March 27, 2025

Dear neighbors,

As I wrote in my previous newsletter and in my statement on March 14, the turbulence surrounding the continuing resolution (CR) at the federal level remains an enormous challenge for the District. The Senate has already passed a measure that would fix an error in the CR that otherwise would prevent the District from spending $1.1 billion in previously approved and locally-raised funds during the six -month balance of the current fiscal year. I am cautiously optimistic that the House of Representatives will also pass the Senate’s proposed fix. Several important stakeholders, including the president, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin, have urged the House to move forward with this measure. Hopefully, the House will take it up next week and the District can turn to the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26) budget process. However, for now, House action remains uncertain, and our budget process has been postponed in part due to that reality. Earlier this week, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer informed the Council that the executive would be delayed in submitting the mayor’s proposed FY 26 budget to the Council, originally scheduled to arrive on April 2. A revised submission date is still forthcoming. 

In the meantime, the Council and mayor are working together to urge the House to move quickly. At the same time, I continue to advocate within the DC government for my FY26 budget priorities. We have a very challenging budget process ahead, and I look forward to receiving the mayor’s proposed budget so we can begin our budget work in earnest.  

Even as we are grappling with the current budget challenges and other circumstances that have upended the lives of far too many hardworking, dedicated residents, I know DC residents are also deeply troubled by the events at the US Institute of Peace on March 17. My colleagues and I are working to get to the bottom of exactly what happened there and why. Fully understanding all of the details of what happened will be critical. Equally important though, is considering how to handle and be prepared for any similar situations should they arise. None of us want something like this to happen again, but many things are possible and we need to be prepared to respond in a way that is effective and engenders maximum confidence of the residents of the District of Columbia.

In the midst of all these challenges, there continues to be a lot to celebrate in the District. Spring has officially arrived, and our iconic cherry blossoms should reach peak bloom this weekend. Our city also continues to merit the moniker District of Champions. Today is opening day for Major League Baseball and the Nationals kicked off their season at Nats Park this afternoon. Alex Ovechikin is only six goals away from becoming the National Hockey League’s all-time leading scorer, while the Capitals remain at the top of the league standings heading toward the playoffs. I will be enjoying riding my e-bike between meetings and events in the ward this weekend, and I hope you will also have an opportunity to get out and enjoy all our city has to offer.

Sincerely,

Matt Frumin

Ward 3 Councilmember

The urgent need to address housing challenges is front and center for the Council. Affordable housing providers in the District face unsustainable rent delinquencies, with more than $100 million in unpaid rent owed to them. Unpaid rent due to affordable providers has increased 1,336% since 2020, and average arrears are higher in DC than anywhere else in the country. Already operating on thin margins, this impacts their ability to meet essential costs of maintenance, security, and debt financing, all of which deters future investment. It is critical that DC be an attractive location for investment if we want to maintain and increase housing and affordable housing to meet the needs of our residents.

On Tuesday, the Committee on Human Services took a step toward addressing this issue by unanimously approving a markup of the “Emergency Rental Assistance Program Reform Amendment Act of 2025.” The bill realigns the policy incentives around ERAP to protect both affordable housing providers and eligible tenants. This was a positive first step in the legislative process, and the bill now moves to the Committee of the Whole for review.

ERAP provides rent assistance to prevent eviction for residents experiencing time-limited emergencies that a one-time payment can fix. Out of necessity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the District allowed tenants who applied for ERAP to be granted indefinite, automatic stays in their eviction cases, regardless of whether ERAP could ever prevent eviction. This created a cycle in which it could take years to remove a tenant for non-payment of rent and all too often led to the accrual of tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent. To address this issue, the Council passed emergency legislation last year that reverted the judicial process to the status quo before the pandemic and gave judges discretion in determining whether to stay eviction proceedings for ERAP applicants. Every eviction is a tragedy, and we must make evictions rare, but still possible when needed. To protect the integrity of ERAP, the emergency legislation also required tenants to document their eligibility for ERAP, a requirement that was loosened during the pandemic, and revised the definition of an emergency to ensure limited ERAP funds went to tenants who needed them most and for whom the funds could make the difference in averting an eviction. Since the emergency legislation took effect, it has allowed the eviction process to operate more fairly and efficiently, without leading to the denial of more applications.

