It's been a very busy start to the fall. Just in the past two weeks, the Council held an all-day hearing on the RFK Master Plan (more below), an all-day hearing on improving housing conditions across the city, a hearing on the cybersecurity strike that hobbled the DC Housing Authority, and a hearing on how to make it easier to hold "porchfest" events across the District -- truly a mix of everything! Speaking of porchfests, don't forget to check out the first-ever Capitol Hill Porch Fest coming next Saturday, October 10th! There will be 158 bands spread across 51 porches from 2-6 p.m. 

I've got a whole lot of updates below, ranging from new housing in the Ward, to my thoughts on the RFK plan, to how to improve safety and accountability around e-scooter and e-bikes. So let's jump right in!

QUICK LINKS: Emblem Apartments | Lowering Utility Bills | Regulating Utilities | RFK Master Plan Update | E-Scooter Rule Deadline | DC Central Kitchen | Basic Income Event | Trayon White Mistrial | Amazon Settlement | DoorDash Backs Down | Battery Disposal | Brickies Nominations! | Constituent Services | Upcoming Events | Tickets

Miss the last newsletter? I shared updates on the Southeast Library, storm recovery efforts, the launch of a live trash tracker, and passing the Eric's ID law! Read it here.

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We Opened Emblem Apartments, Bringing 115 Affordable Homes to NoMa

Last week, I helped cut the ribbon on 115 affordable homes that have opened up right in the heart of NoMa! The Emblem Apartments are next door to the NoMa Metro (and will be even closer when the new NoMa Metro Station entrance is built). 

The building, set on a postage stamp-sized lot about as big as two basketball courts, includes a good mix of studio and 2- and 3-bedroom homes, there’s an indoor playground and fitness center, and it's walkable to multiple grocery stores, schools, and parks.

Buildings like this one are how we make sure Ward 6 remains a place people of all income levels can call home. 

The other key detail I want to note about Emblem: With the help of the DC Green Bank, the building was designed to be highly energy-efficient. That means lower monthly utility bills and cleaner air for residents and a reduction in the building’s carbon output. It’s another way we can help lower costs in DC for families. Check out the video to see the inside, and I can’t wait to welcome our new neighbors. 

My Bill to Lower Utility Bills for 30,000 Residents Passes Committee

Utility bills are crushing Washingtonians – especially lower-income and working families. This week, the Council took a first step to make an immediate difference when the Committee on Transportation and the Environment passed my bill to automatically enroll eligible DC residents in existing utility discount programs. Why's this needed, you might ask? Well, 30,000 DC residents that qualify for these programs aren't enrolled because there are too many hoops and hurdles in the way. This new bill can immediately save residents hundreds of dollars a month on their bills. There are roughly half a dozen existing programs that lower low-income and working households can enroll in, but only about half of all eligible households are signed up.

We know that anyone enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or the DC Healthcare Alliance already meets the eligibility for these programs. So why do we make that senior on a fixed income or that parent working two or three jobs figure out if help's available? As I explained in a video on Instagram, we can make government work better to get people the help they need - and that’s what this bill takes on. 

This law will coordinate the city agencies enrolling residents already receiving SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid into a wide range of existing programs meant to lower utility bills, including the already existing discount programs run by Pepco, Washington Gas, and DC Water.

This is just the first step, as we’re also looking at cutting the red tape to build more solar with the GRID Act, which I’ll have an update on soon.

Regulating Third-Party Suppliers, Digging into the Spreadsheets on Utility Infrastructure Spending

Continuing with our work to lower utility rates, on Thursday, I chaired a public hearing to consider two new bills at the Council. 

The first is a consumer protection bill I introduced meant to crack down on some serious predatory practices that are driving DC residents into debt when they work with a shady third-party electricity supplier. Now, I want to be clear, not all third-party suppliers are the same, and some of the better ones are providing important competition on gas and electricity prices right now and building capacity for renewables. 

However, there’s very little regulation in how these companies earn customers and protect their data, let alone prevent fraud or misinformation. A study by DOEE found that 80% of low-income customers enrolled in third-party suppliers are overpaying for energy. And further, a greater share of lower income households enrolled in these programs fall behind on their bills, only to have that debt sold back to Pepco, which can then use that debt to justify higher rates for all other ratepayers.

