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“Coronavirus Data Update: March 15” and “During Modified DC Government Operations, Many Services Still Operating” (though Street Sweeping is confirmed suspended)


Photo by PoPville flickr user small craft

From the Mayor’s Office:

“As of 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, the District’s coronavirus (COVID-19) data includes one new positive case, bringing the District’s overall positive case total to 17 individuals.

38-year-old female

Contact tracing underway – Had contact with a confirmed case”

and

“While the District of Columbia Government will begin to modify its operations starting Monday, March 16, in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the District government wants residents to know that it will continue to deliver essential services and keep the majority of its systems and services operating.

Operations and Infrastructure

District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

DDOT remains open, with most DDOT staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will maintain normal operations are:

  • DC Circulator will operate its regular schedule.
  • DC Streetcar will operate its regular schedule.
  • Capital Bikeshare will continue regular operations.
  • In-person public space permits are still available at 1100 4th Street, SW.
  • DDOT will continue reversible lane operations during rush hour.
  • Construction work will continue in the District’s public space.
  • Permit distribution will continue through DDOT’s Public Space Regulation Division.

Department of Public Works (DPW)

DPW remains open, with a limited number of DPW staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will maintain normal operations are:

  • Trash collection
  • Parking ticket issuance (except for street sweeping which will be suspended during this time period)
  • Towing and booting

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA)

DCRA remains open, with most DCRA staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will maintain normal operations are:

  • In-person licensing will continue at 1100 4th Street, SW; however, customers are encouraged to apply for and renew business licenses, form LLCs and register corporations online
  • In-person building permits will continue at 1100 4th Street SW; however customers are encouraged to conduct plan and permit reviews as well complete the full certificate of occupancy application process, online.
  • Inspections can also be scheduled by phone and online, including inspections related to housing code violations, illegal construction, and vacant buildings.
  • Consumer protection complaints will continue to be investigated, and DCRA encourages residents to report fraudulent and illegal behavior on its website.
  • Building Inspections will continue to be conducted; however, the agency will provide limited abatement services. Residents who encounter an imminent building safety issue, such as an unstable structure, should contact the District’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE)

DOEE remains operational, with most DOEE staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will have modified operations are:

  • Energy assistance centers located at 2100 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE and 1207 Taylor Street, NW will be closed to the public; however, residents can still complete an online application by visiting doee.dc.gov/liheap.
  • Residents seeking energy assistance can apply online at doee.dc.gov/energyassistance.

Residents should note that major utilities have indicated they will not disconnect services during this emergency period.

Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

DMV remains open, with most DMV staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will have modified operations are:

  • The following DC DMV locations will remain open and operate during normal business hours; however, customers are encouraged to use online options by visiting dmv.dc.gov:
  • Southwest Service Center – 95 M Street, SW
  • Self-Service On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) Emissions Kiosk – 300 Van Buren Street, NW (open 24/7)
  • The following DC DMV locations will be closed beginning Monday, March 16 through Tuesday, March 31:
  • Benning Ridge Service Center – 4525 Benning Road, SE
  • Brentwood Road Test/CDL Office – 1205 Brentwood Road, NE
  • Inspection Station – 1001 Half Street, SW
  • Adjudication Services – 955 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
  • Georgetown Service Center – 3270 M Street, NW
  • Rhode Island Service Center – 2350 Washington Place, NE

DMV will extend the expiration date for driver licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, inspections, ticket payments and ticket adjudication responses until April 17, 2020. All driver licenses, vehicle registrations, and vehicle inspections scheduled to expire between March 16 and March 31 will be granted a waiver without penalty until DC DMV reopens at full operating capacity. All tickets will remain in their current status between March 16 and March 31 and no additional penalties will be accessed during this period. In the interim, the public is encouraged to request adjudication and pay citations online. Additionally, all driver license suspensions and revocations will be paused until DC DMV returns to full operating capacity after March 31.

Department of For Hire Vehicles

DFHV remains operational, with most DFHV staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will maintain normal operations are:

  • Senior Med Express
  • Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
  • VetsRide
  • TransportDC

Taxi-to-Rail will continue to operate and will remove the current geographic restrictions, meaning residents can be picked up from anywhere East of the River and taken to approved locations (Metro stations and grocery stores). Residents will continue to have access to four trips per month.

Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB)

DISB remains operational, with most DISB staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. Programs that will have modified operations are:

  • DISB will not have in-person customer access.
  • Individuals who would like to file a complaint related to insurance problems, questionable investment practices (e.g. Ponzi and pyramids schemes), consumer credit service organizations, money lenders (in person and online), mortgage lenders/brokers, and student loan services may do so via the DISB website (disb.dc.gov), or by contacting the department at [email protected] or 202-727-8000.

Health and Human Services

Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL)

DACL remains operational, with most staff teleworking through Tuesday, March 31. DACL will continue to provide critical services to District seniors, such as meals.

  • DACL’s Information & Referral/Assistance line (202-724-5626) will continue to operate Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • DACL’s Adult Protective Services (APS) hotline (202-541-3950) will continue to operate 24 hours a day, to accept reports of abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults.
  • Adult Day Health Centers will remain open. Please contact 202-724-5626 for more information.

Senior Wellness Centers and community dining sites will be temporarily closed for activities effective Monday, March 16 – 31. However, meals will be available for pick-up at each site between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for current participants.

Department of Human Services (DHS

DHS remains open and will continue to support residents in need of assistance across the District during the period of modified operation. Modifications to DHS’s Primary services are as follows:

Access to Emergency Shelter – All low-barrier shelters, family shelters, and shelters serving youth will remain open.

  • Starting Monday, March 16, low-barrier shelters will extend daytime hours through Wednesday, April 1.
  • Families seeking access to homeless services should call the DC Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or 311 at any time of the day or night. The Virginia Williams Family Resource Center will be closed to the public for in-person interviews until Wednesday, April 1.
  • Anyone in need of shelter can call the DC Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or 311 at any time of the day or night.

Drop-In Centers:

  • Effective immediately, the Downtown Day Services Center and the Adams Place Day Center will be closed until Wednesday, April 1, to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
  • Zoe’s Doors Youth Drop-In center located at 900 Rhode Island Ave NE will remain open as well as the Sasha Bruce Youth Drop-In Center at 741 8th Street, SE.

Transportation: Transportation to emergency shelter is provided to anyone experiencing homelessness in the District. To request transportation, contact the Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or by calling 311.

Homeless Service Outreach: Outreach Workers are continuing to provide services to people experiencing homeless with a focus on welfare checks, connection to medical support, and providing life-saving supplies such as hand sanitizer, blankets, etc.

Eligibility for Public Benefits:

  • Customers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Alliance, and other public benefits provided by DHS, do not need to take any action at this time to continue receiving existing benefits that would otherwise expire on March 31 or April 30. Those benefits will be automatically extended.
  • For new applications for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, Alliance or other public benefits, please go to dhs.dc.gov or visit our Service Centers to pick up a blank application.
  • Applicants can drop off completed applications for benefits at DHS Service Centers and may be contacted by phone as necessary to complete the eligibility process.
  • Residents with questions about their benefits should contact the Call Center at (202) 727-5355 from 7:30-4:45 pm.

Child Care:

  • Childcare applications and documents can be dropped at the Congress Heights (4049 South Capitol Street, SW) or the Taylor Street (1207 Taylor Street, NW) Service Center(s).
  • Staff will call customers for an interview.
  • Recertifications will be automatically processed and valid for 60-90 days.
  • If a customer with a voucher is requesting a reassignment, that can be processed through the customer’s selected childcare provider, an office visit is not necessary.

Administrative Hearings and Investigative Interviews: DHS will continue to hold administrative hearings and investigative interviews but will conduct these via telephone/video calls.  Any court hearings will continue if court remains open.

Case Management: Case management services will continue to be provided across DHS programs by phone or video whenever possible.

EBT Cards: New cards will continue to be distributed through the existing locations at 1649 Good Hope Road, SE and 645 H Street, NE.

Department on Behavioral Health (DBH)

DBH remains open and will continue service to residents, including the following services and programs:

  • The 24-hour telephone access to a mental health clinician and 24-hour suicide prevention lifeline as 1-888-793-4357 is available always and is ready is serve.
  • Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) will continue to provide emergency psychiatric services.
  • 35 K Street NE Adult Clinic will be open for urgent care services including assessment, counseling and psychiatric evaluation between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
  • 35 K Street NE Pharmacy is open for uninsured residents from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.”

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