Dear Neighbor,

The Council has passed our Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget in a final vote. It was critical for the Council to approve a budget that maintains and advances District values and ensures sustainable future growth. I remain committed to prioritizing public safety, economic resilience and growth, and support for young people and seniors. Here are some of the budget wins this year, including ones I fought for on your behalf:

Our investments in public safety include:

• Fully funding MPD and providing additional funding for improvements at the MPD training academy facility to support recruitment and hiring efforts

• Increasing funding for officer recruitment and retention across our public safety agencies including Fire & EMS, DOC, and OUC to ensure safety and security across the District

• Approving the ability to provide retroactive pay increases for union contracts including for our firefighters

• Funding Access to Justice grants to provide low-resource residents with legal services including for housing and employment issues

• Funding Victim Services grants to ensure survivors of crime can access needed resources and supports through a continuum of care

• Funding for the JUSTIS criminal justice information sharing database to facilitate the sharing of criminal justice information across agencies

• Merging the District’s violence intervention programs under the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) with assurances from the Executive to improve efficiency and efficacy of our VI programs  

Our investments in economic resilience and growth include:

• Funding for the Chinatown-Gallery Place Taskforce recommendations to protect existing Chinese-owned businesses and support new development in this area

• Funding for Gallery Square to invest in continued growth in this area

• Funding for the Chinatown Lease Program to provide financial assistance to small businesses in Chinatown

• Expanding the area in which housing projects are eligible for tax abatements under the Housing in Downtown program, which plays an important role in spurring development  

• Funding for our Main Streets programs to provide support and resources for local businesses and community organizations

• Expanding access to public restrooms at MLK Library and Dupont Circle  

Our investments to support young people and seniors include:

• Funding for the Early Literacy Education Task Force recommendations to ensure all K-5 educators are trained in structured literacy so they are equipped with the tools they need to effectively teach literacy

• Funding for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund to address the historically low wages of early childhood educators

• Funding for the childcare subsidy to provide low and moderate-income families access to high-quality education and care  

• Increasing funding for the District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to help DC families in need  

• Expanding the DHS Truancy pilot to address the student attendance crisis and reduce chronic absenteeism

• Funding for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, which provides programming to kids from all eight wards at the Jelleff Community Center

• Funding the Community Schools Incentive Initiative grants awarded at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), which fund partnerships that coordinate educational, developmental, family, health and after-school-care programs

• Funding improvements at Bundy Field to better serve wheelchair users and to provide a water source for dogs  

• Funding to replace playground equipment at Volta Park and to resurface the playground for kids to enjoy  

Our investments in housing include:

• Increased funding for Targeted Affordable Housing (TAH) vouchers for families  

• Funding $11.5 million in for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)  

• Funding $2 million in FY27 and $6.1 million across the financial plan for additional emergency shelter capacity for families  

• Funding $1.5 million in one-time funds to restore funds for extended transitional housing for homeless youth  

• Funding $1 million in FY26 for 100 additional DC Flex slots. Of this, $806,000 and 80 slots are specifically for families experiencing homelessness who cannot be sheltered in a shelter or in congregate care due to a lack of available space  

• Funding 20 additional Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) vouchers for families  

• Funding $11 million in one-time funds to enhance the Housing Preservation Fund  

• Funding $1.8 million in one-time funds for the Home Purchase Assistance Program to give more first-time homebuyers a path to ownership and long-term stability  

• Funding $1 million in one-time funds to Small Housing Provider Grants for repairs to affordable housing for five to 20 units  

• Removed the Mayor’s provision that allowed families to be placed in congregate shelters, instead keeping the ban on placing families in congregate settings so that families have proper privacy, security, and dignity.

I also want to note the Council passed a compromise path forward to address the impact of Initiative 82, which eliminated the tipped minimum wage. The status quo has not been working – not for workers, many of whom now report earning less, not for customers confused by higher prices, and not for restaurants struggling to stay open. This is why I supported the measure that gradually raises the tipped minimum wage from 2028 through 2034 to provide more clarity to workers, restaurant owners and consumers.