The bill recently marked up by the Committee on Human Services, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program Reform Amendment Act of 2025, would make those measures from last year’s emergency legislation permanent. The bill additionally creates incentives for landlord cooperation with the ERAP application process. It also allows families who never had a chance to apply for ERAP during their eviction cases to reschedule a scheduled eviction, if the portal opened after their eviction order, they completed an application, and an ERAP award could fully cover any back due rent. While offering a pathway in limited circumstances to avert an eviction, the provision also will create an incentive for tenants to stay as current as possible with their rent during the pendency of their eviction process, instead of letting their debt grow to their and the landlord’s detriment. By balancing the interests of affordable housing providers and their tenants, this bill keeps more tenants experiencing true emergencies in their homes, incentivizes their landlords to participate in the ERAP process, and preserves the District’s stock of affordable housing.

No amount of ERAP funding, and no number of reforms to ERAP, can independently solve the District’s affordability and homelessness challenges. Only more housing can end homelessness. While this legislation will foster an environment in which it is easier to build homes by addressing the arrears crisis, it cannot provide an immediate remedy for families for whom housing is chronically unaffordable. What this legislation can do is ensure that the families who most need limited ERAP funds receive them and receive them quickly.

I am grateful for the legal aid practitioners, tenant advocates, and affordable housing providers who worked with the Committee to arrive at a compromise that meets residents’ needs. Thanks to my committee colleagues, councilmembers Christina Henderson (At-Large), Robert White (At-Large), Zachary Parker (Ward 4), and Wendell Felder (Ward 7) for their collaboration. Everyone came to the table, and everyone offered ideas that made this legislation better.   

During the markup, the committee also unanimously approved confirmation resolutions for the reappointments of Antonio Williams (Ward 4), Andrew Trueblood (Ward 8), and Maria Peace (Ward 7) to the District of Columbia Public Library Board of Trustees. Residents can watch committee proceedings at youtube.com/@cmfrumin/streams. More information about the committee can be found on my website at mattfruminward3.com/committee.

Share Your Thoughts on DC’s Next Comprehensive Plan Today

DC 2050 is the District's next comprehensive plan, that will guide the city's growth and development across all 8 wards. Join the DC Office of Planning online today, Thursday, March 27, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm to share your ideas about where and how the District should add housing, jobs, services, and everything people need to thrive. Services provided include children's activities and language interpretation/ADA accommodations by request via the RSVP form. Go to DC2050.com for more information.

DMPED Public Disposition Hearing on Chevy Chase Civic Site

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) will conduct a public disposition hearing regarding the Chevy Chase Civic Site to get community input on the proposed use of the site. The hearing will be held on Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Chevy Chase Community Center Auditorium, 5601 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20015. The public hearing will be held in-person, or residents can attend online for those who wish to attend virtually. Presentations will be recorded. The recording will be posted to the project website.

The purpose of the disposition hearing is for DMPED to receive public comment. Residents will be able to engage directly during the open house and can ask questions. Attendees will then be able to offer comment during the public forum which follows the open house portion. In addition, residents can offer written comment during the time the record is open for sixty days after the hearing until May 28. Comments can be emailed to daniel.lyons@dc.gov, or mailed to:

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 317

Washington, DC 20004

Attention: Daniel Lyons

Doors will open at 8:30 am, and the event will start at 9:00 with an introduction and welcome. Then presentations will happen, followed by an open house in the afternoon, and later around 3:00 pm, a public forum.

• 8:30 am: Doors open
• 9:00 am: Event Start
• 9:25: Presentations
• 2:00 pm: Open House
• 3:00 pm Public Forum

Please note exact times may vary. Contact Daniel Lyons at (202) 445-9765 or daniel.lyons@dc.gov if you have questions.

