DC Government

ANC1A Public Safety Meeting Tonight to Address Recent Violence in Columbia Heights/Park View

By Prince Of Petworth

From Kent C. Boese | Chair, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A:

“In response to the recent increase in gun violence in our community and the urgent need to get answers and find solutions, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A has organized a panel for tonight where we can get updates on the efforts being undertaken to restore safety to our community. The event is scheduled for tonight (5/29) beginning at 7 pm. It will be held in the gymnasium of the Harriet Tubman Elementary School.

The following organizations and guests have been invited: (more…)

“The state of the sidewalk on U between 17th and Florida Ave, NW”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I walk the stretch of U St between 17th and Florida everyday, and the sidewalk is a disaster. Already narrow, it’s beleaguered be empty tree boxes that take up half the sidewalk. Most of them are not cared for so the bricks come loose, and the boxes are full of mud. It’s one thing as someone who is able bodied, you have to take turns walking with pedestrians coming from the opposite direction. But for those who are in wheelchairs, this stretch of U Street is a no go zone.”

All the Details on Outdoor Swimming Pools and Spray Parks Opening Saturday – Plus Party at Langdon Park Pool Friday

By Prince Of Petworth


2500 Georgia Avenue, NW

From DPR:

“On Friday, May 24, at 4 pm, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will host hundreds of residents to kick off the 2019 outdoor pool season with the annual celebratory event, “Jump In, DC” at Langdon Park Pool and Spray Park located at 2860 Mills Avenue, NE.

“We are ecstatic to officially welcome residents from across all eight wards to one of our premier aquatic facilities, as we open pools and highlight some of the great things taking place in our parks and recreation centers,” said DPR Director Delano Hunter.

Langdon Park Pool, renovated in 2018, is the only outdoor pool in DPR’s inventory that has a combination pool and spray park. The pool party will include live entertainment, food, giveaways, a live broadcast by WKYS on-air personality, Little Bacon Bear, and the ceremonial jumping into the pool.

This year, joining the Mayor will be 100 year-old, 10-time National Senior Games swim medalist, and Ward 5 resident, John Tatum. Mr. Tatum recently celebrated his 100 birthday this past April and will be on hand when the first attendees jump in the pool to mark the beginning of outdoor pool season.

All DPR outdoor pools and spray parks will be open the following day Saturday, May 25, through Memorial Day Monday, May 27. Pools then remain open on a weekend-only schedule (Saturday and Sunday) through June 16. (more…)

Whoa. WMATA Pulls Columbia Heights Dog Park Land Off The Market “will negotiate with the District to purchase the property.”

By Prince Of Petworth


11th and Park Road, NW

Brianne K. Nadeau tweets this morning:

“Great news on the Columbia Heights dog park. I got this letter from @wmata yesterday evening. Thanks to our efforts, they decided to pull it off the market and will negotiate with the District to purchase the property. @11thandBark #SaveTheDogPark”

From the letter:

“That process requires WMATA to sell property for ‘fair market value’, which is equal to $2,150,000 for the 1100 Park Road, NW property.”

Full letter: (more…)

Adams Morgan’s Line Hotel $46 Million Tax Abatement Appears in Jeopardy after AG Ruling unless “specific D.C. hiring requirements” met

By Prince Of Petworth


1780 Columbia Road, NW

From Councilmember Silverman’s office:

“In response to a request from two D.C. Council members, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has issued a legal opinion concluding that the Bowser Administration does not have authority to waive specific D.C. hiring requirements put in law in order for the Line Hotel to qualify for a taxpayer subsidy worth up to $46 million. Earlier this month, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) found that the hotel had not met two of seven specific requirements legislated by the Council but said the agency had the ability to create an alternative compliance plan.

“The Adams Morgan Hotel Real Property Tax Abatement Act of 2010 (“Abatement Act”) grants the Line Hotel a tax abatement if the Hotel meets seven statutory conditions. You asked whether the Department of Employment Services (“DOES”) may waive those conditions. We conclude that it may not,” Racine wrote. (more…)

“Bowser Administration Asks Residents to Provide Feedback on DC Values”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Ted Eytan

From a press release:

“Over the past three years, Mayor Bowser and the DC Office of Planning (OP) have collected community input to understand what residents care about most as the District continues to thrive, grow, and prosper. Eight DC values – accessibility, diversity, equity, livability, opportunity, prosperity, resilience, and safety – aim to express the essence of what makes DC home for a diverse, inclusive community. Feedback on these values will help guide OP through the remainder of the Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) Amendment process.

