Neighbors,

My recent newsletters have focused on the FY24 budget, evaluating the Mayor's proposal and outlining a path toward achieving a responsible people-first budget. I participated in numerous budget oversight hearings and shared my feedback with agencies, highlighting my priorities for expanding economic opportunity, keeping our communities safe, and fully funding our schools. While my work on the budget continues, I remain committed to ensuring our government programs are serving residents and functioning efficiently.

The DC government needs to get the basics right. Clear communication and accessible, reliable services are critical for a government that serves all our neighbors. This newsletter emphasizes recent successes, including expanded DPR Recreation Center hours, and plans to address current shortcomings like the Wilson Aquatic Center and OSSE School Transportation.

While our goal is reliable services, we do have resources when agencies fall short in supporting residents. One resource is my Ward 3 constituent services team, who act as an agent for neighbors as they seek assistance with DC government services and agencies and address neighborhood concerns. Please contact them here if you need support receiving benefits, navigating agencies, or escalating pressing issues.

In between budget oversight hearings, I have been out in Ward 3 meeting neighbors and hearing their concerns and ideas about the District’s pressing needs. I attended a ribbon cutting for crucial stormwater management infrastructure in Tenleytown and a community listening session with Attorney General Brian Schwalb where we discussed protecting tenants and a comprehensive public safety strategy.

My newsletter is biweekly, so follow me @CMFrumin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more frequent updates.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Councilmember for Ward 3

When we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding in 2026, we must center DC and its culture in the festivities. To realize this goal, I introduced the Planning for the 250th Anniversary of the Nation’s Founding Resolution to urge the Mayor to establish an America250 Commission for the District of Columbia. The Council unanimously passed my resolution on April 4, and I will continue to work with Mayor Bowser to establish a DC250 Commission that ensures celebrations recognize DC as more than just the nation’s capital. The future DC250 commission will elevate our diverse stories and culture and show that we are leading the nation in building a more equitable, inclusive city. DC’s story is America’s story, and I look forward to celebrations on July 4, 2026 that embrace an honest, inclusive history of the nation’s founding and the District’s role in the American experiment.

Persistent bus delays have disrupted families’ school routines since January, leading to preventable absences and exacerbated learning difficulties. These delays primarily impact students with disabilities and their families. Parents and caregivers often wait hours for the bus to arrive, leading to lost wages and significant financial impacts. While we have seen marginal success in preventing delays, after five months OSSE is not adequately providing special education students the transportation they are entitled to.

While reimbursement for self-travel and ride-share commutes after routine service delays is available, the process is tiresome and requires families to front the costs. This system is inequitable, forcing families to incur heavy costs to transport their children to school and then wait months for reimbursement. This is especially difficult for families that are housing insecure and cannot reasonably be expected to be able to front the costs. Additionally, forcing parents to rely on ride-share is unacceptable when many children are too young to be placed in ride-share vehicles alone.

Addressing these bus delays is a top priority that I raise in every meeting with OSSE. I’m glad that OSSE is in the process of implementing software that will support bus tracking, and I expect future driver and attendant contracts to mandate clear communication with parents and schools.

As these delays continue, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed FY24 budget slashes the OSSE Special Education Transportation budget, cutting almost 100 full time employees from the Parent Resource Center, Routing and Scheduling, and Terminal Operations. I am seeking justification for these extreme cuts from Superintendent Grant at a time when delays remain frequent. I will advocate for providing OSSE the resources it needs to rectify these issues and reliably transport children to school.

My last newsletter outlined the Departments of General Services and Parks and Recreation’s failure to reopen the Wilson Aquatic Center in a timely manner. After I urged leaders of both departments to implement short-term repairs to address issues with humidity and ventilation, reopening is finally in sight.

DGS recently installed temporary HVAC units to address ventilation problems inside the facility. Following health and safety inspections, the aquatic center will be able to re-open, hopefully within the next three weeks. If the temporary units do not last as an interim solution, the aquatic center may need to close again.

Unfortunately, the Wilson Aquatic Center’s permanent HVAC system is compromised and will require a full replacement soon. DGS recently awarded a contract for the project and the necessary parts can be ordered once plans are approved. There is a nine-month lead time for the HVAC parts.

While the short-term fix is promising and a long-term solution is in the works, inadequate interagency collaboration continues to hinder facility maintenance across the District. I pressed the DPR and DGS directors about the Wilson Aquatic Center closure and delayed repair at recent budget oversight hearings, and I continue to push for proactive planning to avoid similar delays in the future.

ParkDC

The 2020 Annual Visitor Parking Passes will expire on April 15. The District Department of Transportation implemented a new system, accessible on the web and mobile app, to manage parking permits for visitors, home health aides, and contractors. The DC government will no longer offer a mailed paper Annual Visitor Parking Pass or the Temporary (15-day) Parking Permits from MPD. Beginning April 16, residents on RPP blocks must obtain visitor parking permits through the ParkDC system or by calling (202) 671-2631. Click here to access ParkDC.

Two types of visitor parking passes are available to residents:

Government services should be accessible to all DC residents, but I have heard from seniors and neighbors without internet access that DDOT’s online only system is difficult to use. As users must have printer access to print their permit, I encourage neighbors seeking to print their visitor pass to take advantage of the DC Public Library’s free computer and printing services. In addition to calling (202) 671-2631, residents can reach out to my constituent services team at (202) 724-8062 for assistance in obtaining visitor parking passes.

Expanded DPR Recreation Center Hours

I co-introduced Councilmember Charles Allen’s DPR Hours Expansion Amendment Act in February, which would have made our recreation programming better reflect the needs of all residents, especially teenagers. Mayor Muriel Bowser heard our advice. The Department of Parks and Recreation is expanding hours at recreation centers, which will meet growing demand for unprogrammed usage of gyms, fitness centers, and eGaming lounges. Forty-five recreation centers will expand their hours by April 24. To view all DPR recreation and community centers and their updated hours, visit dpr.dc.gov/reccenters.

Electronics Collection

On Sunday, April 23, Reverse Logistics Group will host a free e-waste collection event at the Palisades Farmer’s Market from 9 am – 1 pm. Residents can recycle televisions, computers, printers, and more. For a full list of accepted items and upcoming e-waste collection events, visit www.rev-log.com/dcecycling. Residents who cannot attend the e-waste collection event can bring their electronics to the Benning Road Transfer Station for recycling.

Medicaid Renewal

In the next 14 months, the Department of Health Care Finance will conduct its “Medicaid Restart,” redetermining the eligibility of every individual enrolled in Medicaid. In preparation for the upcoming renewal, Medicaid beneficiaries should update their contact information in the District Direct web portal. If beneficiaries do not have the proper contact information, they may not receive notice when it is time for them to apply for coverage renewal. After updating contact information, beneficiaries should receive a letter about their coverage qualification and the renewal process. Renewal applications can be completed online, via mobile app, by fax or mail, or in person. Learn more here.

Office of the Tenant Advocate Support

The Office of the Tenant Advocate is an excellent resource for advice and support regarding landlord disputes, tenant rights, and financial assistance for displaced tenants. Due to the lapse in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding and pending rent increases for rent-stabilized units, OTA is currently receiving a high call volume. As a result, many calls are going to voicemail. Callers should rest assured that OTA is returning calls promptly for triage intake before referring the caller to a case management specialist or attorney. Residents can also use the Ask the Chief Tenant Advocate form to share their request but should only use one method to contact OTA.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

(202) 724-8062