Brown’s Recommended Funding to Strengthen Community Programs Passes on First Reading
During the first reading of the fiscal year 2008 Budget Support Act of 2007 and Budget Request Act of 2007, The Council unanimously passed Councilmember Kwame R. Brown’s recommendations to reallocate funds to provide greater support to the District’s community-based programs. The recommendations submitted by the Committee on Economic Development on May 4, 2007, were comprised from the needs expressed by organizations that provided testimony during the budget oversight hearings and the first neighborhood development roundtable on the status of D.C. Main Street Programs held on April 18.
Acting on his top priority to establish opportunities for growth where residents are the primary benefactors to the city's economic abundance, Councilmember Brown included allocations totaling over $5.4 million to build neighborhood-serving retail areas, support technical training programs and youth development facilities. “To ensure that our residents are prepared to participate in the projected economic rewards of our city, I believe we must continue to support their opportunities for growth at every level,” commented Brown. “Our infrastructure can only support our neighborhoods if we act to make them our first priority.” The recommendations include allocations for the following programs: $1.8 Million to provide support for the D.C. Main Streets Program, and create new Main Streets in Wards 4, 7 and 8:
$1,000,000 one-time nonrecurring grant to the re/Store D.C./Main Streets Program
$400,000 intra-district transfer by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic from the Neighborhood Investment Fund to the Main Streets program to support operational expenses.
$400,000 intra-district transfer by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development from the Neighborhood Investment Fund (NIF) for the purpose of creating a new Main Street Program in each of Wards 4, 7, and 8.
$1 Million to create a new Small Business Micro-loan Fund to allow the Department of Small, Local Business Development (DSLBD) to administer the fund program to provide financial assistance to certified small businesses located on a D.C. Main Street corridor, a Neighborhood Investment Program Target Area or another area identified by the Mayor for economic development and/or commercial revitalization.
$1 Million for Department of Employment Services Project Empowerment Ex-Offenders Program to reduce backlog of 1,100 applicants.
$400,000 to establish 2 new Great Streets Programs located on North Capitol Street and Rhode Island Avenue, NE.
$350,000 one-time grant to the Children and Youth Investment Collaborative for Neighbors United, to conduct youth activities at the Eastern Branch Boys & Girls Club in Ward 6.
$300,000 to support Ward 7 Business and Professional Association and the Ward 8 Business Council.
$225,000 intra-district transfer to the Department of Public Works for the Smaller Business Improvement District Litter Clean Up Assistance Program.
$150,000 to provide technical assistance for reSTORE DC: Community Development- Technical Assistance Program (CD-TAP)
$100,000 for Capitol Hill Community Foundation/Eastern Market to aid small business owners displaced by the fire at Eastern Market.
$100,000 for Byte Back, Inc., located in Ward 5 to provide computer training sessions for low-income District adults.
$50,000 to support the Lower Georgia Avenue Job Training Program, located on 633 Park Road, NW.
The D.C. Council is scheduled to have a second reading and final vote of the Budget Request Act and Budget Support Act on Tuesday, June 5, 2007. *********************************************************************************************************
Brown Locates $5 Million for Support Rent Supplement Program to Support Low Income Families
Councilmember Kwame R. Brown introduced an amendment to the FY 2008 Budget Support Act of 2007 to increase the funding to support a rent supplement program, increasing the number of low-income families that will benefit from the assistance provided through the District’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
The measure as proposed identified $2 million funds collected from increased taxes on personal deductions. The amendment cuts in half the amount of the increase in the personal exemption for DC income tax. Cutting the proposed increase in half gave the District an additional $5 million to go to rent supplement and doubled the number of families that can receive assistance. The amendment was adopted by the D.C. Council during the first reading of the budget.
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DHCD Announces the Availability of $50 Million in Funding to Support Housing and Community Development Activities
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for $50 million in funding under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Home Investment Partnerships (HOME), and the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) programs, which are administered by DHCD. The funding for this NOFA is being made available from the FY 2007 DHCD budget funds. The District is interested in financing projects that focus on the following categories: Elderly housing
Special needs housing
Housing for chronically homeless individuals with wraparound services
Housing for homeless families in mixed income buildings with wraparound services
Preservation of housing affected by expiring Federal subsidies
New/Substantial rehabilitation of housing (5 or more units)
Homeownership
Community facilities to serve low to moderate income persons The competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) was released on Friday, May 11, 2007. The RFP package, including all application materials and the reference guidebook can be obtained from the second floor reception desk at DHCD, Development Finance Division, 801 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. This material will also be available from the DHCD website on or about Wednesday, May 21, 2007. Completed applications must be delivered on or before 4:00 pm on Friday, July 13, 2007 to the second floor reception desk at DHCD, Development Finance Division, 801 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. No applications for submission will be accepted after the filing deadline. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Thursday, May 24, 2007, at 6:00 pm at DHCD’s headquarters, located at 801 North Capitol Street, NE. The conference will be held in the 9th floor boardroom.
