Season Premiere: The Odd Couple-DC

Forced to obtained DC residency, the District's highest ranking law enforcement officer and a controversial Maryland preacher intent on overturning D.C.'s gay marriage law share a one-bedroom apartment in a trendy condo in a near-downtown Washington, D.C. neighborhood.

It is a "marriage" of convenience.

The District's attorney general, formerly of a prominent law firm and a close friend of the mayor, faces the loss of his job unless he lives in the city in compliance with law's requiring DC officials to live in the District.

The Bishop, who has registered to vote in the District in order to lead a referendum, faces criminal prosecution for voter fraud after an investigation reveals that he does not live in the D.C. condo unit he claimed and since his family, church, and homes are located outside the city.

They both need a solution... and fast.

Join us as the two go through life together in the heart of the city with all its quirky twists and turns. The Odd Couple... DC. Mondays on ABC.

Although inspired in part by a true incident, the following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event. Read more!

Your Voting Rights: Dead Again

How many times can a bill die? Apparently, over and over and over again.

Moments ago, Loose Lips reported that Delegate Norton has conceded defeat on the DC Voting Rights bill. Since she was unable to get a clean bill that did not strip the DC government of its ability to regulate handguns, there will be no bill at all, at least, at this time. He also notes that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer had backed off earlier promises to bring the D.C. House Voting Right Act to the chamber’s floor.

Firm Democratic majority. Democratic President. It didn't matter in the Clinton era. It still apparently does not matter now.

It's time for a new plan.

1. Although I was initially against this proposal as a matter of local pride, I have come to believe that the best option is providing the District with full voting representation through Maryland. Why? First, having one representative in the House doesn't mean a damn thing, but that's what we are fighting over now. There's a reason the framers created the Senate -- because smaller states rarely have a true say with a single vote in a 435 member body. Second, from a historic point of view, it makes sense. What is now the District was once part of, and voted with, Maryland. Third, from a political standpoint, it poses little threat to Republicans. Maryland is a blue state. Voting with Maryland won't change the national balance of power. Let's fight for something that matters.
   


2. It would help if the District did not enact gun laws that, at least arguably, go over the constitutional line. This just puts the District up against the wall for a Congressional firing squad, pun intended.
   


3. Get creative. If a Utah Congressman proposes an amendment to screw with our local (gun) laws, the District should propose an amendment to overturn Utah's local (alcohol) laws. After all, the District is keen on alcohol, right? Sure, it's not going anywhere, but let's expose the hypocracy.

Read more!

Good News, Very Bad News

The new Long View Gallery, set to open in July on Ninth Street NW directly across from the Washington Convention Center. Rendering courtesy of Long View Gallery.

There's a little bit of good news for those living in the Convention Center area. In July, the Long View Gallery will move from its location at 1309 9th Street NW all the way to 1243 9th Street NW, an eyesore vacant property just below N Street. They'll renovate the building shortly, which will provide the gallery with a significantly larger space. ReNewShaw has a nice write up and there's also a blurb in yesterday's Washington Business Journal. Congrats to the owners, Andrew Haley and Suzanne Zylonis, who opened Long View Gallery in 2000, and gallery director Drew Porterfield, who have again demonstrated their commitment to a revitalized Shaw. I've included the gallery's press release following this post.

I'm wondering what the Long View owners will think as they continue to skim through the Washington Business Journal to learn that the Marriott Marquis Convention Center Hotel's future is very much in doubt. The elusive promise of a major convention center hotel is what led some small business owners to open in Shaw and both businesses and residents hope that the area's fortunes would take a positive turn. Now, it appears that the project was unable to obtain financing and the city's commitment to provide 25% public financing (to the tune of $187 million) is not enough to get going. They want more, but CFO Natwar Gandhi , who also serves on the convention center board, says no. "To be very blunt about it I was very clear in saying to them that if you were to borrow $750 million that would put us way beyond the 12 percent cap we have envisioned for the city...and I cannot be a party to that," Gandhi said. Looks like we may be dealing with the site as a place for illegal billboards and homeless excrement a little while longer.

