Today, Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto introduced the “RECOVERY Amendment Act of 2021.” The purpose of the Recovery Act is to provide a comprehensive and inclusive economic recovery package for the Central Business District (CBD) which includes the Downtown and Golden Triangle Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). The Recovery Act is targeted to support District residents, workers, and businesses with the goal of transforming our office corridors from solely commercial uses to a vibrant city core that includes mixed-use developments, affordable housing, and jobs and green space as a driver of growth. At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson joined in co-introducing the legislation.

The Council has resumed the legislative session, and I am thrilled to rejoin my colleagues as we work to improve the lives of residents in our ward and city. I am focused this session on efforts to improve public safety, provide more affordable housing opportunities, and support our business community in our recovery and growth efforts. During summer recess, our team was pleased to meet with residents right in their neighborhoods through a series of planned community events – both virtual and in-person. I am continually amazed by and grateful for the level of engagement, creative ideas, and strong sense of community so palpable in these meetings. Thank you for your continued engagement and perspective. We will continue to offer opportunities for neighbors to connect with our office throughout the year.

Our LGBTQQIA+ friends, family, coworkers and neighbors are an integral part of our city. DC has a rich LGBTQQIA+ history and I’m committed to continuing my work to provide support, protections, and funding in the budget to ensure DC remains a welcoming home for our LGBTQQIA+ neighbors.

As scientists link extreme weather to climate change, we are reminded with each hurricane, flood, and tornado that we must remain steadfast in our commitment to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and protecting the environment. Renewable energy, infrastructure and planning, and education are all ways we can work together to address and fight climate change. As I know many of you share my concern for the environment, I want to highlight a few of the ways we are seeking to address climate change as a city.

Happy Labor to all the workers whose efforts help to make the District of Columbia the best city in the world! This past year has been particularly challenging as we have continued to deal with the effects of a global heath pandemic, worked towards economic recovery, and supported residents navigating matters concerning their health, schooling, employment, and so much more.This year has showed us more than any other just how grateful we should be for our workforce. All of our workers – from those serving as first responders and healthcare staffers, to teachers and school administrators, to sanitation workers and nonprofit leaders, and hospitality workers – gave so much of themselves so that we could survive and make the best of all that was happening around us.

Happy back-to-school week! Can you believe summer is over already? Whether you’re a student yourself, a teacher, a parent to a student, or just a supportive neighbor, a new school year always brings excitement and a sense of possibility. I always remember the joy of the first day of school, reuniting with my classmates and teachers, and the importance of those relationships.

This is the second of a series of topic specific newsletters that I will be sharing with you over the next several weeks. In this newsletter, I share about the work I am doing to help ensure that our transportation systems in the District are safe, reliable, and sustainable and how we can continue working together to achieve our goals.

This is the first of a series of topic specific newsletters that I will be sharing with you over the next several weeks. I know that together we can work to address the challenges in our communities and continue to make Ward 2 and DC the best place to live, work, play, and do business. The challenge of homelessness in DC is not new and the causes are myriad – lack of affordable housing, mental health challenges, and domestic violence among others. The need for increased and stronger homelessness supports were made even more clear to us during the pandemic. For several months and over the last year, we have seen many tents pop up across the city, especially in Ward 2.All of our residents – those who are housed and unhoused – deserve a safe and secure environment to live in and that will continue to be my goal. I am steadfast in my commitment to increasing access to affordable housing and moving neighbors off of the street and into safe shelter and housing here in Ward 2 and throughout the city.

Today, the Council of the District of Columbia voted to pass the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget and Financial Plan! Our $17 billion budget and financial plan will guide our spending and initiatives as we work across Ward 2 and the entire city to strengthen our local economy, house our neighbors experiencing homelessness, increase opportunities for affordable housing, make our education system more equitable, our public safety systems more just, and build a greener and more transit-friendly city.

As the Delta variant continues to spread, please remember to wear your mask indoors and get vaccinated. For more information on where to get vaccinated in the District, visit: coronavirus.dc.gov/page/get-vaccinated. We will continue to monitor the latest CDC guidelines and work together to help those in our community remain safe while in-person activity continues. DC is still open. At the Council, we are preparing to conclude our budget season with a final vote tomorrow, Tuesday, August 10th. After that time, the District government will begin working towards the implementation of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which will go into effect at the beginning of October 2021. I am proud of this budget and thank my colleagues and the many advocates and neighbors for working with me to ensure that we leveraged this budget opportunity to address the many inequities and challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and firmly set ourselves on a path to recovery. After tomorrow’s budget vote, the Council will enter recess until September 30th. During recess, the Council will not vote on any legislation or hold any public hearings or roundtables. However, our office will still be open to support constituent requests, address community needs, and prepare for the next legislative session.