We periodically share updates from your ANC commissioners, edited for brevity and clarity. Although these are most pertinent to particular single member districts (SMDs), the information shared is of interest to the whole Capitol Hill community. Are you an ANC commissioner who shares regular updates? Add thehillishome@gmail.com to your distribution list, please! –María Helena Carey and Kate McFadden
From Amber Gove, ANC 6A04
Concert in the Park. If the rain holds off, the 257th Army Band will be playing tonight starting at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Park. Bring a chair/blanket and enjoy the last in their series entitled “Of the People, For the People.” Check their Facebook page for weather updates.
Maury Ribbon Cutting and first day of school, Aug 26. Construction is almost over (finally!). The first day of school will include a ribbon-cutting event at 10 a.m. organized by the Mayor’s office (so expect extra traffic). Please allow extra time for everyone making their way to all of our neighborhood schools. There are some changes to drop-off patterns (including a “kiss-and-drop” at the new main entrance on Constitution), so please be alert. Thanks to all you for your patience during the nearly two years of construction.
Community impact statement. I am preparing a statement for consideration in the sentencing of the driver that killed Dave Salovesh. On April 19, Mr. Salovesh was waiting at a red light at Florida and 12th NE on his bike when a driver crashed into him. The site where he was killed is the precise location where in 2016 our Commission asked DDOT for traffic calming measures. It is also the same location where Ruby Whitfield was killed crossing the street in 2013. You can read more about Mr. Salovesh here and here. Please send me any comments you might have to help inform my statement.
Transportation and Public Space meets Monday Aug 19, 7 p.m. at Capitol Towers/900 G St NE. Agenda includes discussion of a proposal to close the 800-1000 blocks of East Capitol St to (moving) vehicles from 5-9 p.m. on Halloween (parked cars could remain in place). Can’t attend the meeting? Please mail us your thoughts (AmberANC6A@gmail.com and MikeANC6A03@gmail.com).
From Denise Krepp, ANC 6B10
The following is a quick update on the following items,
- Community Action Group Cookout – August 17th
- Reservation 13
- RFK Stadium Request for Information
- Sexual Harassment in DC Schools
- Crime
Community Action Group Friends and Family Cookout – August 17thThe 19th annual cookout will be on Saturday, August 17th, 12-5pm, at the Harold J. Gordon Building, 124 15th Street. SE.
Reservation 13 The Hilleast Taskforce will host a meeting in September to receive an update on construction on Reservation 13. Chris Donatelli shared at the last meeting that he is considering managing the property. Mr. Donatelli manages another property in Ward 7 and Mitch Ryals (Washington City Paper) recently wrote about the property.
RFK Stadium Request for InformationMayor Bowser renominated Max Brown to be Chairman, Board of Directors for Events DC. Councilmember Grosso will be holding Mr. Brown’s nomination hearing in September. In advance of that hearing, I’ve request all correspondence, including but not limited to, electronic and written between Max Brown and Mayor Bowser, DC Councilmembers, employees of DC government agencies, EventsDC employees, and other individuals, including but not limited to the Washington Redskins football team and their subsidiaries concerning RFK Stadium and the surrounding area.
I’ve asked that this information be shared with Commissioner Blair, Commissioner Alcorn, Councilmember Grosso, and Councilmember Nadeau, and I will share it with you when I receive it.
Sexual Harassment, Assault, and Abuse in DC SchoolsOn June 24, 58 ANC and State Board of Education representatives sent a letter to Mayor Bowser asking for information regarding sexual abuse, harassment and assault, and abuse in DC schools. I’ve attached the June 24th letter and the city’s response.
The following is a summary of the meeting I had with the Deputy Mayor on Friday:
Sexual Harassment Statistics – The information the Deputy Mayor provided on page 4 of the August 8, 2019 letter covers January 2018 through August 2019. The Deputy Mayor does not have DC Public School data re sexual harassment, abuse, and assaults prior to January 2018.
Charter and Private Schools – The Deputy Mayor does not have information regarding sexual harassment, abuse, and assaults at charter and private schools in DC. I asked if he was concerned about the 40 incidents of sexual misconduct at Monument Academy as reported by Perry Stein and he refused to respond to the question.
Substantiated Sexual Harassment But Still Employed – The Deputy Mayor shared that it was not reasonable for me to ask why individuals whom DCPS has found to sexually harass others are still employed by DCPS.
Corrective Action – The Deputy Mayor do not know if “corrective action” is formally defined in written policy. Nor, do you know if this information has been shared with teachers and parents.
