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Dear Neighbor,
As Chairwoman of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, keeping District residents and visitors safe is my number one priority. On December 4th, I held a nearly12-hour public safety hearing to discuss several public safety bills under consideration and the state of public safety in the District as we have seen federal interference in our city. I want to thank the more 130 public witnesses who signed up to testify and shared their experiences, and I will highlight some of the key takeaways from this critically important hearing.
First, it is clear the federal immigration policies are leading to real traumatization, fear, and separation of families in our immigrant communities right now. Those policies are not welcomed in the District. We will continue fighting back and using all of the levers we do have available to us to protect our residents.
Secondly, we heard a lot of testimony about the urgent need to make sure our young people have access to safe and productive spaces, especially on nights and weekends. I am so thrilled that my Prosper DC plan that I announced last month includes seven new bills specifically focused on investing in support for our youth, including creating a teen center in every quadrant of the District. My Prosper DC plan includes 23 bills to catalyze economic opportunities for residents and businesses, and the bills have been referred to their respective committees. I look forward to the committee chairs holding hearings on these important bills.
Finally, MPD Chief Pamela Smith recently announced that she will be stepping down as Chief of Police at the end of December. I am immensely grateful for her leadership and commitment to the residents of the District of Columbia and her partnership over the last two and half years as our city has faced serious challenges. I wish her all the best in her next endeavor.
As the District continues to navigate the increased and unwanted federal presence, it is critical that the next Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department is steadfastly committed to ensuring the safety of all of our residents. The District should be able to handle our local law enforcement functions with our local police department without federal interference. I plan to work with our next Chief of Police on additional measures to protect against federal overreach and the unfair and destabilizing immigration activities that federal agents are carrying forward in our city.
Yours in service,
Brooke
Legislative Updates
EXPANDING RECREATIONAL SPACES
On Wednesday, December 4th, the Committee on the Facilities held a hearing on my legislation, Expanding Community Access to Safe and Clean Recreational Space Act of 2025. This bill is all about expanding access to safe recreational spaces for young people on evenings and weekends. It would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to establish a program in partnership with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) to expand community access to recreational facilities in every ward on evenings and weekends, outside of the hours in which the facilities are in active use by the schools and student activities.
PUBLIC SAFETY HEARING
On Thursday, December 4th, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety Chairwoman Pinto held a public safety hearing to discuss several public safety bills and the state of public safety in the District as we see continued federal presence in our city. More than 130 DC residents signed up to testify to share their experiences. It included discussion on the following bills:
LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS
Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) are a critical way to build and increase affordable housing. Councilmember Pinto was very disappointed that the District returned more than $3.1 million in low-income housing tax credits, which represents tens of millions of dollars in lost affordable housing investment. Councilmember Pinto joined in sending a letter with Council colleagues to the Department of Housing and Community Development demanding answers about how this happened in the first place and about corrective actions and future safeguards to prevent it from happening again. Additional oversight from the Committee on Housing is also needed.
In the Community
Over the last two weeks, Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto have met with residents, advocacy groups, and local and federal partners across the District, including:
- Speaking at the DC Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting to discuss Councilmember Pinto’s Prosper DC plan, which will enhance economic opportunities for District residents and businesses
- Celebrating Winter Wonderland at the Walter E. Convention Center where families and kids enjoyed crafts, treats, and Santa
- Joining the Downtown DC holiday market where DC residents and visitors enjoy entertainment, local shops, and tasty treats
- Swearing in the newly elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) for 2B09, Lynn Thompson
- Meeting with neighbors in Rose Park to discuss concerns from residents about trash collection
- Meeting with leadership at the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) headquarters to discuss shared efforts to ensure residents have fast, reliable, and accurate 911 and 311 call center services
- Attending ANC meetings for 2B, C, E, F and G
Announcements
CAFE JOY COMMUNITY OFFICE HOURS
Join Councilmember Pinto for community office hours at Cafe Joy on Wednesday, January 14th from 8:30-10:00am. You can sign up here to join.
