May 9, 2020
Dear neighbor,

Tuesday, the DC Council unanimously passed a fourth piece of legislation in response to the coronavirus public health emergency. One of the provisions I fought for in this bill was protection for residents whose credit could be negatively impacted as a result of the public health emergency. Residents can now request that damaging data on credit reports include an alert showing this occurred during the public health emergency, protecting you when you try to get credit, or rent or buy homes in the future. I’m very grateful to Tzedek DC for bringing this issue to our attention and working with us on it.
 
There are several other efforts the Council made to protect residents, small businesses, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions during these challenging times. I will continue to listen to and fight for the needs of residents.
PROVISIONS IN TUESDAY'S BILL
Support for Residents
  • Prohibits landlords from charging fees for amenities, such as gyms, that are now closed, and requires regular cleaning of apartment and condominium building common areas
 
  • Requires landlords to offer rent payment plans for residential tenants experiencing financial hardship during and up to one year after the public health emergency
 
  • Prohibits landlords from filing evictions for the duration of the public health emergency and 30 days afterward
 
  • Suspends residential foreclosures of people’s homes for the duration of the public health emergency and 60 days afterward
 
  • Allows electronic witnessing and e-notaries to ensure that important legal documents, such as wills or power of attorney documents, can be signed and notarized while social distancing rules are in effect

Relief for Small Businesses
  • Caps delivery fees for food apps at 15% to allow restaurants to keep more of their revenue

  • Requires landlords to offer rent payment plans for commercial tenants experiencing financial hardship during and up to one year after the public health emergency

  • Excludes small business micro-grant from income taxation

Support for Advisory Neighborhood Commissions 
  • Allows ANCs to grant funds to organizations assisting with the pandemic response anywhere in the District

  • Reduces the number of petition signatures that elected officials are required to get and drops the number of signatures for ANCs from 25 to 10

DC Elections 
  • Amends the election petition signing process to reduce the number of signatures required for certain elected offices and ballot initiatives and gives the Board of Elections flexibility to allow signatures to be collected electronically
NEW CORONAVIRUS TESTING SITE
Howard University Hospital has opened a new testing site.
CHAT WITH DC CHAPTER OF THE
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
On Wednesday, May 20th, I will join the DC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics for a Zoom chat to discuss child nutritional and distance learning. I’ll also talk about how Christy and I are adjusting to our new normal with young kids and teleworking.

Register in advance for this meeting .
STORY TIME
Reminder : Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Xi Zeta Omega Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Omicron Lambda Alpha Chapter and I are continuing Phirst Pham: Story Time every Wednesday at 7 P.M. until June 10th.
 
During the coronavirus public health emergency, we are offering parents a break with Zoom bedtime stories for kids PreK3 - Grade 3.

Register in advance for  this weekly event  .
NEED TO REACH ME OR A MEMBER OF MY TEAM?
My office is teleworking, but still available to you. Connect with me and my staff via phone or email. Please call my personal office at (202) 724-8174, committee office at (202) 741-8593 or email any of my team members.
PERSONAL OFFICE STAFF









COMMITTEE OFFICE STAFF




Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember, At-Large | Council of the District of Columbia
Phone: (202) 724-8174 | Fax: (202) 727-8210 |   www.RobertWhiteAtLarge.com