Yours in service,

Brooke

Legislative Updates

Council Reaches Deal with the Commanders

Last week, the Council reached a deal with the Commanders to return to DC and serve as a magnet for the revitalization of the RFK campus and deliver community benefits for District residents. I want to thank the many residents, advocates, and stakeholders who have made your voices heard about what you want to see in the plan over the last several months – and years!

This is a once in a generation opportunity to transform the RFK campus that has sat vacant for three decades. I have been working diligently for months with members of the public, the Commanders, the Mayor, the Chairman, and all of my Council colleagues, and I am incredibly proud of the deal we have secured for our city. It includes:

• New Housing: We have heard from residents across the District that the deal with the Commanders must include new housing to address the housing crunch we are feeling District-wide. This plan includes approximately 6,000 new housing units, one third of which will be affordable.

• Fields at RFK: Families across the District enjoy using the Fields at RFK to play and told me for years that they were concerned this access would be disrupted during the construction of a new stadium. We have proudly ensured that the Fields will remain open and untouched throughout the entirety of construction so families can continue to enjoy that space.

• New Mixed-Use Development: The District will build a new sportsplex near the fields that will host year-round sporting events and tournaments for our kids. The District will also develop a new Kingman Park District, which will include housing, hotels, retail, and open space and recreational space.

• Job Opportunities: The redevelopment of the RFK campus is estimated to generate 14,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs in retail, hospitality, and more. I have been working with the Commanders to develop a training pipeline for formerly incarcerated people reentering our communities so they can benefit from stable employment at the site!

• Revenue to the District: I have heard from residents who want to ensure that we are securing a fair deal for taxpayers and am thrilled to share that the District will now be receiving parking revenue as well as a portion of sales tax revenue, elements that were not included in the initial deal.

The Council is holding public hearings on the RFK development today and tomorrow. Public witnesses will testify today. Then the Council will take our first vote on the deal on Friday, August 1st and a second and final vote on September 17th!

In the Community

Over the last two weeks, Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto have met with residents, advocacy groups, and District officials in Ward 2 and across the District, including:

• Holding office hours at Stead Park Recreation Center to hear from residents in Dupont Circle about safety concerns and solutions for the neighborhood

• Holding office hours at the Rose Park Farmers Market to speak with residents inGeorgetown

• Holding coffee and community meeting with residents at Asbury Dwellings to discuss concerns impacting our seniors

• Meeting with the new owners of Yala Greek Ice Cream in Georgetown to welcome them to the neighborhood

• Speaking at the Georgetown Club meeting to discuss continued efforts to improve our streets and sidewalks and support local businesses

• Meeting with a new Georgetown jewelry store owner to discuss city services for small businesses ahead of their upcoming opening

• Joining the ANC 2G and MPD public safety walk to discuss recent crime and unsafe activity along 7th Street NW in Shaw

• Attending DC Health’s Rodent and Vector Control Academy to learn effective strategies for reducing pests and to identify solutions

• Attending ANC meeting for ANC 2A

Announcements

From DPW:

Trash, Recycling, and Food Waste Collections:

Due to sustained high temperatures during the summer months, please advise residents to be prepared for early trash, recycling, and food waste collection starting at 5:30 am through September 5th, 2025. Residents are advised to place all waste materials at their point of collection the night before their scheduled collection day to ensure pickup.

Container Delivery and Repair Update:

All container service requests for repairs, removals, and deliveries will continue to be addressed on residents’ trash and recycling collection days across all wards. Please place containers at your collection point. For removals, turn containers upside down.  

Spring/Summer Services:

Our full complement of spring/summer services is in full swing. These services include Street and Alley Cleaning, Grass Cutting & Mowing, and Graffiti Removal. Service request submissions are now available via 311 for Street Cleaning, Alley Cleaning, Grass Cutting & Mowing services.  

Through the Helping Hand Program, DPW offers assistance to community groups that organize Saturday neighborhood clean-up projects. The program runs seasonally from March 1st to October 1st. Applications must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the event.

For more information visit: https://dpw.dc.gov/page/Helping%20Hand%20Neighborhood%20Cleanup

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