Unsubstantiated Claims – The Deputy Mayor refused to share information on where these claims were filed.
Substantiated Claims – The Deputy Mayor will be talking with DCPS General Counsel to determine if you can share where these claims were filed.
Roosevelt High School – I asked if the lawsuit against the Roosevelt High School principal as reported by multiple news sources was included in the August 8, 2019 letter. The Deputy Mayor declined to respond.
Crime I’ve attached an updated list of crime that has occurred in ANC6B10.
From Kirsten Oldenburg, ANC 6B04
INSTALLATION OF RESIDENT ONLY SIGNS in ANC 6B04
DDOT is in the process of installing red and white “resident only” RPP signs on specific blocks within the borders of my SMD 6B04. Ultimately, all but a few residential blocks within 6B04 will have Resident Only RPP. This is the result of my work with residents in 2018 that culminated in a Resolution to Request Resident Only Permit Parking in ANC 6B04, which the full ANC voted to support. The Resolution is available here and a map of 6B04 is here.
Unfortunately, many of the new red and white signs are being incorrectly installed on BOTH sides of the street. DDOT should be installing Resident Only signs on one side, leaving the green and white signs in place on the other side. This is to enable vehicles without Zone 6 stickers to park for up to two hours on any block. I am working with DDOT to put the green and white signs back.
TYLER ELEMENTARY STAFF PARKING
For at least the balance of 2019, the Tyler parking lot may be unavailable for staff to use because of construction of a new playground. Tyler has set up a Adopt a Teacher Parking Pass Drive, reaching out to the community to ask for the loan of residents’ 2019 annual visitor parking passes. If you wish to participate, simply drop off your pass at the Tyler Main Office (10th & G SE), starting August 12.
For the future, I’ve been talking with Tyler staff and parents on establishing a School Parking Zone program under legislation passed by the DC Council in 2018. DDOT has not yet set up this program and doesn’t expect to do so until sometime in 2020. So, the extent of any background info is the legislation and D.C. Act 22-539 is available here.
FYI, the application process for 2020 passes will probably be open sometime in November at this site https://vpp.ddot.dc.gov/vpp/
CRIME REPORT FOR JULY 2019
One word: Robberies. There was an usually high number (15) on the SE side of Capitol Hill in July. This is double the average/month incidents in the first half of the year. (View the graph on the 2019 CH VCs tab on my July Excel file.) Fortunately, only 3 of the 15 involved guns. But, another 2 involved knives. Most of the robberies occurred in the late afternoon through very early morning hours.
Here are tips on preventing yourself from being a victim of a robbery.
Otherwise, the overall number of reports in July was lower than in June within PSA 106, 107, and 108 and within the borders of ANC6B. Here’s a brief summary:
PSA 106—Total reports in July (86) vs 104 in June. While the total number of violent crimes rose from 7 to 12, burglaries, thefts, thefts from auto, and stolen autos declined. And, there were no homicides in July compared with 2 in June.
PSA 107—There were 60 crimes reported in July vs 71 in June. Again, the decrease came about despite a rise in violent crimes from 4 to 7 as burglaries, thefts, thefts from auto, and stolen autos declined.
PSA 108—Burglaries declined from 5 in June to 1 in July. This helped to the total crime reports to decrease from 48 in June to 43 in July despite a slight rise in stolen autos. (Note that PSA 108 covers areas of Capitol Hill in NE only so its monthly results to not appear in my CH VCs tallies.)
Bottom line: While our neighborhood was spared during July, other neighborhoods suffered from 20 homicides recorded in the District during that period.
UPDATE ON EMMP
The DDOT Public Space Committee has agreed to delay its review of the Eastern Market Metro Park plans until late September. Thus, the plans will be on the ANC6B September agenda for review and a vote. However, I still don’t know when the transportation study will be available for review.
NEXT ON THE STREETS?
DDOT has announced a 4-month demonstration project to add shared motor-driven cycles to the mix. Info here.
NEW PILOT PROJECT ON 400 BLOCK OF 8TH SE
Barracks Row Main Street has announced the initiation of a pilot project along both sides of the 400 block of 8th Street SE. In addition to new planters and plantings in tree boxes, there will be additional Clean Teams providing coverage 12 hours per day and a social worker will provide services to those in need who congregate on the block. Unfortunately, full info on this project is not yet available on the Barracks Row website. But, I can forward the BRMS email detailing it if you wish.