It’s 53 days until election day and most of you have probably made up your minds about whom you will vote in the general election. However, when it comes to local elections, most people have no idea how their District, Ward or advisory neighborhood commissions are divided or affect them. Local outlets such as Greater Greater Washington do a good job of bringing hyperlocal politics news, and reasons why you should run for these nonpartisan offices. OpenANC allows you to learn more about your own single-member district, so you know the names of the people in the race. As is now a tradition, The Hill is Home is publishing candidate statements in the order in which we’ve received them, so you know a little more about the people running and don’t go into the voting booth (or mail-in ballot) blind. –Maria Helena Carey
Statement by Robb Dooling, ANC 6A06
Our H Street Corridor deserves affordable housing, walkability, and climate justice. My name is Robb Dooling and I am running for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner 6A06. This area is bounded by Florida Ave NE on the north, 13th St NE on the west, E/Isherwood St NE on the south, and 16th/Gales/15th St NE on the east.
Affordable housing is a human right. Our neighbors and small businesses of all stripes are struggling to afford this area. We must act to end displacement and homelessness in our neighborhood, including by expanding DC’s rent control law beyond the currently shrinking scope where anything built after 1975 is exempt. The DC Council also started property tax abatement programs to help keep minority-owned businesses in place, and I want to help champion that for H Street NE. I also aim to help end homelessness with greater investment in permanent supportive housing.
I also want to bring to H Street my experience as a former ANC 6C06 (NoMa) commissioner. I successfully negotiated with developers seeking to build in NoMa and DC agencies to require more housing units reserved for families making less than area median income and establish more green spaces. I am particularly excited about making our neighborhood more livable with safe and welcoming public spaces along Florida Ave, H Street, and Maryland Ave. H Street in particular needs “streateries” to allow restaurants more space for outdoor seating.
I also advocate racial, climate, and disability justice. I am Deaf and one of the 25% of Americans who have a disability; and 50% of people killed by police have a disability. I aim to promote Black Lives Matter DC’s progressive public safety policies, namely Southeast DC’s successful violence interruption program and similar public health approaches to crime. I offer climate leadership experience from my time with DC’s Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council (focusing on transit and public spaces for people with disabilities) and Safe Streets for Hill East and Near Northeast: I campaigned for and won a new park, bike lanes, and expanded accessible sidewalks on K St NE as well as the new protected bike lanes on Florida Ave NE. These improvements help neighbors, especially those with disabilities, feel safer using sustainable transportation.
You can visit our new park that I championed (which includes kid-friendly space and American Sign Language art!) at 800 K St NE. On a related note, Mozzeria, the first Deaf-owned and Deaf-operated restaurant in DC, just opened at 1300 H St NE– in ANC 6A06. Disability talent, immigrant talent, and other historically underrepresented talents will be significant in the future of the H Street Corridor. Hopefully, after November 3rd, 13th and H St NE will be one of the most Deaf-talent-powered street corners in the world, with both a Deaf restaurant serving it and a Deaf commissioner representing it. I hope you visit RobbDooling.com and vote for me to help lead the H Street Corridor and our DC.