Neighbor,
As the Council looks to address the immediate needs of District residents through this year’s budget process, I want to highlight one investment I have recommended in this year’s budget to address households experiencing poverty in the District. Roughly 13.5% of District residents live in poverty, but 21.6% of Black residents live in poverty. Furthermore, while 7.6% of District children experience poverty, 47% of children east of the river experience poverty. I have worked to ensure that this recovery isn’t a return to normal for residents and workers who were already struggling to access the District’s prosperity and promise. In my Committee’s budget, I recommended $1.5M to fund guaranteed basic income pilot programs that will provide monthly cash payments to residents in need, adding an essential layer of financial security to our city’s social safety net.
We know that low-wage workers have been among the most impacted by this pandemic. Pilot programs popping up across the country have found that guaranteed income programs lead to better health outcomes for participants, improved student performance for families involved as well as higher rates of employment and entrepreneurship. The THRIVE East of the River Partnership is one such program in DC with more pilots set to launch that will assess how effective these programs can be for District residents. This kind of transformational policy can be the difference for Washingtonians struggling to make ends meet, and I am excited to see how these basic income programs will make a meaningful difference for residents who need our support.
In service,
Kenyan
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In this issue of the Ward 5 Report:
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Eviction Moratorium & Utilities Changes
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With the public health emergency set to expire soon, the DC Council passed emergency measures that phase out the eviction moratorium while maintaining numerous protections for tenants. Landlords cannot file evictions for tenants behind on their rent unless the landlord has already completed a STAY DC rental application on behalf of the tenant.
Councilmember McDuffie added an amendment to the eviction moratorium emergency bill that ensures residents struggling with bills get extended protection from having their utilities being shut off. You can find more information on the timeline of eviction and utility protections below.
If you have back rent or have difficulty paying utility bills (including wifi), visit stay.dc.gov to start an application to get financial relief. Our team is available to assist residents with the application process. If you need support, please fill out the help request form for our office here
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On Tuesday, Councilmember McDuffie introduced the Underground Utility Work Minimum Wage and Prevailing Wage Act. If enacted, this legislation would create a $20 per hour minimum wage for workers performing underground utility work. You can find a full press release including quotes from District stakeholders on the bill here.
At Tuesday's legislative session, the Council passed emergency legislation to protect consumers from unjust debt collection practices. This bill expands the definition of debt to include all consumer debt (including medical and student debt) and prohibits deceptive behaviors as well as harassing communications from debt collectors.
On Monday, Councilmember McDuffie's Child Wealth Building Act, a District 'baby bonds' proposal, was unanimously advanced out of the Committee on Business and Economic Development. You can watch Councilmember McDuffie's remarks upon the measure advancing here. CORE's REIA.
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'This is a Huge Deal': New Child Tax Credit Payments to Start Going Out to Families in DC Region (DCist)
D.C. Debates Fate of Shuttered Marriott Wardman Park Hotel (Washington Informer)
Auditor's Report Identifies Issues in Lottery Contract (City Paper)
D.C. Council Will Phase Out the City's Eviction Moratorium (DCist)
The Council Begins its Final Budget-Making Deliberations (Jonetta Rose Barras)
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CM McDuffie Interviewed on the Dap Project Podcast
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Councilmember McDuffie joined the Dap Project to discuss "the Stronghold community that shaped his unexpected path to public service where he uses legislation to address structural race-based inequities. The voices of family, friends, and Freeway reassure McDuffie that setbacks are temporary, and he’s here to win."
You can listen to the full podcast here.
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1st Annual Roving Leaders Day
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Join DPR for the 1st annual Roving Leaders Day on Saturday, July 31st from noon to 5 PM at Langdon Park - 2901 20th St NE.
There will be a moon bounce, rock wall, jumbo games, and more. Team McDuffie will be present to celebrate Roving Leaders Day with the Ward 5 community.
*NOTE that the date of Roving Leaders Day was changed from July 17th to July 31st due to weather concerns*
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Team Ward 5 Turns Out for the July 4th Parade
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Team Ward 5 had a big showing at the Palisades 4th of July parade. Thank you to everyone who came out to walk with us!
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Check out the full video including a thank you from Councilmember McDuffie to everyone who came out.
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Make sure to support our Ward 5 businesses like Creative Grounds on North Capitol! Stop by to grab some coffee or support the local artists whose works are displayed on site.
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The Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has two funding opportunities for grants.
The purpose of the FY21 Food Access Fund Grant is to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. The FAF Grant will support qualified businesses with capital for tenant improvements related to the expansion of operations into a new location in an area identified as having low food access (as set forth in the Act), with priority given to locations in Ward 7 or Ward 8. The program will start accepting applications on July 19th.
The purpose of the Great Streets Initiative and the Legacy Small Business Recovery Grant is to transform certain designated emerging commercial corridors into thriving, walkable, shoppable and inviting neighborhood experiences. The Great Streets Initiative does this by supporting existing businesses, attracting new businesses, increasing the District’s tax base, and creating new job opportunities for District residents. The application deadline for this grant is Wednesday, August 18th at 4:00 pm.
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The District is planning to close high-capacity walk-up vaccination sites on July 17. DC Health will continue to provide targeted vaccination opportunities to the community, including clinics at six DC Public Schools.
In Ward 5, Dunbar High School at 101 N St NW will have first vaccine dose opportunities for District residents 12-18 years old on July 24th. Children’s National will be providing the second dose opportunities at the Main Hospital (111 Michigan Avenue NW) on August 14th and at the school during school hours Monday – Friday from August 16-20. To schedule an appointment call (202) 476-5464, walk-ups are also accepted. Learn more about the schedule and other school-based vaccine sites here.
You can find a full list of places to get vaccinated at vaccines.gov
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DC's heat emergency has been extended through July 17th. Visit http://bit.ly/DistrictCoolingCenters to find a cooling center near you. Additional Information to beat the heat can be found here.
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