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Dear Angela,
We’re dealing with a lot as 2023 comes to a close--the shocking loss of the Caps and Wizards, the mayor’s announcement that she plans to ignore the law that the Council passed to increase funding for SNAP, and a continuing crime crisis. My team and I are fighting hard on all of these fonts. Over the past month, the Council has taken up my crime response bill, my Council colleagues and I have fought back against the mayor taking SNAP money, and I’m pushing the Council to take a more active role after the cultural and economic gut punch of losing our pro teams.
In this email I'm also excited to share my 2023 Annual Report with you, which drills down on the work we've done to make DC safer for residents in every neighborhood, the progress we've made in solving systemic issues at the DC Housing Authority (DCHA), and getting more housing that everyday people can afford.
Thanks so much for reading, and wishing you a safe and joyful holiday season,
Robert
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Happy Holidays From My Team! | |
I hope you'll explore my annual report, which has updates on our work as well as useful resources for residents. This has been a year of getting to the bottom of problems and getting things done. My team and I have passed major bills, done aggressive oversight, and gotten over $100 million in funding for housing for people with modest incomes. Despite the progress, we have a lot more work to do, especially on public safety and housing. That’s why I spend so much time in our communities to hear and see what people are facing and working so hard to solve it. | |
Urge the Mayor to Follow the Law on SNAP | |
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To bridge the gap created for residents with SNAP by pandemic dollars drying up, the DC Council wrote into the budget a requirement to increase SNAP benefits if DC had more tax revenue than expected. DC brought in more money, but the mayor is refusing to follow the law (which she signed) and says she will not put the money the Council budgeted towards SNAP. Approximately 140,000 SNAP recipients were looking forward to an increase in their SNAP allocation in January 2024. Now, many families are heading into the holidays faced with tough decisions about who will be able to eat and no relief in sight.
I urge residents who care about this issue and about good governance to call the Mayor's Office at (202) 727-2643 and ask her to follow the law. I joined all of my Council colleagues in sending a letter calling on the mayor to follow the budget she signed and uphold our promise to residents. The Council is also looking into whether there may be legal recourse.
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A Win for Potential Homebuyers Using HPAP | |
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In October I began hearing from residents working to purchase their first homes. DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) had approved them for the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), then told them the rules had changed and they no longer qualified. I asked the mayor to honor the notices of eligibility they previously sent, but they would not. These residents, many of them seniors or folks on fixed incomes, have had their dream to become homeowners deferred since HPAP funding ran out last June--only to be told in October that the rules were changed after they'd been approved.
This week, I passed emergency legislation, the Home Purchase Assistance Program Protection Emergency Amendment Act, to grandfather in these residents so that they are eligible again for HPAP funding.
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Losing the Caps and Wizards: What it Means for DC and Where we go From Here | |
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Like many of you, I'm incredibly disappointed about DC's anticipated loss of the Caps and Wizards. It's a blow to DC culture and hometown pride. Especially concerning is what it means for the future of downtown and tax revenues that the District puts towards our schools, city services, and more. As I told Grant and Danny in an interview with 106.7 The Fan this week, the events of last week were a big wake-up call: “The thinking on the Council has always been that the Mayor and her economic teams knew they couldn’t afford to lose these teams...it has changed the way the Council is looking at some of the deals and assumptions we are making about how the city is being run.”
As for where we go from here, in early 2024 I plan to hold a hearing on the future of downtown DC as an entertainment and cultural destination and a neighborhood that people of all income levels can call home. We need the mayor and her economic development team to rally partners and work with the Council to envision a lively downtown: one that operates 24/7, not just on weekdays during work hours. There are no quick fixes, but I am committed to rising to meet this challenge together, nurturing a dynamic downtown community that future generations will be proud of.