The predatory practices have led to lawsuits by DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb, and they're now prompting the need for new laws. The Retail Energy Market Consumer Protection Act was originally part of the FY27 proposed budget, but we split it out to have a full public hearing and better understand what a bill could and should address. And based on what I heard this week, there’s a lot we can do to protect residents. 

The second bill, the Public Trust in Utility Regulation Act, aims to bring more sunshine to the actual spending of utilities on new infrastructure. If you aren’t aware, whenever Pepco or Washington Gas want to make a major infrastructure upgrade, they go before the Public Service Commission to detail why they need to do the upgrade and how much it will cost ratepayers. Regular readers will know I’ve long been critical of the Public Service Commission’s lack of willingness to challenge Pepco and Washington Gas on their numbers and get a better rate for residents and businesses. This bill, introduced by Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, aims to bring much more transparency and public disclosure of planned expenditures that drive rates up, as well as require more stringent audits of the utilities.

The RFK Master Plan Is a Good Start, But Less Parking and an Infill Metro Station Can Make it Better 

This week, the Council held a day-long hearing on the proposed RFK Master Plan (read it here), which was released last week. The Master Plan is the most detailed look yet at what the campus could become, and the first chance to see both the potential and get the details for how it will work – parking, traffic flow, the location of housing and green space, energy demand and generation, and a whole lot more. If you care about the future of this project, this is a document worth spending some time with.

While the Master Plan presents some wonderful images of what this could look like when it's all done, there are some significant issues we need to address right away.

For one, the size of the parking lot closest to Kingman Park is enormous – roughly 3,500 spaces, which would be nearly 3 times larger than all of the parking garages at Nats Park combined. And then there's a second parking lot, located closer to the river, proposed at another 2,500 spots.

I was proud to write a letter with colleagues Wendell Felder (Ward 7) and Zachary Parker (Ward 5) to the National Capital Planning Commission urging them to send the plan back to the drawing board to better address parking concerns.

In order to avoid these massive structures being dead space most days, I’d really like to see them incorporate first floor retail. And yes, while parking lots were included in the legislation, the details still matter in how this fits into the campus and how it impacts the surrounding neighbors!

There was also plenty of discussion on adding a second Metro station on the north side of the campus, something I’ve been outspoken about going back to last year’s negotiations (coverage in CityCastDC, DC News Now, Washington Sun). A second Metro station wouldn't be ready for opening day in 2030 under any circumstance, but we don’t want to make decisions now that foreclose it in the near future.

An additional station would be a major benefit for moving large game day crowds (as it adds a second platform to the site, the biggest chokepoint to moving folks in and out) and could serve as the connection point for the Gold Line. It would also be a major boost for the residents of Kingman Park, Carver Langston, the east end of H Street, and all of Benning Road west of the river. Second metro station or not, this Greater Greater Washington piece dives into the game day numbers and shows why we’re not fully accounting for how to move lots and lots of people.

Finally, I want to note that I'm very skeptical about what I'm hearing around electricity demands for the stadium and campus. Frustratingly, there’s very little concrete information out there. But I am very concerned about estimates I'm hearing that would be far and away above what other stadiums need and would require significant infrastructure from Pepco and maybe Washington Gas – costs that likely would get passed onto ratepayers.

I will be pushing very hard to see the stadium embrace more cost-effective energy and back-up energy sources and to get the assumptions they're working from. More to come on this. 

Concerned About E-Scooters? Your Best Chance to Effect Change Closes Tomorrow. Here’s Where I Stand.

As I said in the last newsletter (with detailed instructions), there’s STILL an opportunity to comment on DDOT's proposed contract for how e-scooters and e-bikes from companies like Lime and VEO operate. I’ve heard from lots of you about how many people use them to get around the city, and also the serious concerns many have related to safety on the sidewalks from these vehicles – whether it’s their speed, how they operate, or where they’re parked. These vehicles are enormously popular, but every operator must be held accountable for dangerous or reckless behavior.

You have until tomorrow. 