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The District Department of the Environment Awards $250,000 to 16 DC Residents, Non-Profit Organizations, and Small Businesses for Renewable Energy Projects
The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) awarded $250,000 to 16 District residents, businesses, and non-profit organizations to assist with up to 50% of the cost to install renewable energy generation technologies. The award recipients will install solar panels that generate electricity to reduce their dependence on traditional utility power, lower their emissions, and decrease utility costs. The average grant award was $15,000. The awards ceremony will take place in the lobby of the Franklin D. Reeves Center in Northwest Washington, DC on Thursday, May 24th at 11:00am. Mayor Fenty and other special guests have been invited to speak.
DDOE received a record forty-three project applications from across the District; each was reviewed by an expert panel and ranked for their demonstration potential. Solicitation for applications was part of a three year demonstration program called the Renewable Energy Demonstration Project (REDP), which is designed to increase the awareness and usage of renewable electricity generation technologies. REDP is funded by Pepco ratepayers through the Reliable Energy Trust Fund (RETF). Funds for RETF programs were approved by the DC Public Service Commission. DDOE will monitor the energy usage for all of the funded projects. All 16 projects are expected to produce approximately 66 kilowatts of electricity from the sun. For more information on the funded projects, please contact the Energy Hotline at 202-673-6750 or visit the DDOE website at ddoe.dc.gov. ***********************************************************************************************************
D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission Teams Up With D.C. Public Schools to Rennovate Athletic Fields
The DC Sports & Entertainment Commission (DCSEC) Board of Directors has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DC Public Schools (DCPS) to manage the $21.5 million renovation of several athletic fields and associated facilities. “Building on the successful renovation of RFK Stadium and construction of the new Washington Nationals Ballpark, we have the technical capacity and infrastructure to facilitate this project,” said DCSEC Chief Executive Officer Allen Y. Lew. “Being able to assist with the renovation of our public school athletic facilities is in line with the Sports Commission’s mission. Moreover, it’s the right thing for us to do at this time to help improve school facilities for our children.” Athletic field renovation is part of the DCPS Master Facilities Plan. The fields selected by DCPS to be renovated include: Dunbar Sr. High, Roosevelt Sr. High, McKinley Technology High School, Wilson Sr. High and Coolidge Sr. High. Work will begin immediately and the first phase, including Coolidge , Wilson and Dunbar will be completed by the end of August. McKinley and Roosevelt will be completed by the end of September. Additional fields may be added to the list as funding becomes available.
All facilities will receive the highest quality synthetic field surfaces used at many college and professional stadiums as well as other upgrades to bleachers, press boxes, track & field race courses and other amenities where possible.
“We are proud to support Mayor Fenty and the School Board on this project as they work to revitalize our schools. This agreement gives our student athletes and their parents great hope that their facilities will be much improved next year,” said DCSEC Board Chairman Matthew D. Cutts. “This is a natural progression from the recent field renovations the Sports Commission has undertaken at Fort Greble Park in Ward 8 and Kenilworth-Parkside Recreation Complex in Ward 7.”
DCSEC will employ its standing requirement for contracting with Local, Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (LSDBE). For instance, on the new Washington National Ballpark, over half of all contracts have gone to local businesses. *********************************************************************************************************
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Public Roundtable
on Progress of Economic Development Projects
in Southwest and Near Southeast D.C. SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2007 AT 10:00AM
Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 I Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024 Councilmember Kwame R. Brown, Chair of the Committee on Economic Development, announces a Public Roundtable on “Progress of Economic Development Projects in Southwest and Near Southeast DC.” The Roundtable is co-hosted by Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. The Roundtable will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 10AM at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024. Those who wish to testify should contact Mr. John Adams at the Committee on Economic Development by email at Jadams@DCCouncil.us or by telephone (202) 727-6683 by 5pm on Friday June 15, 2007. E-mail contacts should include the full name, title, and affiliation – if applicable – of the person(s) wishing to testify. Witnesses should bring 15 copies of their written testimony to the roundtable. Representatives of organizations will be allowed a maximum of five (5) minutes for oral presentation and individuals will be allowed a maximum of three (3) minutes for oral presentation. If you are unable to attend the Roundtable, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted to the Committee on Economic Development, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 119, Washington, D.C. 20004 no later than 5:30pm Friday June 23, 2007. ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLES COMING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU: "Progress of Neighborhood Economic Development Projects in Ward 8"
Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 4:00PM
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
"Progress of Neighborhood Economic Development Projects Along Georgia Avenue, N.W."
Friday, June 29, 2007, 6:00PM
Emory Recreational Center
- more details to follow. For more information, call (202) 727-6683
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CORRECTION: In "The Brown Bulletin: April 13, 2007" edition Councilmember Brown's statement titled, "Education Reform Now" did not cite leaders quoted. Below are the quotes referred in the order in they appeared: "We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when created them." - Albert Einstein "Vision without action is a daydream and action without vision is a nightmare" - Japanese Proverb "Education is our (children’s) passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X
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