November 14, 2024

Dear neighbors,

Monday was Veterans Day, and I would like to start by extending thanks to all Ward 3 and DC residents who served in the armed forces. It is important to support our residents during and after their service, and DC offers many resources for veterans including:

• Office of Veterans Affairs - Located at 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 707 North, their phone number is (202) 724-5454 and their email is ova@dc.gov. Visit their website here.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs DC Vet Center – Located at 1296 Upshur Street NW, the center offers confidential help for veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a non-medical setting. Services include counseling for needs such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). Click here to learn more.
• DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) - Offers services to veterans and eligible spouses for employment, training, and placement. Veterans can contact the Veterans Program Coordinator at (202) 698-5819 for more information. Click here to learn more. 
• National Archives Veterans' Records Service - Veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their military and medical records, including their form DD-214 Report of Separation. Find more information by clicking here.

The powerful new World War I Memorial located downtown on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, between the White House Visitor Center and the Willard Hotel.

On Tuesday this week, the Council approved the Recidivism Reduction, Oversight, and Accountability for DYRS Act, which aims to strengthen independent oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), in a 10-2 vote on its first reading. While I voted in favor of the bill, I highlighted issues I would want addressed before a second reading. As currently written, the bill establishes a permanent oversight entity in the Office of the DC Auditor (ODCA), but I have heard concerns about ODCA’s capacity to take on this responsibility. Also, concerns have been raised about some of the deadlines in the bill. As I said on the dais on Tuesday, I believe this should not be rushed. I met today with the Director of DYRS to discuss his concerns, and I will be working with my Council colleagues, OAG, and DYRS in an effort to address open issues to ensure practical improvements to transparency and accountability at DYRS.

Additionally, the Council unanimously approved legislation to curb illegal dumping. Existing law prohibited dumping but only narrowly defined “solid waste.” The new legislation expands the definition of solid waste to include appliances, furniture, mattresses, shopping carts, and tires.

I was honored to be named by the Federal City Council as co-chair of the DC Neighborhood Parks Project Task Force, which held its first meeting earlier this week. The DC Neighborhood Parks Project is focused on creating a spectacular urban park system that serves the health and recreation needs for all people who live in and visit the District. The task force will work toward realizing two goals set out in Ready2Play, the District’s master plan for parks and recreation facilities: establish a trust or conservancy to better support and manage the District’s parks and pursue a more effective system to reach cooperative agreements or transfers of jurisdiction with NPS. These recommendations will be delivered to the mayor, Council, District agencies, and other partners focused on improving parks and recreation facilities in Washington, DC. I look forward to working with my fellow co-chairs, Anthony Williams, former DC Mayor and Executive Director of the Federal City Council, and Nina Albert, DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

It was a big week in another way for me. I chaired my first Subcommittee Roundtable. The topic is one that has been important to me for over a decade – field permitting, access and capacity. One of my top priorities is to create conditions that can maximize access to sports and recreation opportunities for children and adults. As described more fully below, this week’s roundtable was an extension of that work.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the reality that for 92.5% of DC voters, the outcome of the 2024 election was not the one they wanted. We must respect the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power, whether the candidate we voted for won or not. I also want to be clear that, as Chairman Mendelson said, we will “protect our autonomy, and make sure no one tries to take that away from us.” The right of the people to govern themselves and the jurisdictions in which they live is a fundamental pillar of a democratic republic, and that right includes the citizens of the District of Columbia. We cannot predict what is coming, but I am focused on doing the job I was elected to do and continuing to advance policies to improve education, affordable housing programs, public safety, and more.

In these times that can be so polarizing and discouraging, we can still look for beauty in our world. I want to thank all the people who have planted flowers in various public places in Ward 3. This includes the gorgeous flowers and plants on Connecticut Avenue NW, various residents who planted the garden in the triangle just north of the Woodley Park Metro stop, the sunflowers, cosmos, and morning glories at the corners of Porter and Connecticut, the garden in front of the Avalon Theatre, the median strip on Massachusetts Ave near the Vice President’s residence, and daffodils in front of the former Iranian embassy. Thank you to those dedicated folks, including Cleveland Park Promenade Gardeners group, Henry Docter, Liza Collery, Maria Angeles, Cassandra Hetherington, Kathy Sykes, and anyone who I may have missed. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The earth laughs in flowers,” and these gardens across Ward 3 are certainly bringing smiles to many faces.