You can review the proposed rules here (click "View Text" for the top item, Notice N146433): Search - DCRegs

I've also shared my own recommendations with DDOT based on what I've heard from neighbors across Ward 6 and DC. I want to preserve access to these innovative transportation tools, but DDOT has to stop the bad rider behavior that's led to folks being uncomfortable on sidewalks, being injured, getting into crashes, and worse. That includes much lower speeds allowed on sidewalks, policies to suspend or remove repeated dangerous riders from their platforms, improving parking guidelines, and shorter contract periods to help hold operators accountable.

DC Central Kitchen’s Buzzard Point Headquarters is Expanding, Including a Fast Casual Restaurant and Fresh Produce Market!

DC Central Kitchen is expanding at their Buzzard Point location to add a restaurant and grocery store to increase both the number of people they’re helping get healthy groceries and meals to and the hands-on job training they provide for careers in food service. We also got a sneak peek at the area, and it'll be a great addition to Buzzard Point.

The fresh produce market will be a welcome amenity for Southwest neighbors and will serve all residents, including accepting SNAP and WIC benefits. In addition to adding the fast-casual restaurant and produce market, they'll have increased production space, additional cold storage, and enhanced equipment for the healthy food they deliver around DC to corner stores and home-bound seniors and veterans. Read more in the Washington Business Journal.

Mother’s Outreach Network Hosts Educational Events for Mothers and Children

I joined Mother’s Outreach Network, a group which helps Black mothers with guaranteed income, practical legal support, and mom-led policy advocacy, to provide an update from Council.

Based out of Southwest, Mother’s Outreach Network is a group I worked closely with way back in 2021 when I led the Council to increase the local match of the Earned Income Tax Credit, and allow residents to choose between an annual lump sum payment as part of a tax return or a monthly payout. The idea behind the Earned Income Tax Credit is to give working families direct cash assistance.

This event this week was geared towards teaching mothers and their children about the idea of guaranteed income and how direct cash payments can help families. I've always enjoyed the opportunity to connect with Mother’s Outreach Network and the families they help and talk through issues and ways the Council can do better for them.

A Mistrial Was Declared in the Trayon White Trial. What’s Next?

The big news of the week was Monday’s deadlocked jury and mistrial for Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White. All parties involved in the case will reconvene on October 22, and the US Attorney’s Office has said they will bring the case again. This is the statement I shared with the press, and I’m including it here so you know where I stand: “While a jury came away deadlocked and a mistrial was declared in Trayon White’s trial, the facts of what happened haven’t changed. Councilmember Trayon White accepted cash payments on video in exchange for agreeing to influence government contracts. His actions and continued disregard of ethics in public office embarrass the institution of the Council and disrespect the victims of crime who desperately need violence prevention programming in their communities. He has also damaged the reputations of so many people who work tirelessly as violence interrupters – often at great personal risk – to end the epidemic of gun violence.

Serving on the Council, chairing committees, and deciding how to spend public tax dollars are privileges, not rights. It is not okay to accept envelopes of cash in exchange for promises to break the law. Nothing about today’s outcome changes the fact that Councilmember Trayon White’s actions violated the Council’s Code of Conduct and the trust given to him by voters and his colleagues on the Council. We will await the next steps from the US Attorney’s Office.”

The DC Attorney General Secured $8.25 Million from Amazon for Secretly Excluding Ward 7 & 8 ZIP Codes from Prime Delivery Services

In a big win for residents of Ward 7 and 8, Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced this week he had secured a settlement with Amazon from a lawsuit “ alleging that Amazon deceived tens of thousands of DC residents by failing to inform them that their ZIP codes were excluded from Amazon’s in-house delivery services.”

Ward 7 and 8 were being fleeced here in a very familiar and discriminatory way. They were paying the full price of a Prime membership while being denied the benefits to which they were entitled – and this went on for four years! That’s unacceptable, and I'm glad to see Attorney General Schwalb fight to fix it.

It’s a big win not just for our neighbors in Ward 7 and 8, but a big win for all Washingtonians to show we’ll fight for our residents against this kind of cynical and illegal behavior. 

DoorDash Backs Down

Chalk one up for the people of DC, who organized a boycott of DoorDash after the company lobbied Congress to overturn a small delivery fee the Council put in place as part of closing our FY27 budget gap. Not only that, but the bill they were supporting in Congress to do so would have restricted the DC Council from taking any steps to raise or lower fees and taxes – something that would essentially hobble our ability to self-govern. 

