BROWN'S COMPLIANCE UNIT LEGISLATION PASSES FINAL READING
Promises made to our District residents-are promises kept
Yesterday, the D.C. Council passed landmark legislation to create a Compliance Unit within the Office of the DC Auditor. The original legislation, the Compliance and Enforcement Agency Establishment Act of 2007, authored by Councilmember Brown and co-introduced by eleven members of the Council, was introduced on November 16, 2007. The amended bill, the Compliance Unit Establishment Act of 2008, is the culmination of feedback from Economic Development Committee public hearings, District residents, business owners, and major project tours like that of the new Nationals’ stadium. The Compliance Unit will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing requirements as it relates to real estate development transactions and agreements involving land currently or previously owned by the District Columbia and which currently falls under the purview of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. “We cannot continue to take developers at their word - that they are going to do right by District residents,” said Brown. “I want to make sure that we have a compliance report in place that helps to ensure that promises made to our District residents – are promises kept.”
The Auditor’s office is responsible for producing a compliance report at the completion of the project to ensure that affordable housing requirements, environmental standards, and equity and development participation by our certified local businesses were all met. Additionally, the Auditor’s office will be required to conduct one oversight hearing for each project after its completion and at the end of each fiscal year. The Compliance Unit is empowered with analyzing compliance for real estate development projects under the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development that were transferred from the former National Capital Revitalization Corporation and the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation. The Auditor will report findings to the Council in an annual report compiling the findings.
SCOUTS HONOR: BROWN INVITES BOY AND GIRL SCOUTS TO NATIONALS EXHIBITION GAME
On Saturday, March 29, At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown accompanied Boy and Girl Scouts troops from across the city to see the Washington Nationals take on the Baltimore Orioles at the first exhibition game in the new Nationals Ballpark. Brown invited 100 young scouts to attend the ballgame, after receiving complimentary tickets donated by the Washington Nationals. In efforts to ensure that more District youth take advantage of the baseball experience, Brown invited the young future leaders to enjoy an afternoon of fun and excitement. “ While I know we all are pleased to finally see this day come, where our Nationals return to their new home, I am most excited by the opportunity for our young people to gain access to more extracurricular opportunities that can be both entertaining and rewarding,” said Brown. “There's nothing more historic than to see our young people witness our city’s milestone of development. The new ballpark is the Peoples’ Stadium and I look forward to seeing more of our residents take advantage of the opportunities made available through its development.” With over 75,000 boys and girls of scouting age living in the District of Columbia, Councilmember-At-Large Kwame R. Brown is working with the Boy and Girl Scouts to ensure that scouting opportunities are extended to every youth, in every neighborhood throughout the District of Columbia. The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia on February 8, 1910 by W.D. Boyce. In 1916, Congress granted the Boy Scouts of America a federal charter, giving special protection to the name and insignia, establishing the first troop in the nation’s capital. Over 100 million youth have been members of the Boy Scouts of America, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2010. The first Girl Scout troop was organized in March, 1912 by its founder Juliette Gordon Low. Prior to the game, the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Benjamin Banneker and Horizon Districts (all of Washington, DC), presented Councilmember Brown, with a copy of the federal charter granted by Congress in 1916, for his continuing service and advocacy on behalf of youth.
KWAME AND FAMILY RUN 3RD ANNUAL SUNTRUST NATIONAL MARATHON
On Saturday March 29th, At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown started his morning with an early run at the 3rd Annual SunTrust National Marathon and Half Marathon. The course took 6,000+ runners through six of the District's eight wards passing through historic and redeveloping neighborhoods, local and national monuments and community parks.
BROWN COMMENDS FENTY ADMINISTRATION'S FOCUS ON NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT
As the District’s Department of Housing Development, DC Housing Authority and Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development move forward with 2 community development projects: Sheridan Terrace housing complex in Ward 8 and the Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings New Community, Brown commends the Fenty administration for making neighborhood development a top priority: “We’ve all witnessed the revitalization of downtown with the ushering of new retail and dining options; now it’s time to take development to the neighborhoods. I commend our agency leaders, with the direction of Mayor Fenty for demonstrating their commitment to restore our neighborhoods to ensure that our families have the best, most affordable living options that will allow them to raise their children in communities that they can be proud of. As we move from groundbreaking ceremonies to ribbon-cutting ceremonies, I look forward to further developing our neighborhoods, where our residents are the primary benefactors to the improvements made.
Our residents deserve the very best. TERRI THOMPSON MALLET JOINS THE BROWN TEAM AS COMMITTEE CLERK The Office of Councilmember Brown's Committee on Economic Development is pleased to welcome Ms. Terri Thompson Mallet as Committee Clerk. Ms. Thompson Mallet will provide leadership, management, planning, expert advice, direction, and supervision for the Committee on Economic Development. Prior to joining the Economic Development committee staff, Ms. Thompson Mallet served as Chief Administrative Judge for the District's Department of Employment Services where she participated in the operation of the Department and review information and data regarding the District’s labor force and employers. Terri resides in the Hawthorne community of Ward 4. UPCOMING HEARINGS FOR THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
For more information, please contact John F. Adams, Legislative and Constituent Services Specialist at (202) 727-6683 or via email: jadams@dccouncil.us
THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008 AT 10:00AM - ROOM 123
PUBLIC OVERSIGHT ROUNDTABLE: “DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BOXING AND WRESTLING COMMISSION”
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008 AT 10:00AM- ROOM 412
BUDGET HEARING: “DEPARTMENT OF SMALL AND LOCAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT” AND
“WALTER E. WASHINGTON CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY”;
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2008 AT 10:00AM - ROOM 123
(Rescheduled from 4/7/2008)
BUDGET HEARING: “DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BOXING AND WRESTLING COMMISSION”
AND
“OFFICE OF THE DUPUTY MAYOR FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOMENT”
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008 AT 9:30AM - ROOM 412
BUDGET HEARING: “COMMISSION ON ARTS AND HUMANITIES”;
“D.C. SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION”;
AND
“OFFICE OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION DEVELOPMENT”
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