Sincerely,

Matt Frumin

Ward 3 Councilmember

The Safety and Operations Committee of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors passed the final 2025 Better Bus Network plan last week. The Better Bus Network plan is the first comprehensive redesign of the Metrobus network since its creation. My office was highly engaged in the process, as residents expressed concerns about potentially losing stops near their homes, their commute to work changing, shortening of routes, and other serious issues that needed to be addressed. WMATA solicited community feedback throughout the process, and I worked with residents, ANCs, and community groups to collect, review, and share feedback with on proposed network revisions. As part of that effort, I hosted a community forum in July with over 130 attendees to give residents an opportunity to hear directly from WMATA officials and express their feedback. WMATA addressed many of the issues raised by Ward 3 residents, including changes to some of the previously proposed routes, stops, and service frequency.  To view the plan, visit: https://bit.ly/bbnplans. Visit WMATA’s YouTube channel to watch a recording of the meeting.

I want to thank the WMATA team for their candor and openness during this process. I also want to thank residents who took time from their busy schedules to provide feedback. The full Metro Executive Board is expected to hold a final vote on the Better Bus Network plan on November 21.

Ensuring residents feel safe in their community is one of my top priorities. As I wrote in my August newsletter, statistics show that crime is down in nearly every measurable category. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story, and many residents don’t feel safer due to troubling crimes that have occurred recently in Ward 3. These include the tragic death of two children, as well as a recent carjacking and burglaries in business districts. Much of the first half of my term has been spent talking with residents about safety concerns in their neighborhoods, and I have worked closely with MPD and my Council colleagues to identify resources and pass legislation to address crime in our city. I voted for both the Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 and the Secure DC Omnibus passed earlier this year, and I supported fully funding MPD’s hiring and retention requests in the current budget. Currently, the Secure Apartments For Everyone (SAFE) Regulation Amendment Act is under consideration, which would mandate safety upgrades, require security assessments and plans, and more.

I believe these are critical conversations that should include all stakeholders in the community, and that is why I am hosting my next Public Safety Forum on Wednesday, November 20, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Attendees will learn more about the District’s initiatives to address crime and safety, as well as trends in our Ward, and have an opportunity to ask questions about public safety efforts to agency leaders from:

• Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
• Office of the Attorney General (OAG)
• Department of Human Services (DHS)
• Office of Unified Communications (OUC)

The public forum will be a hybrid meeting, with two options to attend:

• In-person at the University of the District of Columbia Student Center Ballroom, located at 4200 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008;
• Or online on Zoom – link will be provided with registration.

All participants must register to attend at: https://bit.ly/w3pubsafety. Calendar invitations will be shared upon registration. For questions or more information, email office@mattfruminward3.com or call our office at (202) 724-8062.

On Thursday, November 21, at 10:30 am, the Committee of the Whole (COW) will hold a hearing on legislation I introduced, the “Universal Out-of-School Time Amendment Act of 2023,” as well as general oversight of out-of-school time (OST) programs. My bill would require the District to guarantee access to affordable out-of-school time programming by 2035 for every student in a DC Public School or DC Public Charter School. OST programs in the District provide students with enriching opportunities to learn and grow and are proven to improve school attendance, safety, and economic opportunity. Currently, there are not enough seats to guarantee OST programming is available to every student. We have work to do to meet the need for afterschool and summer programs to achieve universal access, and there is broad support, including in the administration, to meet these needs. My bill offers the city a road map for expanding these critical programs, and I look forward to working with the COW and administration in refining the legislation. For meeting information and to register to testify, visit the Council’s webpage here.

On November 6, I convened a virtual community meeting with DC Water and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) regarding overnight construction work, including water main replacement work on Connecticut Avenue and the Soapstone project in Forest Hills. Residents have expressed serious concerns regarding night work, project timelines, and the lack of communication being given to nearby homes. During the conversation, DC Water and the DDOT reviewed their plans for the ongoing work, addressed community questions, explained the rationale for the approaches taken, and listened to residents’ feedback. Most recently, DC Water informed residents that they will be conducting overnight sewer line work at the 3400 and 3500 blocks of Connecticut Ave NW on Thursday, November 21.

Going forward, DC Water has committed to providing more information and to be available to residents for questions and updates. Residents can contact DC Water Director of Community Affairs Emanuel D. Briggs directly at (202) 787-2003 or at emanuel.briggs@dcwater.com. Residents can request Emanuel add their contact information to DC Water’s distribution list to receive the latest updates.

The meeting recording is available to watch on my YouTube channel at youtube.com/@cmfrumin. I want to thank the representatives from both agencies for their willingness to attend and thank you to the residents who joined for the discussion.

DPR Site Visits Continue

I continued my tours of Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) sites across the city by visiting Turkey Thicket and Brentwood Recreation Center in Ward 5 with Councilmember Zachary Parker and DPR staff. These tours are an effective way for me to see and hear firsthand the needs of facilities and staff members.

