tenants, the landlords’ responsibilities, security deposits, COVID-19 changes to the law, and more.

Thursday March 18^th10am – 12pm in English
5:30pm – 7:30pm in Spanish

To RSVP for this online class, please contact Nicole McEntee at Nicole.mcentee@dc.gov. RSVPs will be accepted until the class is full; if the class fills up quickly, the next monthly online class will be on Thursday April 15^th.

*This is being posted on behalf of OTA. For any questions or further information, please contact OTA

02/11/2021 @ 6PM – Congresswoman Norton to Host Meeting on Impact of Capitol Security on Residents

Norton to Host Meeting on Impact of Capitol Security on Residents | HillRag

Zoom capacity has been reached for Congresswoman Norton’s Town Hall this evening.

If you (or a neighbor) have not yet received a Zoom link, you will now be directed to the Facebook livestream, where you will still be able to ask questions and participate. We have staffers monitoring the chat on the Facebook event.

The link for the livestream is Facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton and will be live beginning at 6 pm.

Celebrating Black History Month

FREDRICK DOUGLAS HOME: Frederick Douglass lived in where is now Southeast D.C. from 1877 until his death in 1895. Although in-person guided tours are not available during the coronavirus pandemic, you can still explore the local history by taking a virtual tour from your home. The 360-degree tour was established via a partnership between the National Park Service and Google.

ANACOSTIA COMMUNITY MUSEUM: This month, be sure to engage with Anacostia Community Museum’s range of virtual programming to learn more about Black history and its leaders in the region. Events include a conversation with author Alcione M. Amos and her new book Barry Farm-Hillsdale in Anacostia: A History African American Community and an event with actress and author Morgan Avery McCoy — who appeared in 2019’s Harriet — about Harriet Tubman and the lesson her life still offers. (Dates vary; FREE)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH VIRTUAL FESTIVAL: The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is hosting its first month-long virtual festival to celebrate Black History Month. The lineup includes free community events such as panel and author conversations. The marquee event is the ticketed conversation, “Finding Our Roots in African American History: A conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham” at the end of the month. (Dates vary; $0 – $150)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH HIGHER EDUCATION SERIES 2021: Please see the registration links to our Black History Month Higher Education Series 2021 via Event Brite hyperlink. We are going to have a great series including an inspirational message for Black History Month from Dr. Daniel Black, author and Professor of African American History at Clark Atlanta University this Thursday. At this difficult time, it is important for young people to receive words of inspiration along with the substantive information necessary to move forward with their education. Week two of this program will include a special session for parents on financial aid, student and parent loans. Please encourage parents to join their young adult and teen children in attending the event.

Virtual Meeting Dates and Times:

Feb 11, 2021 5:00 pm Selecting a College and Competing for Scholarships and Grants Open Registration
Feb 18, 2021 5:00 pm What Parents Need to Know: Financial Aid and Loans Open Registration
Feb 25, 2021 5:00 pm FAFSA Completion Open Registration

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/140934445721

National Cherry Blossom Festival – Porch Parade & Procession

We’re excited to announce that the 2021 Festival will bloom this spring (March 20-April 11), with an innovative format that honors the tradition of the Festival, while prioritizing the health and safety of participants amidst the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s Festival is designed to incorporate both virtual and personal experiences for everyone to enjoy this spring!

On March 20, watch the ceremonial start to the Festival as performers from Japan and DC bring to your living room a celebration of the season with artistry and spectacle. Co-presented with The Japan Foundation.

For more information: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/

GET INVOLVED: Petal Porch Parade + Procession

One of the new programs this year is Petal Porch Parade + Procession. This program invites DC residents to celebrate their cherry blossom/springtime spirit by decorating their porches, yards, and/or windows. We are also encouraging the community to get outside and explore their neighborhood. The goal is to have participants register online and NCBF will create a map for people to walk around to tour theirs and other neighborhoods. The program will culminate with a mini-procession of 10 cars that have been painted by local DC artists driving down their street. We will be driving through all 8 wards but the route will be determined by density clustering of decorated homes. Individuals will be able to begin signing up around March 1st.