[UPDATE, June 4: In a Washington Post article, Gandhi does a bit of a turn around: Gandhi said he plans to work with the city's economic development officials to come up with a way to build the hotel within the city's borrowing limits. "I am for the hotel. I want to make it happen," Gandhi said. ]

Speaking of stalled projects, does anyone know what's the deal with the renovation of the O Street Market, including the new Giant -- is it on track for groundbreaking next summer - and why are we waiting another year?

In April, what was supposed to be the end of a decade-long saga to move this project forward seemed to clear its final hurdle, with the DC Council approving $1 million from parking meter increases and $1.5 million from the economic development committee’s budget to pay architectural, engineering and other pre-development costs. In the meantime, Whole Foods (then Freshfields) in Logan Circle opened, Safeway at CityVista came along... even renovation of the Georgetown Safeway is already underway.

What perplexes me most about what is now known as the "City Market at O" project is -- do we even know what's going there? Of course, there is the new mega Giant, and then there is to be senior housing, a range of affordable housing, and some market-rate units. But what about the remainder of the retail space? What about the "boutique hotel"? Are there memoranda of understandings or other agreements in place to fill the space?

When the government holds RFP's, it ordinarily requires bidders to provide such information, for example, with respect to the project at 5th and I, NW, next to the 'ol Fun Fair Video. But as far as I can tell, there's no details available for the anchor to Shaw's future.

My concern: let's not have a repeat of the convention center debacle, please!

---

Long View Gallery Acquires New Space in Currently Vacant Shaw Building
Renovation Will Quadruple Exhibition Space and Enhance Framing,Events Services

Washington, D.C. – [May 28, 2009] – As part of its continuing efforts to support the regional arts community and to contribute to the Shaw Neighborhood’s renaissance, the Long View Gallery will relocate to a currently vacant building directly across from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at 1234 Ninth Street, NW. The gallery’s new space will undergo major renovation, more than quadrupling the gallery’s exhibition capacity, enhancing its custom framing and special event offerings, and making it one of the area’s largest art collectives.

“With many other businesses closing, we have been able to swim against the economic tide, demonstrating that art is indeed a great investment. After three successful years in Shaw, Long View Gallery simply outgrew its current location,” said gallery director Drew Porterfield.

“Thanks to Douglas Development, we were able to secure a building with great potential in a location that is impossible to beat—half a block south on Ninth Street from our current location, directly across from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and closer to existing and planned fine restaurants,” Porterfield said. “Shaw has been a wonderful home, and we are thrilled to contribute to its renaissance.”

The building was previously used as an auto showroom and, most recently, as a vending machine warehouse, but it has sat empty for several years. Although the building’s architecture is stunning, with soaring ceilings and concrete floors, it requires a significant renovation before the gallery takes occupancy later this year. The gallery’s renovation, designed by local architect Will Couch, will maintain the raw feel of the building while transforming it into a premier gallery space.

The new gallery will occupy the southern portion of the building, comprised of nearly 5,000 quare feet, more than quadrupling the square footage of the Long View Gallery’s current location.

In its new venue, Long View Gallery will continue to show and support regional, contemporary artists as well as offer fine art custom framing. Joining Long View Gallery is Special Events Director, Suzi Molak, whose expertise in the events industry will be a great asset to the company. Porterfield said the gallery is finalizing a more frequent exhibition schedule and is preparing to announce several major new artists whose works will join the gallery in time for a planned grand opening after Labor Day.

Long View Gallery was founded in 2000 by Andrew Haley and Suzanne Zylonis in Sperryville, Virginia (about 75 miles west of Washington). The gallery quickly built a loyal following with local art patrons, including William Waybourn and Craig Spaulding, who partnered with Haley and Zylonis in 2006 to open a second location of Long View Gallery in the District. The Sperryville gallery showcases many Virginia artists and the surrounding countryside’s bucolic or pastoral settings.

Long View Gallery will remain open at its current location until the end of July, with an expected grand opening in the new space in September. The gallery will post updates and images of the renovation in progress on their blog at http://www.longviewgallery.blogspot.com/.

Read more!

DCRA's Response to Illegal Billboards

Today, The Examiner reported:

Inspectors will be “going after all the blatantly illegal signs” starting today, Spokesman Michael Rupert said.