LGBTQ+ Small Business Survey

In May and June of 2025, the District will be hosting World Pride, with an estimated three million regional, national, and international guests. Given the District's commitment to our small businesses, we want to make sure that World Pride attendees know how and where to support locally-owned, LGBTQ-owned businesses. The Food Policy team at the Office of Planning, the Mayor's Office on LGBTQ Affairs, and the Department of Small and Local Business Development are creating a map of food, fashion, art, and other retail businesses owned by the LGBTQ+ community. This map is exclusively opt in, so any LGBTQ-identifying business owners and artists can reply to this survey. The deadline is March 31.

Weigh In on Improvements to Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway

To enhance safety and improve operations, the National Park Service (NPS) is developing a Multimodal Safety and Operational Improvements Plan. NPS values community involvement in shaping this project and residents are encouraged to attend a virtual public scoping meeting on April 2, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, to learn about the project. Residents are also invited to submit written comments either online or by mail during the 30-day public comment period from April 2 to May 2. Visit the NPS site to submit online comments, or mail them to:

Superintendent 

Rock Creek Park 

Attn: RCPP Multimodal 

3545 Williamsburg Lane NW 

Washington, DC 20008 

New Online Catalog Coming to DC Libraries in April

On April 16, DC Public Library (DCPL) will transition to a new online catalog with an updated look and feel, as well as enhanced features, offering a streamlined search experience and improved access to DCPL’s collection.

To accommodate the transition, the current online catalog will be offline on April 14 and 15. While you may browse DCPL’s collection online and in the DC Public Library app, you will not be able to place holds on physical materials. Residents can still visit one of DCPL’s branches in-person to check something out during that time. This offline period will only affect physical materials and not online resources such as Libby/Overdrive, Kanopy, PressReader, etc.

For more information and a full FAQ about the upcoming catalog transition, please visit DCPL’s website. 

DC Health Link Federal Workers Event and Small Business Summit

DC Health Link will host a pop-up event at the Cleveland Park Library at 3310 Connecticut Ave NW on April 18 from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm to help impacted federal workers enroll in quality, affordable, health insurance.

DC Health Link will host its annual POWERUP DC Small Business Summit on May 6 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. This year’s collaborative summit is themed, “Empowering Small Business for Success in a Changing Landscape” and will feature workshops, funding sources, access to capital and procurement opportunities, tools for self-employment, networking and one-on-one consultation with business experts, an award luncheon, and business expo. 

Learn more at dchealthlink.com.

Construction Trades Hub at Phelps ACE High School

DCPS is expanding opportunities for students to take courses in the construction trades. Phelps ACE High School will serve as a Construction Trades training hub for DCPS students. Rising 11th grade students from other DCPS schools who are interested in enrolling in one of the trades programs will have the opportunity to do so at Phelps with up to 10 spots in each construction pathway available. This is a pilot program and DCPS hopes to expand the availability to more students in the future. Interested students should complete the Interest Form by May 1, 2025.

Resources for Recently Unemployed Residents

New Public Service Career Hub Site

The DC government recently launched a new website, Fedsupport.dc.gov, which includes information on unemployment insurance and how to apply, resources for job seekers federal employment guidance, and DC government opportunities.

Unemployment Insurance and Career Support

The District’s Unemployment Insurance program provides temporary financial assistance to qualified individuals who meet the eligibility requirements of the District of Columbia. To receive unemployment insurance, you must meet the following criteria: 

1. Be unemployed through no fault of your own 
2. Be able, available, and actively looking for work  
3. Have earned enough wages to file a claim 

• Apply for unemployment benefits from the Office of Unemployment Compensation 
• Ten things you should know about the Unemployment Insurance System 

If you have any questions or need further assistance applying for unemployment insurance, contact DOES by phone at 202-724-7000.