Neighborhood Champions – Petal Porch Parade and Procession

Cupid’s Kids Community Edition! Volunteer Opportunity

Cupid’s Kids Toolkit 2021

59th Presidential Inauguration – Get Important Alerts to Your Phone

Get Alerts on Your Phone

For updates on the Presidential Inauguration follow DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management on Twitter @DC_HSEMA

and DC Police Department on Twitter @DCPoliceDept

Additional information can also be found at MPD Capital Watch webpage: https://mpdc.dc.gov/capitalwatch

Airbnb Announces ‘Capitol Safety Plan’ for the Inauguration – Airbnb Neighborhood Support

We know that issues can come up in any community. It’s usually fastest to communicate directly with your neighbor to address concerns related to home sharing, but you can also call or message us below for additional support. If you have a concern unrelated to your neighborhood, please visit our Help Center.

https://www.airbnb.com/neighbors

For further information regarding the 59th Presidential Inauguration and Airbnb please use the following link: Airbnb Announces ‘Capitol Safety Plan’ for the Inauguration

Mayor Bowser Issues Mayor’s Order Extending Today’s Public Emergency for 15 Days

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

(Washington, DC) – Today, First Amendment protests turned violent. Many persons came to the District armed and for the purpose of engaging in violence and destruction and have engaged in violence and destruction. They have fired chemical irritants, bricks, bottles, and guns. They have breached the security of the Capitol and their destructive and riotous behavior has the potential to spread beyond the Capitol. Their motivation is ongoing. Today, they sought to disrupt the Congressional proceedings relating to the acceptance of electoral college votes. President Trump continues to fan rage and violence by contending that the Presidential election was invalid. Persons are dissatisfied with judicial rulings and the findings of State Boards of Elections, and some persons can be expected to continue their violent protests through the inauguration.

Accordingly, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued Mayor’s Order 2021-003, extending the public emergency declared earlier today for a total of 15 days, until and unless provided for by further Mayoral Order.

—

Mayor’s Order 2021-003

January 6, 2021

SUBJECT: Extension of Public Emergency

ORIGINATING AGENCY: Office of the Mayor

By virtue of the authority vested in the Mayor of the District of Columbia pursuant to section 422(11) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 790, Pub. L. No. 93-198, D.C. Official Code § 1-204.22(11) (2016 Repl.); section 5 of the District of Columbia Public Emergency Act of 1980, effective March 5, 1981, D.C. Law 3- 149, D.C. Official Code § 7-2304 (2018 Repl.); D.C. Official Code § 5-129.03, and Mayor’s Order 2009-4, it is hereby ORDERED that:

I. FINDINGS (NATURE OF THE PUBLIC EMERGENCY)

First Amendment protests have turned violent. Many persons came to the District armed and for the purpose of engaging in violence and destruction and have engaged in violence and destruction. They have fired chemical irritants, bricks, bottles, and guns. They have breached the security of the Capitol and their destructive and riotous behavior has the potential to spread beyond the Capitol.

Their motivation is ongoing. Today, they sought to disrupt the Congressional proceedings relating to the acceptance of electoral college votes. President Trump continues to fan rage and violence by contending that the Presidential election was invalid. Persons are dissatisfied with judicial rulings and the findings of State Boards of Elections, and some persons can be expected to continue their violent protests through the inauguration.

Today’s events and the reasonable apprehension of an ongoing public emergency represent an immediate threat to the health, safety, and welfare of District residents that requires emergency protective actions. Accordingly, by this Order, the public emergency declared by Mayor’s Order 2021-002 earlier this afternoon is hereby extended for a total of fifteen (15) days, until and unless provided for by further Mayoral Order.

II. EMERGENCY MEASURES AND REQUIREMENTS

A. The City Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, is authorized to implement such measures as may be necessary or appropriate to protect persons and property in the District of Columbia from the conditions caused by this public emergency. Such measures may include, as necessary or appropriate, actions authorized under D.C. Official Code§ 7-2304(b), including requesting federal disaster assistance, or taking measures under the District Response Plan to the extent necessary or appropriate to effectuate the relief contemplated by this Order.

