Ward 1 Update: Meet the Chief, SNAP and Worker Benefits & Safer Streets
NEWSLETTER
Thank you to Mr. Simmons who has been operating a street sweeper for 27 yrs(!) for the ride-along. He showed me all his tricks and even let me drive for a little while. As chair of the Public Works & Operations Committee, I’m learning about all the agencies we oversee.
Hello Neighbors:
There’s much to cheer in Council news over the past few weeks, including a restoration of increased benefits to SNAP recipients and “excluded workers,” who did not receive the last round of pandemic relief and will now get checks of around $1,000 each.
The Council unanimously passed legislation I introduced that will eliminate unnecessarily long waiting periods to file for divorce, which are particularly harmful to survivors of domestic violence who are filing for divorce. District law should not be the thing holding people back from leaving abusive relationships.
The Committee on Public Works and Operations, which I chair, heard legislation proposed by Councilmember Zachary Parker to create a Black Queer History Commission to document DC's Black LGBTQIA+ history. Our beloved Chocolate City was the birthplace of Black Pride and is a microcosm of national movements, local experiences, and international attention.
Public safety and the increase in violent crime, continue to take a substantial portion of my attention this year. Councilmembers Brooke Pinto and Robert White have put forward public safety proposals in recent weeks; my bill to increase recruitment of cadets, and more are on the table. Councilmember Pinto, who chairs the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, is conducting public safety walks in all eight wards and I joined her this afternoon for one in the area near the Howard Theatre. (Funds that I allocated in the budget for substance use disorder and behavioral health services in the vicinity of the 600 block of T St. kicked in on October 1.)
On a tour of the District’s crime lab, the director of the Department of Forensic Sciences informed me that they had recently applied for reaccreditation for two of the lab’s five units and they intend to file for a third in the spring. The lack of an accredited lab is partly responsible for the very low rate of cases being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office – only one in three – so this is a long-overdue critical step in the right direction.
I’ve arranged with Acting Police Chief Pamela Smith to have her meet and speak with Ward 1 residents at a meeting on November 28, 6:30-8 pm. We’re still working out details and will publicize the meeting in this newsletter, on social media, and on my website.
My committee and the Transportation and Environment Committee jointly took up four bills last week, all focused on accountability for drivers, including one that I introduced which cracks down on fake and temporary license plates (tags). Dangerous drivers – even those who pay their fines – should not be allowed to offend over and over, and there is often a correlation between dangerous driving and other illegal behaviors.
Finally, I hope you’ll come out to speak with me at my next Brianne on Your Block, next Thursday, Oct. 19, from 6-8 pm at Don Juan Restaurant, 1660 Lamont St. NW. This is a chance to meet one-on-one to talk about whatever issues you are concerned about, whether it’s trash pickup or rats on your block or a citywide issue such as public safety.
More on all of these and a host of other Council and community updates below.
COUNCIL UPDATES |
Public Safety Update
Crime Lab Reaccreditation
You might have read in the news that D.C.’s crime lab, which lost its accreditation more than two years ago, is on the path to reaccreditation. On a tour of the lab last week, Director Francisco Diaz told me the lab applied for reaccreditation of two of its five units last month – Forensic Biology and Forensic Chemistry. The first handles serology and DNA testing, the second controlled substances, including drugs. The Latent Fingerprint Unit will apply next spring.
This is great news and critical to addressing public safety. Certainty of arrest, prosecution and sentencing prevents crime and the lack of an accredited lab is partly responsible for the very high rate of cases not being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Read more.
911 Call Center in Disarray
The crime lab isn’t the only crime fighting tool in the District in need of attention. The 911 call center (Office of Unified Communications) has been beleaguered for a long time now and very little has changed. The stories are heart breaking, from people who are put on hold for five minutes in emergency situations to tragic deaths and the recent incident of pets drowning at District Dogs due to failures at the call center. It's clear the agency lacks fundamental, structural competency to run effectively.
We should not have to worry whether in our time of greatest need someone is going to answer our 911 call. I hope we’ll hear today about how @OUC_DC plans to get better, fast. https://t.co/hpFU6qrJFk
— Brianne K. Nadeau (@BrianneKNadeau) October 5, 2023
I’m thankful to Councilmember Brooke Pinto for holding a hearing on Councilmember Robert White’s legislation, which I co-introduced, to create a 911 task force that will provide system and leadership recommendations within 90 days. I also co-introduced legislation drafted by Councilmember Charles Allen to give 911 call takers some of the same incentives and perks that other first responders get, as a way to bolster recruitment to the agency, which is severely understaffed. Read more
Ward 1 Meeting With Acting Police Chief
I’m encouraged by what I’ve read in the news and heard in my conversations with Acting Police Chief Pamela Smith about her approach and her plans, some of which she is already putting into place. Like me, she believes in more community engagement by officers and distributing police resources where crime is highest. The chief has mandated that her officers host frequent MPD safety walks in neighborhoods and I’ve appreciated the opportunity to join in several, including ones recently in Mount Pleasant, Columbia Heights and Shaw. She has shared her vision for a comprehensive approach to public safety, and I believe that she agrees that no one tool or agency is going to solve crime in the District. The Judiciary and Public Safety Committee will make a formal recommendation and the full Council will then vote on her nomination.