These career support programs, offered by the Department of Employment Services and non-profit partners, provide job seekers support on their career journey:

• Wider Circle Career Support 
• DC Infrastructure Academy 
• Apprenticeship DC 

Apply For Health Insurance

If you are a DC resident and lost your federal job and health care coverage, you can enroll in a DC Health Link health insurance plan. Residents seeking more information about health insurance options can visit DC Health Link for more information. 

Help for Homeowners

DC homeowners can access free foreclosure prevention counseling to get help if you are worried about paying your mortgage, are behind on your mortgage payments, or are in the process of foreclosure. Learn more at housingetc.org, or call 202-442-7765, or email DISB.mediation@dc.gov.

Resources for Students

All students in kindergarten through twelfth grade are guaranteed a spot in your neighborhood DCPS school. Enroll at enrolldcps.dc.gov. Washington, DC has free pre-K3 and 4. While pre-K is universal, and there are seats for every pre-K student, enrollment is managed via lottery application. Families that want to enter the lottery for a pre-K seat or an out-of-boundary/citywide K-12 seat for either the current or next school year should submit a post-lottery application at myschooldc.org.

Families can access free and low-cost spring and summer programming for kids. Parents can learn more about summer and out-of-school time programming available to DC youth ages 5-21 by visiting learn24.dc.gov.

DCTAG is a federally funded program that pays the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at schools attended by District students. Students are eligible to receive up to $10,000 toward tuition annually at public colleges nationwide and up to $2,500 toward tuition at private colleges in DC and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Interested students can apply for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant through the DC OneApp at dconeapp.dc.gov.

If you cannot make your student loan payments, the Student Loan Ombudsman can help you explore forbearance and deferment options. Make an appointment to talk to someone about forbearances and deferments, call 202-727-8000 or email DCLoanHelp@dc.gov.

Survey

The District Government is conducting a survey to gather insights from

businesses on job openings and workforce needs across DC to help better understand employment trends, support local businesses, and connect job seekers with opportunities. Find the survey at fedsupport.dc.gov.

Hearing the Council Interview

Last week, I appeared on “Hearing the Council” and discussed my work to protect DC's budget and as the new chair of the Committee on Human Services, plus some lighter topics, like which of my colleagues are best suited for snow shoveling, co-teaching, and style tips. Residents can watch it here.

District Hiring Event

On March 14, I went to Gallaudet University for a job fair the District organized for workers recently impacted by job loss, including federal workers. Many DC agencies and businesses were there, all looking for talent and trying to help address a very challenging time for many of our residents. It is a terrible shame that we have to deal with these issues, but I am proud of the way the DC government and residents have rallied to protect the interests of the District and its residents.

Events on Improving Early Education

I was glad to attend two events this weekend focusing on improving education for our youngest residents. Empower Ed DC hosted a very informative summit where we discussed strategies on retaining Pre-K teachers.

I also spoke at a town hall on childcare at Petworth Library, where I discussed the importance of protecting the District’s budget and funding for critical programs for DC families and educators. Thanks to my Council colleagues, councilmembers Janeese Lewis George and Christina Henderson who also spoke at the town hall.

Upcoming Advisory Neighborhood Commission Meetings

ANC3A: Tuesday, April 15, 7:00 pm, McLean Gardens Ballroom & Zoom 

ANC3B: Thursday, April 10, 7:00 pm, Zoom

ANC3C: Monday, April 21, 7:00 pm, Zoom 

ANC3D: Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 pm, Zoom 

ANC3E: Thursday, April 10, 7:30 pm, Zoom 

ANC3F: Tuesday, April 15, 7:00 pm, Zoom

ANC3/4G: Monday, April 7, 6:30 pm, Zoom

Summer in the City 2025

Learn24’s Summer in the City 2025 will be on Saturday March 29, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at MLK Jr. Memorial Library (901 G ST NW). Explore all of the summer and out-of-school time programming available to DC youth ages 5-21. Families can connect with OST programs, learning experiences, jobs, internships, and more. Visit sitc2025.eventbrite.com for more information.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

202-724-8062