Recap of Roundtable on DPR Field Access

Yesterday, as chair of the Subcommittee on Recreation and Community Affairs, I held a public roundtable to discuss permitting, access, use, and capacity of athletic fields owned by the District. Testimony focused on how DPR manages its inventory of athletic fields for those applying for a permit, as well as how permitting factors into the overall use of athletic fields in the District. Major themes from public testimony included identifying areas in need of maintenance and upkeep, underused spaces across the city including the fields at RFK, the need for security but the extremely high cost to cover it, and a lack of clarity on the application preference system. Public testimony offered several interesting solutions that I believe should be explored further, including an Athletics Council (similar to those in Montgomery or Fairfax counties), a one-stop directory of facilities and programs, and requiring rosters to show that participants are District residents as part of the prioritization process.

I want to thank DPR Director Thennie Freeman for testifying at the roundtable. I asked her about the issues residents raised, and DPR committed to follow up on specific needs and questions and expressed interest in exploring further some of the solutions they proposed.

My office will follow up with both DPR and others who testified to resolve pending issues. A recording of the roundtable is available on my YouTube channel at youtube.com/@cmfrumin.

Upcoming Roundtable on NPS Collaboration

On Wednesday, December 4, the Subcommittee will hold a public roundtable on the District’s parks and opportunities to collaborate with the National Park Service to ensure equitable use of, and access to, locally and federally managed parks in the District. Register to testify in person at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Hearings/hearings/573 by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26. Those who want to submit written testimony are also invited to do so. The record will close at 5:00 pm on December 11, 2024.

Residents can find more information about the Subcommittee on Recreation & Community Affairs on my website at https://mattfruminward3.com/committee/. For questions, contact Joe Dweck, Legislative Assistant, at jdweck@dccouncil.gov.

Register For DPR Winter Programs

Registration is open for DPR Winter programs for all ages, from yoga, soccer, to water aerobics, and more! Go to http://DPRprograms.com to learn more and sign up.  

Changes To Animal Control in the District

On November 8, DC Health announced the agency has entered into a partnership with Brandywine Valley SPCA (BVSPCA) to deliver animal services in the District. A temporary shelter will be set up to accommodate overflow from the existing New York Avenue facility while DC Health identifies a location for a permanent animal shelter. To learn more, click here.

Winter Weather Resources For Residents

The Public Service Commission (DCPSC) Winter Ready DC campaign hosts events across the city to prepare residents and businesses for winter by offering home weatherization items (while supplies last), information on utility assistance programs, and resources on how to cut energy cost throughout the colder months. The Ward 3 activation will take place on December 19 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Tenley-Friendship Library. Learn more here.

Remember, when it gets cold, DC will issue Hypothermia Alerts. Check on unsheltered neighbors, seniors, and vulnerable individuals. If you see someone in need of shelter, call: 202-399-7093 or 311, and call 911 if there’s an immediate safety risk. Residents can visit www.cold.dc.gov for more resources.

Sign up for free email and/or text alerts at alert.dc.gov, and/or follow @DCHumanServ, and @AlertDC on social media.

DDOT Road Work on Massachusetts Ave NW

This week, DDOT sent several notices to the community on recent projects:

DDOT began roadway maintenance this week that includes asphalt work on Massachusetts Avenue NW from 50th Street NW to Westmoreland Circle NW. The roadway project is anticipated to be completed by Friday, December 6, 2024. Temporary lane closures are to be expected with one travel lane remaining open. The contractor is authorized to work Monday through Friday, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, and may potentially work Saturday during the day with prior DDOT approval. Adjacent curbside parking may be restricted during the repair work. If so, Emergency No Parking signs will be posted at least 72 hours in advance. Traffic control will be in place and flaggers will be available to manage traffic and arrow boards will be utilized, as necessary.

DDOT is scheduled to begin sidewalk work on Wisconsin Avenue NW from Edmunds Street NW to Fulton Street NW on or about Wednesday, November 20, 2024, weather permitting. The sidewalk project is anticipated to be completed by Friday, December 20, 2024. DDOT is also scheduled to begin sidewalk work on Nebraska Avenue NW from Macomb Street NW to Newark Street NW/Rockwood Parkway NW starting on or about Friday, November 22, 2024, weather permitting. The sidewalk project is anticipated to be completed by Friday, December 20, 2024. For both of these sidewalk projects, parking lane closures are expected where work is occurring. The contractor is authorized to work Monday through Friday, (daytime) from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The contractor may work Saturdays (daytime) with prior DDOT approval.

For questions or concerns, residents can contact the project Engineer at Victor.nwabueze@dc.gov.

