Dear Neighbors,

As we begin Black History Month, I hope you will join me in celebrating the significant contributions of Black residents in shaping our city’s history and culture. The DC Office of Planning’s Historic Preservation Office recently launched the Black History Sites of DC website, which offers an interactive way to dive into our local stories.

Last week, the Chief Financial Officer and City Administrator presented the Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). While our city remains financially strong, the reality is that the FY25 budget will be challenging, with revenue estimated to grow only 1% between FY22-24 and many important priorities facing the District. I encourage you to view these slides from the presentation to learn more.

Among our priorities is the continued health of our public transportation system. I support the District’s recent commitment to add up to $200 million above the city’s FY24 operating subsidy to help close WMATA’s budget deficit. We cannot allow drastic cuts to our bus and rail system that would affect the everyday quality of life for so many residents, workers, and businesses. Maryland and Virginia have joined the District in making significant contributions, making clear that our public transportation system is vital to the region’s success. At the same time, we must also focus on the long-term picture, which includes a consistent, sustainable funding model for WMATA.

As always, I am committed to making Ward 3 a welcoming, vibrant, diverse, and safe home for all. Soon, we’ll enter budget season, when I will share more about what that looks like for FY25. 

Best,

Matt Frumin

Ward 3 Councilmember

After hours of discussion, the DC Council voted in the first of two readings to approve the Secure DC Omnibus, which covers a range of public safety initiatives. I thank Councilmember Brooke Pinto for her leadership and hard work in introducing this bill. It can be a challenge for everyone to work together, but that is the only way we’re going to solve this District-wide crisis, and Tuesday's work and the effort that led up to it reflects that spirit. I’m confident the Council will continue to refine the bill between now and the second reading toward our shared goal of improving safety and accountability. This legislation is focused heavily on accountability and enforcement. While these are important, we cannot forget another, critical piece: hope and opportunity. We need a holistic approach with investments to ensure all of our residents have a realistic sense of hope in their future. That is a key way to prevent crime. It is that philosophy that inspired my introduction of the Universal Out of School Time Amendment Act, which supports students’ education, safety, and economic opportunity. This week, the Council focused on strengthening accountability and enforcement. In the upcoming budget process, we must be equally committed to creating hope and opportunity. That is the true path to public safety.

The DC Council unanimously passed the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility Act of 2023 (“STEER Act”), which I co-introduced with Councilmembers Charles Allen, Janeese Lewis George, Brianne Nadeau, Christina Henderson, and Kenyan McDuffie. This omnibus traffic safety legislation aims to hold dangerous drivers accountable by strengthening enforcement with several new tools to crack down on excessive speeding:

• Creating a new point system, targeting vehicles with repeat speeding violations
• Installing “speed governors” on the cars of people who commit serious speeding crimes
• Giving the DC Attorney General authority to sue dangerous drivers
• Holding drunk drivers accountable by closing loopholes and fixing agency failures
• Requiring the DMV to create a safe driving class to waive up to $500 in fines/year

The Council also passed the Restaurant Revitalization and Dram Shop Clarification Amendment Act on the first of two votes. This bill achieves important changes regarding liquor liability, and I applaud Councilmember McDuffie for his work in bringing restaurants and trial lawyers together around an approach both parties could support. Restaurants are a vital part of the District’s culture and economy, and it is important we support the businesses and the employees who make them possible. This act was also the first time the Council has addressed service charges (or menu fees), which restaurants can use for base operating costs, as tips for workers, or a combination. Customers must have greater clarity about how an establishment uses the service charges they are paying, and the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of Attorney General of DC agree on this. Before the second reading, I will work with my colleagues to achieve an approach that provides that clarity on what service charges are actually going toward.

I was pleased to honor the late Dr. Brent Blackwelder, one of the District’s most impactful local environmental advocates. A product of Ward 3 schools, Dr. Blackwelder was a critical part of creating the DC Environmental Network, which channels the expertise of national, environmental organizations based in the District to better serve local communities. 

Jackson-Reed High School Assistant Principal Marc Minsker reached out to my office to celebrate Dr. Colin “Topper” Carew, and Tuesday, I was proud to celebrate this man who was responsible for founding the New Thing Art and Architectural Center in Adams Morgan. Students from Jackson-Reed’s Digital Media Academy have been working on an exhibit that documents the revolutionary community arts center, and I hope you’ll visit the Katzen Arts Center at American University when the “New Thing” exhibit opens today, February 8.

DDOT released a Notice of Intent to permanently close the slip lane from Reno Road to 36th Street NW, which operates as a high-speed lane into a residential street and leads to an intersection with an elementary school. View more information here, and submit comments to [email protected] by March 18.