I’ve arranged a Ward 1 Public Safety Meeting with the Chief on Tuesday, Nov. 28 from 6:30-8 pm, where residents can meet her and ask questions. We are working to finalize the location and other details and will share that information on social media, in the newsletter, and on my website.
Community Meetings and Walks
In the past two weeks, I've spoken with commissioners in ANC 1D — the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, and ANC 1C — Adams Morgan, about public safety happenings and investments in their neighborhood and in Ward 1. You can view the Mount Pleasant Public Safety Legislative and Policy Update I shared with them. I plan to attend other Ward 1 ANC meetings in the coming weeks – we'll announce those on social media. I’ll also be holding another Coffee Walk in Columbia Heights in early November, details TBA. I’ll continue meeting with ANC’s and other groups and will produce additional neighborhood-specific updates.
Buses 1
On Wednesday WMATA announced the launch of 12 bus routes that will run 24/7 starting Dec. 17. Recall that Councilmember Charles Allen announced his Metro for DC plan that would have made all busses in the District free; that, unfortunately, ran into challenges and pushback from WMATA. But I was able to come up with a funding mechanism that would pay for the overnight busses via demand-based rideshare fee. Chairman Mendelson tweaked the rideshare fee and kept the funding to fund the overnight bus routes. Reliable, affordable public transit is critical to residents, workers, and the businesses that rely on them.
Buses 2
Councilmember Allen and I are collaborating to figure out why the District Department of Transportation and WMATA decided last-minute to delay enforcement of tickets to drivers who block bus lanes. I’ve advocated for and worked on 16th street bus lanes since my time on the ANC and helped create the 14th Street bus lanes. They are pointless without enforcement. And it’s one of the simpler things to enforce. Councilmember Allen, who chairs the Transportation Committee, has formally requested an answer and you can be sure I’ll be following up.
Meet Me at Brianne On Your Block
Join me next Thursday night, Oct. 19, for Brianne on Your Block. This is a chance to meet with me one-on-one and talk about whatever’s on your mind. From issues with a city agency to questions about the new curbside compost pickup pilot (we love it!) to concerns about public safety or rats. I want to listen and for me and my staff to connect you with the right city services, where possible. Thursday night, Oct. 19, 6-8 pm, at Don Juan Restaurant, 1660 Lamont St. NW. RSVPs encouraged, but not required.
Four Traffic Safety Bills Would Hold Drivers Accountable
Accountability was the word of the day at a joint hearing last week of the Public Works and Operations Committee, which I chair, and the Transportation and Environment Committee, chaired by Councilmember Allen.
We took up four pieces of legislation that would hold drivers accountable in ways that our current code has not allowed us to do. The goal is to curb dangerous driving that has plagued our city.
The four bills we heard would: require immediate license suspensions for offenses such as impaired driving and negligent homicide (Councilmember Henderson); adding license points to moving violations captured by automated traffic enforcement cameras (Councilmember Henderson); target enforcement toward vehicles and drivers that have proven to be consistently putting others in danger, whether fines have been paid or not (Councilmember Allen); and go more aggressively after drivers who use fake tags (license plates), which allow them to evade enforcement altogether (my bill).
More than 50 residents testified at the hearing. At a second hearing on the bills in the coming months, we’ll hear from government witnesses about these proposals. Read more.
Update on Sexual Harassment in the District Government Workplace
A disturbing report in the Washington Post informed us that roughly 300 District government workers have filed complaints of sexual harassment since 2017, when Mayor Bowser implemented her order on sexual harassment in the D.C. government workplace. A special thanks to Councilmember Anita Bonds for scheduling a hearing on the scope of the problem and on workplace culture. And thanks to the majority of my colleagues for co-introducing my bill to require an independent investigation when Mayoral appointees are involved – that bill will get a hearing by my Committee on Public Works and Operations, with comments from the Committee on Labor and Executive Operations, in November.
For those wondering about my other bill, which requires the Office of the Inspector General to hire independent counsel to conduct a review of the earlier report on sexual harassment allegations against former Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio: The OIG put out a request for proposals twice for an individual or firm to conduct that review but no proposals that met the criteria were submitted. The OIG has since put in a request for a waiver to the RFP rules and will again issue an RFP. We hope they will have a contractor to work on that soon. Recently, we passed legislation to extend the time period to account for the delay.
