Newsroom

Following the fire last Wednesday at the Arthur Capper Senior Building, approximately 160 senior residents were displaced from their homes. All of the seniors are now living in either a hotel in the short-term or with family while the District and the community work to meet their immediate needs and identify long-term housing solutions.

Here are the written remarks delivered by Councilmember Allen (Chair of Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, which includes oversight of the Metropolitan Police Department, which enforces moving violations) at the opening of the hearing on Vision Zero he co-chaired with Councilmember Mary Cheh (Committee on Transportation and the Environment, which has oversight of the District Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works, which enforces parking).

There's been a tremendous outpouring of support to help the 160 senior residents who lost their home and most of their belongings in the September 19 fire at Arthur Capper Senior Building. Here's how you can help them.

Councilmember Charles Allen and staff are on-site currently at the fire at the Arthur Capper Senior Building at 900 5^th St., SE to help displaced residents. From Councilmember Allen:

Today, Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6) will introduce a bill that protects District residents by strengthening laws around lead-based paint in rental units, which pose a unique health risk to young children and pregnant women.

Today the Council returns from recess and begins what will be a very busy fall legislative session. Whether overhauling campaign finance laws to limit big money in politics, crafting new regulations for short-term rentals like AirBnB, increasing energy and sustainability requirements, pushing for public safety and criminal justice reforms, and much more, I'll be working hard to keep you updated on a wide range of important issues the Council is considering. I wanted to begin this newsletter talking about Initiative 77 and today's public hearing considering a bill that would repeal the law. 

Ahead of today’s groundbreaking to begin construction to transform 27 acres of parking lots into park and green space around RFK Stadium, Councilmember Charles Allen issued the following statement:

Another Ward 6 Week is in the books -- and this one might have been the best yet.

It gets pretty slow around the District in August - which means its a great time to enjoy some of the fun and free activities Ward 6 has to offer! Join Councilmember Charles Allen for a week's worth of fun events showcasing so much of what makes Ward 6 an incredible place to call home.

Starting Monday, August 6 through Sunday, August 11, you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors are invited to check out these great events and see all that Ward 6 has to offer. Unless otherwise marked, each event is free admission.

The Council has officially entered its summer legislative recess after a very busy final few weeks. Below I've covered some important legislative updates. My office remains open through the legislative recess and we will still be working on improving issues around Ward 6 - please reach out with any ongoing challenges and we'll be happy to help. Over the summer, I hope you and your family can take time to enjoy our parks, pools, and the many neighborhood activities that bring us together as a community (including Ward 6 Week events, coming up August 6-11 -- details below).