Neighbors,

Our next Workday in the Ward will be at Black Coffee in Palisades on Sunday, December 3rd, running from 8 am to 2 pm. Join us to learn about my recent Council efforts, meet our agency partners, and show support for small business in Palisades. My team and I will be available to meet with you, address your questions, and connect you to helpful community resources. This is a great opportunity for residents to connect with our Ward 3 community.

We’ll be joined by representatives from the Metropolitan Police Department, including new MPD 2nd District Commander Savoy, the Office of the Attorney General, Department of Buildings, Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, and Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services. I will be present at points throughout the day, including for Coffee with the Councilmember from 8 to 10 am.

This edition of my newsletter includes information about my work to support public safety, protect tenants, and create abundant housing in Ward 3. My newsletter is biweekly, so follow me @CMFrumin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more frequent updates.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Councilmember for Ward 3

On November 29, the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety held a hearing on the Addressing Crime Trends (ACT) Now Amendment Act of 2023, a proposal from Mayor Muriel Bowser to address the District’s public safety crisis. The hearing provided an opportunity to hear directly from government leaders, advocates, and experts about meaningful solutions to improve safety in our city. I am still evaluating the ACT Now legislation and have met with several stakeholders and MPD Chief Pamela Smith about the proposal in recent weeks. I believe that the District must pursue a data-driven solution to this crisis that involves both strengthening accountability and prioritizing prevention. Ward 3 residents have clearly shared their desire to see the District take action, and I will support responsible, proven solutions.

This year, I have co-introduced:

• B25-0245: Establishment of Reasonable Controls for the Firearm Industry Am. Act, to hold firearm industry members accountable for harms caused by the manufacture or sale of a firearm-related products that are abnormally dangerous or likely to create an unreasonable risk of harm to public health and safety in the District.
• B25-0292: Compensation and Development of Extraordinary Trainees (CADET) Am. Act, to strengthen the cadet program by increasing pay and facilitating a pipeline of young District residents to become officers.
• B25-0343: Private Security Camera System Incentive Program Small Business Expansion Am. Act, to expand rebates to cover security cameras and glass break sensors for small businesses in the District.
• B25-0435: Fraudulent Vehicle Tag Enforcement Am. Act, strengthening restrictions on fraudulent, counterfeit, stolen, or intentionally obscured license plates and empowering the DC Government to tow and hold users and distributors of these tags accountable. These tags are often on vehicles that are used to commit other crimes.
• B25-0483: Safe Commercial Corridors Am. Act, to expand an existing grant program that supports community-driven, evidence-based proposals that respond to hyperlocal public safety needs along commercial corridors.
• B25-0478: Improving Safety and Emergency Response on Transit Corridors Act, to establish a demonstration project focused on improving the safety of transit corridors and public spaces using emergency communication stations and video surveillance technology to improve access to emergency response and identify violators of District law.
• B25-0537: Whole Government Response to Crime Act, to fix gaps in the District’s public safety approach to improve responses to crime, address rising juvenile crime through opportunity and accountability, respond to violence in nightlife corridors, and track where firearms are flowing into the District.

I look forward to these bills continuing to move through the legislative process. I'm confident their enactment will help stem rising crime in the District and ensure our public safety responders have the resources they need to keep residents safe.

The District of Columbia Superior Court recently implemented administrative changes that will ensure landlord-tenant cases involving defendants who pose a significant, immediate health or safety danger are heard more quickly. This action will improve resident safety and provide a timely process for hearing and deciding cases for tenants and landlords. I sent a letter on November 20 to Chief Judge Josey-Herring thanking her for this change and sharing an update on my work to keep tenants safe. Read the full letter here.

Throughout my first year in office, I have met frequently with tenant associations about how increased emergency responses have negatively impacted their lives. I’m working closely with the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Tenant Advocate, tenant associations, and tenant advocacy organizations to address these issues. We must protect tenants’ right to feel safe in their own homes.

In September, I introduced a package of three bills - Addressing Legacies of Housing Segregation in Chevy Chase Amendment Act of 2023, Addressing Legacies of Housing Segregation in Rock Creek West Amendment Act of 2023, and Releasing Restrictive Covenants in Deeds Act of 2023 - to address exclusive and antiquated covenants that run contrary to modern zoning and to create a process to remove outdated, unenforceable demographic-based restrictive covenants from deeds.