Simplifying the Probate Process
I co-introduced a bill from Councilmember Charles Allen that would update and reform the complicated probate administration process, which can be incredibly complex. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, where I hope it will get a hearing.
COMMUNITY UPDATES |
Nonprofit Grant Opportunity
The District's Combat Sports Commission announced the availability of grant funding for nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting youth combat sports as an anti-violence strategy in the District. The Commission will award five grants not to exceed $20,000 each. Applications for the FY 2024 grant cycle will be due no later than Dec. 1.
Domestic Workers are Now Protected
As of Oct. 1, domestic workers are now protected under the DC Human Rights Act with the passage of the Domestic Workers Employment Rights Amendment Act of 2022 (“the Act”). Almost 9,000 domestic workers who once operated without essential safeguards for workplace discrimination under the DCHRA are now protected. The Act ensures that all domestic workers in the District are entitled to the same rights and protections as their counterparts in other industries, and domestic workers who feel their rights were violated while on the job can now submit claims for discrimination to the DC Office of Human Rights.
YWCA Hosts Free Work for Yourself @50+ Workshop
The YWCA National Capital Area in partnership with COABE and AARP are offering free workshops to assist adults 50+ with determining if they have an opportunity to work for themselves and if so, how they can get started. The next virtual session is Oct. 25. The workshops are about 2 hours long and cover a variety of topics related to understanding what it takes to become an entrepreneur or work as a "gig' worker in today's economy, as well as some things to look out for to prevent yourself from being scammed. More info.
One More Movie Night!
Friday night, Oct. 20, 7 pm will be the last of the Columbia Heights Movie Nights. Join neighbors from across the city at Tubman Elementary School's field at 3101 13th St NW for the outdoor showing of Coco. Bring a cozy blanket, take advantage of deals from vendors, eat tons of popcorn, and get ready to watch another fund movie! More info and register.
IN THE NEWS |
WASHINGTON POST
D.C. SNAP recipients expected to get boost thanks to city’s excess revenue
“This is going to be really good for all of our communities. Folks are going to be able to use that to pay off debt, to make purchases they’ve been delaying — it’s going to be a critical lifeline,” Nadeau said.
WASHINGTON POST
As D.C. weighs sexual harassment policy, data shows scope of complaints
The D.C. Council is also expected to take action. A bill from council member Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1) expected to be considered this fall would require independent investigations of any sexual harassment complaints against mayoral appointees or certain other top-level employees.
DCIST
D.C.’s Embattled Crime Lab Could Regain Accreditation As Early As January
D.C.’s Department of Forensic Science, which has been without accreditation since 2021, may finally regain it as early as January 2024, according to Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau.
“This is not the only fix, but it’s a critical fix,” Nadeau said in her statement on the crime lab’s hopeful path toward accreditation.
FOX5
DC crime lab could regain accreditation after 2 years
DC LINE
Recent reforms are helping DC distribute unused vouchers for foster youth
DC NEWS NOW
DC Council unanimously passes bill eliminating long divorce waiting periods
CALENDAR |
Where Councilmember Nadeau and her staff have been
Ribbon Cutting to welcome Kookoo Restaurant & Lounge to the neighborhood | Friday, September 22
LAYC Education and Family Engagement Event on bullying prevention in schools | Saturday, September 23
ANC 1D Monthly Meeting | Tuesday, September 26
ANC 1C Monthly Meeting | Wednesday, October 4
Meeting with Residents of 14th and Belmont St. NW | Tuesday, October 10
Westminster Neighborhood Association Monthly Meeting | Thursday, October 12
Public Safety Walk with Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee | Friday, October 13
Where Councilmember Nadeau and her staff will be
Meeting with Residents of Wallach Place NW | Monday, October 16
Public Works & Operations Committee hearing on three trash bills | Thursday, October 19, 9:30 am
Brianne on Your Block in Mount Pleasant — come meet with Councilmember Nadeau one-on-one | Don Juan Restaurant, 1660 Lamont St. NW Thursday, October 19, 6-8 pm
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D Meeting | Tuesday, October 24, 7 pm
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E Meeting | Wednesday, October 25, 7 pm
CONTACT US |
Brianne K. Nadeau | Councilmember | bnadeau@dccouncil.gov
Ariel Ardura | Committee Director | aardura@dccouncil.gov
Jerry Clark | Constituent Services Specialist | jclark@dccouncil.gov
David Connerty-Marin | Communications Director | dconnertymarin@dccouncil.gov
David Meni | Deputy Chief of Staff & Legislative Director | dmeni@dccouncil.gov
Maricela Nava | Deputy Chief of Staff & Scheduler | mnava@dccouncil.gov