DDOT has also released a Notice of Intent for a speed limit reduction on Nebraska Avenue NW between Macomb Street and Military Road NW. Based on federal guidelines and an analysis of traffic volumes, traffic speed data, crash history, and roadway context, DDOT determined the speed limit on this segment should be reduced from 30 to 25 mph. View more information here, and submit comments to [email protected] by March 13.

The Department of Housing and Community Development invites you to comment on its 2023 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. Review how the District spent federal affordable housing funds and progress made against goals, and submit comments to [email protected] by tomorrow, February 9.

We’re in week four of seven for Performance Oversight Hearings, when the DC Council and public ask questions of District agencies regarding the implementation and execution of programming, relevant legislation, and funded opportunities. I encourage you to look at the calendar and sign up to testify.

Last week’s Mayor-Council Breakfast offered the opportunity for my colleagues and I, along with members of the new Gallery Place/Chinatown Task Force, to discuss the future of downtown. As we look at the current state of our metropolitan core and the future of these neighborhoods, we must think creatively about strengthening the local economy, increasing access to housing, and revitalizing the area as an important economic engine for our city. Learn more about DC’s Comeback and how to get involved.

Thank you to all who joined me and my staff last week for our first Workday in the Ward of 2024, as well as to the city agencies who took part throughout the day. I also extend my sincere thanks to our great hosts at Open City in Woodley Park. Save the date for the next Workday in the Ward on March 28 in Spring Valley. Each month, on the third Thursday, we bring our office to you, spending a full day in a different neighborhood to connect with residents, address your questions and concerns, and link you to critical community and government resources. 

I met with residents, 3/4G-06 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Peter Gosselin, and DDOT Interim Director Sharon Kershbaum last week to learn more about bioretention (also called rain gardens) in Ward 3 neighborhoods. DDOT is planning the Broad Branch and Spring Valley Stormwater Retrofit project to install cost-effective stormwater green infrastructure to improve water quality in the District’s waterways and provide other benefits like traffic calming, reduction in urban heat island effect, and the addition of green space. Visit DDOT’s website to learn more about the effort and submit comments on the interactive map.

The MPD Second District is reviewing video footage of the more than 50 cars that were broken into on January 26 in Woodley Park, where there is now increased patrols. If anyone believes they have additional evidence, they may contact the assigned detective's office at 202-730-1903.

Following the recent snow events in January and the delays caused to trash collection for many neighborhoods, the Department of Public Works will take more proactive measures ahead of future snow events. Focusing on areas that were the biggest concern for ice in January, they will pretreat alleys with brine to minimize the potential obstacles to trash collection before snow.

MPD is expanding its Amazon Lockers Program, adding an additional locker at the Second District, 3320 Idaho Avenue NW. When residents order on Amazon, they can have their items delivered to this locker instead of their front porch. Residential package thefts have been an ongoing nuisance in neighborhoods citywide, with thefts occurring year-round. In 2022, MPD piloted the Amazon Lockers Program, making DC the first city in the nation to install community Amazon lockers outside of police stations.

The MPD Second District and the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force announced a man has been arrested for multiple robberies of Northwest DC businesses. He was charged with robbery offenses in nine incidents.

I am heartbroken to hear the news of Spence Spencer's passing last weekend. He was the driving force behind the founding and continued operation of the Palisades farmers market, the longtime chair of the Fourth of July Parade committee, the president of the PCA, and an ANC commissioner. Spence made a giant contribution to our community and communities around the globe — and always with good cheer and a smile. He will be sorely missed.

Saturday, February 10, take your bulk items and debris to the District’s drop-off at Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connective Avenue NW. The Mayor’s Office of the Clean City will accept items from 10 am to 2 pm.

MPD 2D Community Walks

• PSA 203: 10 am, Saturday, February 10, starting from 3433 Connecticut Avenue NW
• PSA 204: 6 pm, Thursday, February 15, starting from 3000 Connecticut Avenue NW
• PSA 205: 5 pm, Wednesday, February 21, starting from 4850 Massachusetts Avenue NW

ANC Meetings

• ANC3B: 7 pm, Thursday, February 8
• ANC3G: 6 pm, Monday, February 12
• ANC3A: 7 pm, Tuesday, February 20
• ANC3C: 7 pm, Tuesday, February 20
• ANC3F: 7 pm, Tuesday, February 20

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter. If you have thoughts about what else you would like to see in these email updates and our social media, please reach out to my team at [email protected].

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

202-724-8062