B. This Order shall apply to all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the District government as necessary or appropriate to implement this Order.

C. The Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia is authorized to approve disbursement of all appropriations necessary to carry out this Order.

D. The City Administrator, in coordination with the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, the Director of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and the Chief Financial Officer, is authorized to apply for financial assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, any other federal, private, or nonprofit disaster relief and recovery organizations, and any other appropriate agencies of the United States government to recoup expenditures incurred, or obtain funding needed, under this order.

E. The District Response Plan is hereby implemented beginning immediately, including the execution of mutual aid agreements for public safety purposes, and the appointment and swearing in of special police.

F. In accordance with 49 C.F.R. § 390.23 (Relief from Regulations), any motor carriers or drivers operating commercial motor vehicles directly engaged in the resolution of this emergency shall not be subject to any provision that restricts the length of their work hours. Accordingly, this order permits utility workers and District agencies to retain crews to complete emergency repairs and restore services beyond normal work hours.

G. Expend appropriated funds as needed to address the public emergency.

H. Prepare for, order, and supervise the evacuation or sheltering of persons.

I. Disconnect, suspend, or shut-off public utilities.

J. Destroy, remove, or prohibit access to real or personal property found to be contaminated by any matter which renders it deleterious to life or health.

K. Issue orders to regulate the use, sale, production, and distribution of food, fuel, clothing and other commodities as required by the District’s response plan.

L. Reduce or alter the hours of business, and direct persons to remain off public streets if a curfew is established.

M. Establish such emergency services units as required.

N. Expand existing departmental and agency units related to public emergency services.

O. Exercise operational direction over all District government departments.

P. Procure supplies, provide inform the public, and take any other preparatory steps.

Q. Request pre-disaster assistance from the federal government.

R. Take action to prevent or reduce harmful consequences of disaster.

S. Waive application of any law administered by the Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking if doing so is reasonably calculated to protect the health, safety, or welfare of District residents; and

T. Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 6 of Title 1, or the rules issued pursuant to Chapter 6 of Title 1, the subchapter I-A of Chapter 5 of Title 1, or any other personnel law or rules, the Mayor may take the following personnel actions regarding executive branch subordinate agencies that the Mayor determines necessary and appropriate to address the emergency:

1. Redeploying employees within or between agencies;

2. Modifying employees’ tours of duty;

3. Modifying employees’ places of duty;

4. Mandating telework;

5. Extending shifts and assigning additional shifts;

6. Providing appropriate meals to employees required to work overtime or work without meal breaks;

7. Assigning additional duties to employees;

8. Extending existing terms of employees;

9. Hiring new employees into the Career, Education, and Management Supervisory Services without competition;

10. Eliminating any annuity offsets established by any law; or

11. Denying leave or rescinding approval of previously approved leave.

III. DURATION OF ORDER

This Order shall remain in effect until fifteen (15) days after its effective date, until 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2021, unless earlier rescinded or superseded.

IV. EFFECTIVE DATE:

This Order shall become effective immediately.

URGENT: Mayor Bowser Orders Citywide Curfew Beginning at 6PM Today

Mayor Bowser Orders Citywide Curfew Beginning at 6PM Today

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew for the District of Columbia from 6 pm on Wednesday, January 6, until 6 am on Thursday, January 7.

During the hours of the curfew, no person, other than persons designated by the Mayor, shall walk, bike, run, loiter, stand, or motor by car or other mode of transport upon any street, alley, park, or other public place within the District.

The curfew imposed by the Mayor’s Order shall not apply to essential workers, including working media with their outlet-issued credentials, when engaged in essential functions, including travel to and from their essential work.

DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson on Facebook Live – January 11th @ 5:00PM

New Chief of Staff – DC Office of Planning

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

January 4, 2021

CONTACT:

Mekdy Alemayehu (OP) 202.412.7828; mekdy.alemayehu2@dc.gov

New Chief of Staff Brings Equity and Inclusion Expertise to the DC Office of Planning

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The DC Office of Planning (OP) welcomes Vivian Guerra as the agency’s new Chief of Staff. Guerra brings fifteen years of professional experience in community development working at the local and federal levels as well as in the private sector. Guerra joins OP as the agency renews its focus on community-based planning and the DC Council is poised to finalize the Comprehensive Plan update. She will shepherd the final steps and implementation of the Comp Plan update, as well as support OP’s neighborhood planning and systems work with an equity and inclusion lens. Guerra’s skills and experience will be critical as OP continues to plan for a more equitable and resilient DC that will stand up against the challenges we face today and beyond.

Guerra joins OP from the DC Department of Transportation, where she led several initiatives on Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for the Equity & Inclusion Division/Civil Rights Office within the Office of the Director. Before that, she led and implemented organizational systems-change through policies, practices and procedures at the DC Department on Disability Services’ State Office of Policy, Planning, and Innovation. She served as the Ward 1 neighborhood planner at OP where she managed neighborhood plans that included the Columbia Heights Public Realm Plan, Georgia Avenue-Petworth Revitalization Plan, and supported the U Street Corridor DUKE plan.

Guerra holds a Master’s in Community and Urban Planning from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Studies from George Mason University. She resides in Washington, DC alongside her husband, two children, and recently adopted puppy Gio.

For more information about the DC Office of Planning, visit our home page at planning.dc.gov.

Deadline for DC Retail Bridge Fund – Friday, January 8th at 5pm

The deadline for the DC Retail Bridge Fund is this Friday 1/8 at 5pm. Here is a chart of all the types of businesses the Bridge Fund is designed to help with application deadlines shown.

The website for the Bridge Fund https://coronavirus.dc.gov/bridgefund has been updated with the addition of an Application Guide, Frequently Asked Questions, and a Retail Bridge Fund Ready Checklist at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/bridgefund. These updates are available in several languages: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, French and Amharic.

There is also a recording of an information session on the website. Businesses who are temporarily closed with plans to re-open by January 15 ^th are eligible to apply.

If any Row business experiences issues completing the application, please reach out to the team at the Bridge Fund at retailbridgefund@dc.gov.

The Second Annual DC Retail Summit Returns Sept 15th!

The 2020 DC Retail Summit: Our Recovery will bring together local retail & restaurant businesses, thought leaders from the private & public sectors, and community stakeholders.

Discussions will provide practical and solutions-based advice and resources to help entrepreneurs and local businesses adapt during COVID-19 and identify market opportunities in a changing economic landscape.

Homelessness – A Community Conversation

Dear neighbors:

Commissioner Edward Daniels from ANC 6D has just scheduled a last-minute community discussion regarding the homeless encampments underneath the 695 bridge along VA Ave SE. This discussion has been on-going amongst several of my constituents for several months.

He has scheduled a virtual community discussion and would love for you to be a part of this conversation and to share the information with other residents, if possible. Text and link are below. Graphic attached.

Meeting Information:

Please join tomorrow, Sunday evening, 10/4, at 7:00 pm for an online community discussion.

Please RSVP for Zoom link & password. I look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts.

www.edwarddaniels.com/commissioner

Reimagining Policing Panel Discussion – WEBINAR

Reimagining Policing Panel Discussion – WEBINAR

Dear neighbors:

ANC Commissioners from across the District will host a virtual Town Hall conversation on “Reimagining Policing in the District of Columbia” this Saturday, July 18, 10:30 am–12:00 pm. The public is invited to attend.

The forum will be a moderated panel discussion with representatives of the Metropolitan Police Department, NAACP-DC Chapter, Councilmembers Charles Allen and Robert White, and The Guardian Angels. We have also extended invitations to the Mayor’s Office and Black Lives Matter-DC.