The Council Committee of the Whole will hold a hearing on the legislation on Friday, December 8 at noon. Those who wish to testify must register using the Council’s Hearing Management System by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. Testimony is limited to four minutes. If you have additional questions about testifying, please contact Evan Cash, Committee and Legislative Director, at (202) 724-8196 or cow@dccouncil.gov.

In September, I introduced the Addressing Legacies of Housing Segregation in Chevy Chase Amendment Act of 2023 to void as contrary to public policy any pre-1938 covenants prohibiting multi-family housing on Chevy Chase Land Company lots where otherwise allowed by planning and zoning laws. The Council Committee of the Whole will hold a hearing on the legislation, along with my other bills the Addressing Legacies of Housing Segregation in Rock Creek West Amendment Act of 2023 and Releasing Restrictive Covenants in Deeds Act of 2023. The hearing will take place virtually on Friday, December 8 at noon. Those who wish to testify must register using the Council’s Hearing Management System by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. Testimony is limited to four minutes. If you have additional questions about testifying, please contact Evan Cash, Committee and Legislative Director, at (202) 724-8196 or cow@dccouncil.gov.

I hope we can count on you to testify in support of this important legislation to address exclusive and antiquated covenants that run contrary to modern zoning, and to create a process to remove outdated and unenforceable demographic-based restrictive covenants from deeds.

In February, the Council approved a new contract for the Washington Teachers' Union that gave DCPS teachers the backpay, raise, and bonus they had deserved for years. The contract helped support our educators, but our city still has some of the worst teacher retention rates in the country.

It is time for the Washington Teachers' Union and the executive to return to the negotiating table to prevent repeated delays in agreeing on a contract. I recently spoke to DCist about this issue, noting that I have become increasingly impatient for DC Public Schools to begin negotiations. I share WTU members' desire to avoid another years-long negotiation process, and I will work with my Council colleagues to support a fair WTU contract.

Free Covid Tests

District residents can once again pick up free COVID-19 tests at DC Public Libraries across the city. While availability will depend on supply and demand, free test kits are currently available to help residents stop the spread of viruses and keep neighbors safe throughout the holidays. In Ward 3, residents can pick up free test kits at Palisades, Tenley-Friendship, Cleveland Park, and Chevy Chase libraries.

DC Water Lead Pipe Replacement

Each year, DC Water replaces lead service pipes in conjunction with other construction projects. During these projects, lead service pipe replacement is free for all residents regardless of income. DC Water contacts residents directly about this opportunity when eligible. Property owners are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to protect their health and so the entire lead pipe can be replaced at one time.

When no construction is planned, DC Water offers two programs to help customers replace lead service lines. For residents with lead pipe on private property and non-lead pipe in public space, the Lead Pipe Replacement Assistance Program uses District funds to provide a free or discounted replacement. For residents with lead pipe on private property and in public space, residents can enroll in the Voluntary Replacement Program; DC Water pays for work in public space while the property owner pays for work on private property. Click here for more information. Find out if you have lead pipes near your property here.

MPD Digital Engagement Tool

The Metropolitan Police Department recently launched a new customer service digital engagement tool that communicates with crime victims and reporting parties after they file a police report. By providing a phone number or email address to the responding officer, the caller will receive up to three messages with additional follow up about the case.

On November 23, I joined Mayor Bowser and my Council colleagues for Safeway’s Feast of Sharing event. I was glad to share a meal with neighbors before the holiday. The District must continue to address food insecurity, and this was one important way to connect residents to helpful resources.

On November 29, I attended a celebration of the first-ever mural in Cleveland Park at Spices Asian Restaurant. The "Flower Power" mural was painted by neighborhood artist Claire Sharp and adds to the Cleveland Park commercial district's appeal.

On December 1, I joined WMATA at the Tenleytown-AU Metro stop to celebrate completion of its escalator replacement project at the station. The project, which took two years, installed modernized escalators that are more durable and reliable. Supporting Metro is a critical priority for me, especially as it continues to invest in system infrastructure.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

(202) 724-8062