This week, DoorDash issued a statement recognizing they were wrong (Washington Sun), and if I allow myself to be a little more cynical, that their attempt to go around local governance didn't work well for their bottom line or image. The point isn’t that everyone has to agree on everything we do locally (there’s plenty in our FY27 budget I’d change if I could), but that the chosen elected representatives of DC residents should always be the ones to make those decisions, because DC residents can hold us accountable. A large, international corporation shouldn't feel comfortable lobbying Congress to get involved in our local affairs just because they can. And I'm glad they felt the pressure to their bottom line. Congrats to all involved in this organizing, and hopefully this is the last time we have to tell DoorDash “Hands Off DC.” 

You Can Now Dispose of Batteries at Farmers Markets Across DC

DC residents can now find battery drop-off boxes available at eight farmers markets and community sites every weekend across DC.

In addition to accepting food waste and food-soiled paper for composting, the drop-off tents at select farmers markets will also take single-use (primary) and rechargeable household batteries under 11 lbs. DC residents are encouraged to bring their old small-format batteries to one of these convenient public locations for safe disposal.

For Ward 6 residents: Look for the blue Zero Waste tent at Eastern Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

To learn more about battery disposal in DC, please visit: doee.dc.gov/page/batteryrecycling. 

Nominations Are Now Open for the 20th (!) Annual Ward 6 Brickies! 

It’s that time of year again, and the 20th Annual Ward 6 Brickie Awards are fast approaching! The Brickies are our chance to honor outstanding Ward 6 neighbors, organizations, businesses, and groups who go the extra mile to make Ward 6 a vibrant, welcoming place for all.

We need your input! Every year, we learn about some wonderful, unheralded acts of kindness by neighbors, nonprofits, and businesses that help make Ward 6 the best place to call home. And we want to...herald...it! Nominate neighbors you believe deserve recognition this year. And, yes, the awards are real bricks — uniquely crafted to celebrate extraordinary people. 

And the Award Categories are:

• Neighbor Award
• Community Organization Award
• Business Award
• Public Service Award
• Civic Pride Award

The form can be found here, and I’ll have more information about when and where we’ll hold this milestone event in the weeks to come. 

Making Government Work for You! One Case at a Time

As always, I want to take a moment to share some of the different kinds of problems my constituent services team is helping Ward 6 neighbors solve every day. As always, you can request help with a challenge through our website (please include your address or quadrant when you submit so we can respond faster).

Here are a few constituent services wins from the last couple of weeks: 

• One of our constituents flagged a significant hole on the sidewalk of 7th and E Streets, NE - big enough for a child to fall into. Our team flagged this for DDOT and DC Water, and the hole was filled within a few days.
   
• We helped a recently unemployed constituent obtain their tax return of $5,000 (which was already months late!) from the Office of Tax and Revenue. 
  
  
• A constituent’s power was recently cut off, despite her applying to the city’s Utility Discount Program multiple times. After contacting us, we were able to help get the power restored and the constituent into a discount program (as I mention above, hopefully this is an automated process soon!).
  
  
• After a constituent said they didn’t receive four weeks of unemployment compensation (an estimated $1,776 in payments) after a late submission, our team contacted the Office of Unemployment Compensation to ensure this was settled.

Here’s a Few Community Events Coming Up!

• Hill Family Biking has two rides coming up on October 9 and 10 - both for a ride from Maury Elementary to the National Mall. Enjoy a 8.8-mile ride under the stars. For more, check out info here. 
  
  
• The first-ever Capitol Hill Porchfest is coming up on October 10, and it’s a massive lineup. Better set the entire day aside: https://capitolhillporchfest.com.
  
  
• October 8 at 7 pm: ANC 6A Monthly Meeting
  
  
• October 13 at 7 pm: ANC 6B Monthly Meeting
  
  
• October 14 at 7 pm: ANC 6C Monthly Meeting

  Ticket Giveaway

  Thanks for reading to the end! Believe it or not, the Caps are already back in action, and you can catch them play the Philadelphia Flyers on October 28. Reply to this email if you'd like to be entered into a drawing for two tickets.