Share Your Comments on DC Water's Piney Branch Tunnel Project Environmental Assessment

The National Park Service (NPS) and DC Water have released he Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Piney Branch Tunnel Project. Residents can review the assessment and comment online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/dcPineyBranch. According to DC Water and NPS, this project will improve water quality by reducing pollution in Piney Branch, Rock Creek, and downstream areas including the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. The deadline to submit comments is December 6.

Leaf Collection Season and DPW Contacts

Leaf collection season has begun! The first pass for Leaf Collection in Section B began on Monday, November 11.  When it is your section’s turn, have your leaves raked to the tree box or curbside before the collection window. Visit https://dpw.dc.gov/leaf to learn about leaf collection, find your section, and see when collection will be in your neighborhood. Residents can also view the real-time leaf collection tracker, and download the MyDPW App for leaf collection updates. A reminder that DPW launched the Unified Communication Center (UCC), and residents can reach out directly to DPW’s UCC for customer service needs:

• UCC Phone: (202) 673-6833 (Mon – Fri) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm 
• Central Email: dpw@dc.gov. 

Registration Now Required for DPW Special Waste Collection Events

DPW Special Waste Collection Events for safe disposal and recycling of household hazardous waste, electronics, and secure document shredding are hosted twice quarterly. To accommodate everyone in a safe and timely manner, DPW is now requiring registration to participate in the Special Waste Collection Events. Residents are now asked to sign up for a 15-minute entry slot for arrival and a DPW staff member will provide help. Only one ticket is required per vehicle. No entry will be allowed after 2:00 pm. Please bring proof of residency (e.g. driver's license, utility bill, lease agreement) and Eventbrite registration. No commercial waste will be allowed. View upcoming dates and register at tinyurl.com/hhw-register. For more information on residential special waste, visit the District's Zero Waste.

Murch Elementary Democracy Day

I had the pleasure of speaking with third graders at Murch Elementary on November 1 to kick off their Democracy Day events. Students who have been studying democracy in social studies invited members of our community to share their contributions and work with democracy in their everyday lives. The students had excellent questions about my work on the Council and how I got involved in politics. After I spoke, students headed into rotations around the school to hear from different community members working in other areas of government. It was a great learning experience for kids during the election season. Thanks to Murch for having me!

Election Eve Visit with Scout Troop

It was a special treat for me to spend the evening before the election with the bright young ladies of the Webelo Den from the Pack 100 Scouts, talking about how elections work and the importance of engaging to make a difference. It is difficult not to have hope for America after such a conversation, and it was a reminder of our critical responsibility to future generations.

Upcoming Advisory Neighborhood Commission Meetings

ANC3A: Wednesday, December 17, 7 pm, at the McLean Gardens Ballroom & Zoom 

ANC3B: Thursday, November 14, 7 pm, Zoom

ANC3C: Monday, November 18, 7 pm, Zoom 

ANC3D: Wednesday, December 4, 7 pm, Zoom    

ANC3E: Wednesday, December 12, 7:30 pm, Zoom 

ANC3F: Tuesday, November 19, 7 pm, Zoom  

ANC3/4G: Monday, November 25, 7 pm, at Chevy Chase Community Center & Zoom

Chevy Chase First Fridays

The next First Friday event in Chevy Chase is December 7, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. For more details, visit the event page here.

Upcoming Cleveland Park Plogging & Night Market Events

Join Cleveland Park Main Street for plogging on Saturday, November 16, at 3:30 pm. Plogging is picking up litter while walking briskly or jogging to clean up litter while getting exercise. Attendees can meet at the corner of Connecticut Ave and Porter St outside of GW Urgent Care. Please bring a trash bag and gloves.

Also, the next Cleveland Park Night Market featuring local artisans and makers and extended shopping hours will be November 21, from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

See the Cleveland Park Main Street webpage for more information.

MPD's Next Coffee With A Cop

MPD's 2nd District's next Coffee With A Cop will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm at Target at 4500 Wisconsin Ave NW. This is an opportunity to District residents to meet with officers, ask questions, and learn about ongoing public safety efforts. For more information, contact Kyi Branch at kyi.branch@dc.gov.

Save the Date For EdFEST 2024

Save the date and join My School DC at this year’s EdFEST events. With the My School DC lottery application opening on December 16, 2024, for the 2025-26 school year, EdFEST is a great opportunity to check out the District’s diverse school options and discover the school that is the best fit for your child. This year’s events include:

• Schools serving grades 9 to 12: Saturday, December 7, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, at Eastern High School

• Schools serving PK3 to Grade 8: Saturday, December 14, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, at the DC Armory

The events will offer language support services in American Sign Language, Spanish, Amharic, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and French. For more information and to register for this free event, visit MySchoolDC.org.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

202-724-8062