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The Latest on Public Safety and Housing | |
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My Whole Government Response to Crime Act
While crime is going down in most of the country, it is rising in DC. That’s a big problem and I’m trying to reverse that. On December 11 my Whole Government Response to Crime bill had a hearing in Councilmember Pinto's Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Across the board, the public witnesses who testified about the bill said they believed that it will improve the crisis of violence DC is experiencing right now. This bill aims to fix the fundamentals of what is broken in our public safety system. Without a functioning 911 call center we can't keep residents safe. When evidence isn't collected at a crime scene, we can't successfully hold those committing the violence accountable in court. When we don't know where the flood of guns is coming into DC from, we can't check the flow. As many residents have told me, our government has to be a united front on this. My bill draws on our public safety agencies and resources across the government to make DC safer quickly. I'm grateful that the Council is working to move this legislation forward. Watch the DC News Now segment, below, to learn more:
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Social Housing
On November 28 I held a Housing Committee hearing on Social Housing: a concept that other cities have used to create more sustainable, mixed-income housing owned by the government and kept affordable by reinvesting rent payments. This was a follow up to the hearing last year on Councilmember Janeese Lewis George's Green New Deal for Housing bill. The goal of our working hearing was to kick the tires and see whether this idea is one that could work in DC. We heard from local and national experts, public officials, and public housing residents. The outcome: It's clear that many are excited about the concept of social housing. I'm going to keep working with residents and civil servants to see how we can put what we heard in the hearing into practice in DC and to use public resources for greater housing affordability and accountability.
My Common Ground Act
On Thursday, December 14 my Common Ground Act had a hearing in Councilmember Janeese Lewis George's Committee on Facilities and Family Services. I share residents' frustration that DC doesn't get more when we allow public land to be privately developed. I introduced this bill as a roadmap for how DC can reform what we do when we sell our public lands. During this hearing community members and government witnesses shared feedback and ideas on how we can transform this process to get residents what they really need, including affordable, family-sized housing. Next steps: Should the Committee on Facilities and Family Services approve the bill based on last week's hearing, it will then go to the Committee on Business and Economic Development.
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Upcoming Community Events | |
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Thursday, January 4th, 4-6 pm
Ward 8 Community Office Hours
Anacostia Library
Thursday, January 18th, 4-6 pm
Ward 7 Community Office Hours
Benning/Dorothy Height Library
I am committed to making myself and my team available and accessible for community members. I will be spending time in all 8 wards to meet with you in your neighborhood and hear about the concerns on your mind.
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Below are various resources that I hope will help solve issues you or your family may be facing. And if you have a specific need, my Constituent Services Director, Andre Strickland, is available to support you.
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Get the supplies you need to prepare your home for winter weather! DC Public Service Commission is holding giveaway events in December and January with free home weatherization items and information on utility assistance programs.
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DC's Department of Parks and Recreation is putting on free and fun programming for DC youth over the winter break. Check out the full list of activities here!
- For victims of crime: The DC Victim Hotline is available for all crime victims in the District. The hotline number is 844-443-5732 and is operational 24/7. The hotline victim assistance staff provides relevant and appropriate resources based on the needs of the caller.
- It is officially hypothermia season. If you are in need of shelter, or you see someone outside in need of shelter, call the Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or dial 311. Transportation to shelter is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during hypothermia season.
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Receive discounts on your energy bills: The District’s Department of Energy & Environment’s Utility Discount Programs (UDP) assists District residents with low incomes to reduce their utility costs. Find out if you qualify and apply here.
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DC Water offers financial assistance: The Residential Assistance program (Emergency Residential Relief) provides income-eligible customers with up to $2,000 to eliminate their past due balance. Call the Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) at 202-350-9649 or visit DOEE's website to apply. Find out about additional assistance options here.
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Leaf collection is still happening around DC! Click here to find out when the Department of Public Works will be doing leaf cleanups in your neighborhood.
- For mental health support: Call DC’s Mental Health Hotline anytime 24/7 for free support: 1-888-793-4357. Or dial 988 for the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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Domestic violence victim resources: Call the DC Victim Helpline at 1-844-443-5732 or chat with someone at www.dcvictim.org. You can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Both Hotlines are available 24/7.
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Need to reach me or a member of my team? | |
My office is available to you. Connect with me and my staff via phone or email. Please call my personal office at (202) 724-8174, or my committee office at (202) 727-8270, or email any of my team members. If you have a moment, please take my 3-question constituent survey here. | |
Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember, At-Large | Council of the District of Columbia
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