Panelists will respond to questions generated out of a virtual ANC Commissioners-only conversation with nearly 50 Commissioners last Friday as well as questions submitted from audience members during the event. You can still submit questions by sending an email to 6b08@anc.dc.gov. Dr. Sharita Thompson, professor of African and African American Studies at Gettysburg College, and Dr. Bernard Demczuk, of George Washington University, will moderate the discussion, which follows an ANC Commissioners-only conversation we held last week in preparation for this event.

The policing forums are an outgrowth of weekly online meetings to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on communities that were initially convened in March by Chander Jayaraman, Vice-Chair of ANC 6B on Capitol Hill. At those meetings, Commissioners across the District gathered information and ideas from their Single Member Districts to share with each other and with city officials.

You can join the Town Hall online at:
https://bit.ly/July18TownHall

Or iPhone one-tap :
+13126266799,,83685358250#
Or 312-626-6799
Enter Webinar ID: 836 8535 8250

From the Office of the People’s Counsel

The Office of the People’s Counsel is an independent agency of the District of Columbia government. By law, it is the advocate for consumers of natural gas, electric and telephone services in the District. District of Columbia law designates the Office as a party to all utility-related proceedings before the Public Service Commission. The Office also represents the interests of District ratepayers before federal regulatory agencies. The Office is authorized to investigate the operation and valuation of utility companies independent of any pending proceeding.

Stay Informed: What Is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. The COVID-19 is the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.

Since December 2019, cases have been identified in a growing number of countries.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

Public health authorities are learning more every day. We will continue to update as we learn more.

Stay up-to-date on COVID-19 in the District by visiting the official website for this event: http ://dchealth.dc.gov/coronavirus

Or visit the CDC website for information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Community Engagement Brunch – February 29, 2020

The American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia (ACLU-DC) invites the residents of ANC 6B for a brunch and community discussion. This brunch will be held 11:30-2p this Saturday February 29 at the Community Action Group, 124 15^th Street SE.

This will be the first of several opportunities hosted at community spaces throughout the year and throughout the District for residents of different neighborhoods to discuss issues related to policing, public safety, and surveillance. In addition, we hope to establish and build meaningful relationships with community members and partners throughout the District.

While hosted by local, neighborhood venues, we hope these will be opportunities to connect with District residents as well about the work, mission, and values of the ACLU-DC. Participants will also learn about our active and ongoing campaign and coalition work, overview of our legal department, and how to join the ACLU-DC as a volunteer or member.

RSVP to Larry at lbryant@acludc.org (space is limited).

2020 DC CENSUS

About The U.S. Census

Every 10 years, the U.S. government counts every person living in our country in the Constitutionally-mandated Census. Once Census collection is over, the U.S. Census Bureau analyzes and release critical census data.

Data from the U.S. Census directly determines the pathway of Federal funding, impacting schools, businesses, transportation, infrastructure, healthcare, and overall social equity in the District.

The more accurate the data, the easier it is to ensure that we are meeting our community’s needs. When data is inaccurate, we miss out on billions of Federal dollars.

We Need Your Help

In 2010, DC was the second most undercounted city* in the nation, with the highest concentrations of undercounted folks living in Wards 1, 5, 7, and 8. The following groups have been historically undercounted in the District:

Low-income residents
Foreign-born residents
Renters in multi-unit buildings
Children ages 0-5
African American Households

*City defined by a population of more than half a million residents

In 2010, DC was one of the most undercounted cities in the nation. What did that mean for us?

Well, the District potentially loses out out on billions of Federal dollars through large scale federal entitlement programs.

Make sure that we #GetCountedDC: http://bit.ly/34eV5RU

Follow the link above to find out more information and to fill out the census online!

Mayor Bowser’s Keep Metro Open Rally

Please join Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of the Bowser Administration at the Keep Metro Open Rally. The District of Columbia needs a Metro system that functions during the same hours as our residents, local businesses, and workers. Let your voice be heard!

This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP at the following link. http://KeepMetroOpen.eventbrite.com

WMATA Headquarters
600 5th Street, NW
4:00 PM