DC Government

“Harmonious Living Amendment Act of 2021 o Set Soundproofing Standards in New Development and Protect Against Displacement of Cultural Institutions”

By Prince Of Petworth

From Councilmember Nadeau’s office:

“In order to address sound levels in residential neighborhoods while protecting and expanding the local music culture in the District, Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau has introduced the Harmonious Living Amendment Act of 2021, joined by Councilmembers Christina Henderson, Janeese Lewis George and Brooke Pinto.

“This legislation seeks to address the rising tension that we are seeing between performers and neighbors who live in buildings or homes that are not adequately soundproofed, while also celebrating and respecting the long history of street performance and high-quality performance venues,” said Nadeau. “My goal is to ensure that the artists and performers who make our communities so special can co-exist with those who reside in vibrant neighborhoods throughout the District.”

The bill sets soundproofing standards for new residential construction on mixed-use corridors and entertainment districts, with higher requirements for buildings within 300 feet of a performance venue to address crowds and low frequencies. Currently, the District does not require any soundproofing standard for building exteriors. (more…)

“in-person(!) jury duty”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I seem to have run into a new form of DC bureaucratic dysfunction. Last week, I received a summons to appear in person for jury duty at the DC Superior Court at the end of April — a week before the earliest I would be eligible to get the Covid vaccine needed to appear for in-person jury duty safely. The court’s announced policy (which still appears on its website) is to routinely allow deferrals of up to 90 days, but the staff there tell me they’ve disabled the ability to request deferrals during the pandemic and are requiring all jurors to show up in person on the date assigned, no exceptions, and won’t even entertain any requests otherwise. The jury services office says that they “will practice under the CDC guidelines,” although it’s hard to imagine how forcing dozens of potential jurors to gather together in a room all day could actually do so.

So I seem to be stuck between two different arms of the DC government: (more…)

“District of Columbia and WeWork Launch COVID-19 Relief Partnership”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Diane Krauthamer

From the Mayor’s Office yesterday:

“Today, as part of March Madness, the Bowser Administration, led by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, announced a new partnership with WeWork, designed to help our community return to work in a flexible, safety-focused way. WeWork, a global leader in flexible space, is the largest private lease holder in the District of Columbia.

“These types of partnerships are going to help DC come back strong in 2021 and beyond,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Throughout this pandemic, our businesses and workers have shown a tremendous amount of resilience and creativity in finding ways to pivot their services and operations. Now, in WeWork, we have another partner in those efforts and another way to think about safely returning to work.”

“The pandemic has disrupted the way office workers experience the workplace. As we explore the future of office work in DC, we are proud to partner with WeWork, a company that has been disrupting and redefining the office place since 2010,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic John Falcicchio. “Together, we’re going to help DC businesses and workers find the space they need to get out of the home office and return to work in a safety-focused and flexible way.”

Through the D.C. x WeWork partnership, local businesses and individuals will have access to reduced rates on WeWork spaces if they are relocating to, returning to, or expanding in DC. Those reduced rates include: (more…)

“DC Office of Planning Partners with ULI Washington to Examine the Future of Friendship Heights”

By Prince Of Petworth


RIP Mazza Gallerie 7

From a press release:

“In partnership with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the DC Office of Planning (OP) has engaged the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Washington to examine the future of Friendship Heights with a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP).  The TAP will be a key step in exploring opportunities for advancing transformative and equitable redevelopment in Friendship Heights, as outlined in Mayor Bowser’s proposed Comprehensive Plan update.

The TAP will examine Friendship Heights, once a leading regional destination for luxury retail which has experienced a major disruption in its market position, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

“new partnership to bring on three CVS pharmacies that will focus on vaccinating teachers and school staff, child care workers, health care workers, and DC residents 65 and older.”

By Prince Of Petworth

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Bowser and DC Health are announcing a new partnership to bring on three CVS pharmacies that will focus on vaccinating teachers and school staff, child care workers, health care workers, and DC residents 65 and older. Eligible individuals will still pre-register through vaccinate.dc.gov, but will be directed to schedule their appointment directly through the CVS website. Over the next 7-10 days, 3,510 doses will be made available for this partnership. Two of the CVS pharmacies are in Ward 7 and one is in Ward 5.

Since the pre-registration system launched, approximately 28,236 individuals have already pre-registered, received an invitation, and booked an appointment. To date, approximately 202,824 individuals have pre-registered for and are awaiting an appointment. At this time, all residents and District workers who are not yet vaccinated are encouraged to pre-register, regardless of current eligibility.

This week, DC is receiving 27,140 doses of vaccine – 14,400 doses for vaccinate.dc.gov; 5,610 doses for hospitals and health centers; and 7,130 doses for special initiatives (including the CVS partnership). (more…)

“I never applied for these benefits and from my knowledge I do not qualify anyway.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by B F

“Dear PoPville,

Today (Saturday) I received two very confusing pieces of mail, and I’m curious if anyone else has had this happen.

I received a letter from DC LINK/Department of Human Services saying that to approve my application for SNAP benefits I need to submit some additional information and I received another letter with the Capital Access benefits card. BUT I never applied for these benefits and from my knowledge I do not qualify anyway. (more…)

Mayor Bowser: “I come to urge this committee and this Congress to move beyond the tired, non-factual anti-DC Statehood rhetoric and extend full democracy to the residents of the District of Columbia”; EHN “Congress can no longer allow D.C. residents to be sidelined in the democratic process”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Mr.TinDC

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser testifies before the House Oversight and Reform Committee at a hearing on the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51).

Below is the Mayor’s full testimony, as prepared for delivery.

Chairman Maloney, Ranking Member Comer, and members of this esteemed Committee, on behalf of the 712,000 residents of the District of Columbia, I thank you for convening this hearing on H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. In particular, we thank you for shepherding this measure to passage during the 116th Congress; and we respectfully seek your support to marshal it to passage again.

I want to especially thank our Congresswoman, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has championed equality for Washington, DC throughout her tenure, while skillfully delivering jobs, opportunity, and greater self-determination.

I am Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington, DC, and I am honored to come before this committee to ask Congress to right the wrong that happened some 220 years ago when the residents of the District of Columbia were stripped of their full congressional representation.

Two years ago, in the 116th Congress, I came before this committee under the leadership of the late Elijah Cummings to dispel erroneous arguments, against DC Statehood. These are the bad-faith arguments we hear time and time again: (more…)

16th Street NW Bus Lane Construction Officially Launched! “will be completed by Spring 2022”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Tim Brown

From Mayor Bowser’s Office:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the ongoing construction of the 16th Street NW bus lane, kicked off the 2021 paving season, and highlighted the upcoming Spring Cleanup. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is currently installing the long-awaited 16th Street bus lane, which will be completed by Spring 2022, to make the transit experience better and more efficient for the thousands of passengers, motorists, and cyclists who travel through the corridor each day. (more…)

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