OP has launched a new DC2ME campaign featuring the values and a community survey. Residents are asked to complete the survey by Sunday, June 30, at dc2me.com/survey. In addition to the website and survey, OP will conduct a series of outreach activities in May and June to share the key values emerging from the Comp Plan update process and seek feedback in creative ways.  (more…)

Shooting at the Brentwood Recreation Center exposes Rift between Police and Parks Department

By Prince Of Petworth


via MPD

From MPD:

“Greetings Fifth District Community members,

The Fifth District is investigating a shooting that occurred on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at approximately 12:54 AM at the Brentwood Recreation Center, located in the 2300 block of 14th Street, NE.

Members of the Fifth District were on patrol in the area and heard numerous sounds of gunshots. Upon responding to the scene, the members observed dozens of people running from the scene in a panicked state. One juvenile male victim was subsequently found in the 2300 block of 15th Street, NE, suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries at this time. (more…)

“The DC Health Care Alliance is a model public insurance program. But its burdensome requirements cause many eligible residents – and their health – to lose out.”

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by Nina Yamanis1, Taryn Morrissey1, Lisa Bochey2, and Cristiana Little2 (1Faculty and 2students at American University.) “As accomplished professors and graduate students at American University, we have been collecting stories and data about the effects the re-certification process has on the immigrant population and on DC’s overall public health outcomes.”

“The DC Health Care Alliance is a model public insurance program. But its burdensome requirements cause many eligible residents – and their health – to lose out.

The DC Alliance is a Model

DC has a public health insurance program — the DC Health Care Alliance — its residents should largely be proud of. Since 2001, the Alliance has provided health insurance to low-income District residents not eligible for Medicaid, including many immigrants. But there is one glaring problem that should be a source of embarrassment.

It’s far too easy for people enrolled in the program to lose coverage, even while they’re still eligible. Every 6 months, Alliance beneficiaries must recertify their eligibility in person, typically standing in long lines at crowded service centers. For well-meaning reasons — because they have to work or care for children, for example — many cannot do this and lose coverage.

Last month, Ricardoa, an Alliance recipient for eleven years, took time from work to see a doctor about a mouth infection and learned his Alliance coverage had expired. Because he couldn’t miss work again, his infection worsened, and he ended up admitted to the hospital with a much more severe condition. (more…)

“Councilmember Grosso introduces progressive property tax to fund equitable public investments”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user John Goucher

From Councilmember Grosso’s office:

“Today Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, introduced legislation to generate new revenue for the District of Columbia’s budget priorities with a progressive tax on high-value properties.

“D.C. has experienced tremendous economic growth in the past decade, but not everyone has shared in that prosperity,” said Grosso. “Instead, the income and wealth gap has widened in that period and is starkest along racial lines.”

The wealthiest 20 percent of households in D.C. make 7.5 times as much income annually compared to the poorest 20 percent. The average wealth of white households is now 81 times that of the average Black household.

“Every budget cycle, investments in educating our students, ending homelessness, and preventing violence in our communities fall short. A high-value property tax would address racial inequity by raising resources from those most well off to fund public investments to lift up those who have been left behind,” said Grosso.

Currently, residential property is taxed at 85 cents per $100 of value, prior to deductions for principal residences and for senior citizens. Residential Real Property Taxes Equitable Alignment Act of 2019 would create two additional marginal rates for high-value properties, taxing $1.25 for every $100 of value over $1.5 million and $1.50 for every $100 in value over $5 million. (more…)

“Are other schools having this problem too?”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.

“Dear PoPville,

My daughter is a kindergartener at a DC public school. My husband and I went in to drop off snacks for the class, and the teacher asked if we could do her a favor. She said they don’t have enough toilet paper or paper towels. She said that they never have enough. (I guess this shouldn’t have surprised me since the last couple times my daughter needed to use the bathroom when I picked her up, there was no toilet paper to be found.) (more…)

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