Below is the full text of DCRA Director Argo's response to the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association's letter:

Dear Mr. Silverman:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding outdoor advertising signs in the Mount Vernon Square/Shaw neighborhood. I’m also copying all the neighbors that sent me emails requesting the removal of the billboards located at P St and New Jersey, NW.

At the outset, I should correct a few inaccuracies in your letter. As you noted, the District has imposed a moratorium on the 32 existing “special signs.” This was done via the Special Signs Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-95, effective March 19, 2002).The act imposed a permanent moratorium on the issuance ofany new permits for special signs and restricted the locations for transferring special signs. Thelocation of each of the authorized special signs is located on the DCRA website (dcra.dc.gov) by clicking on the “Special Signs” link.

Additionally, the District has along-standing moratorium on the erection of any new billboards. The D.C. Construction Codes, specifically Chapter 31A of Title 12A of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, govern the construction and permitting of alloutdoor signs. Under Section 3107.7.6.1, only those billboards in existence as of January 1, 1972 are authorized to remain in place. If a billboard were to be demolished, it could not be rebuilt or relocated to another site.

We’ve been trying to piece togetherthe history behind this moratorium. From what we’ve been able to gather, billboards were first constructed in the District in early 1931. Their appearance caused an outcry by residents concerned that billboardswere a blight on the city’s aesthetics. By the end of 1931, the District’s government had banned the construction of any new billboards in the city. The only billboards that could remain were those contained on the “Authorized List of Billboards, Three-sheet Poster Boards, and Wall Signs,” dated November 30, 1931. That authorized list was updated about once a decade until the early1970s. Unfortunately, after contacting the National Archives, the D.C. Archives, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission, we have been unable to find a copy of that authorized list.

However, we are currently creating an inventory of all legally authorized outdoor signs in the District. Once we have created an accurate inventory, we will be sending out inspectors to investigate any signs that are posted, but for which we do not have any permitting information on file. For those signs deemed to be illegal, we will issue notices to the owners of the property and the sign requiring the sign’s removal.

We also have received several emails regarding four billboards located near the intersection of New Jersey Avenue, Fourth Street, and P Street, NW. Both these emails and your letter refer to those four billboards as “illegal.”

Based on our research, however, we believe those four billboards are grandfathered by Section 3107.7.6.1. I have attached a copy of a building permit issued in July 1961 by the D.C. Department of Licenses and Inspections (DCRA’s predecessor regulatory agency). The 1961 building permit authorized the removal of five billboards located on the property, to be replaced by four billboards. While such a replacement is not allowed under the current D.C. Construction Codes, it was allowable under the Construction Codes in place at that time.

I should also point out that for most, if not all, of the grandfathered billboards, DCRA is highly unlikely to still have records of the building permits issued more than 40 years ago.

We encourage all residents to let us know the location of billboards or other outdoor signs they suspect are unauthorized so that we can conduct a full investigation. To that end, we’re creating a special email address – signs.dcra@dc.gov – that will be up and running tomorrow morning where residents can email information about any sign they believe may be unauthorized, including the location, a photograph (.jpg), and any detail from the sign that indicates the owner and owner contact information. I will let you know of our progress in investigating the several outdoor signs you included in your letter.

I would also ask that you distribute this email to community residents, associations and websites so that we can best maximize our efforts at getting as much input as possible from affected District residents.

Best regards,
Linda Argo

Read more!

DCRA Saw the Signs

Earlier this month, as part of a neighborhood clean up, I had my first experience with a lawnmower, clearing the two foot high grass along the 300 Block of New York Avenue NW, while pulling weeds and picking up at east three lawn-and-leaf-sized bags of soft drink and beer bottles, candy wrappers, and snack food bags, not to mention a half dozen crack bags. Our cleanup, however, had the effect of providing an even better view of the illegal billboard attached to the chain-link fence of what may be, not coincidentally, one of the 55 or so used cars lot shut down recently by the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (for not actually selling cars). This billboard does not appear on DCRA’s list of approved special signs.

The issue wasn't new to me. Residents just to my north had for months been pushing DCRA to investigate a group of billboards at the intersection of 4th Street, P Street, and New Jersey Avenue that also did not appear on the list, to no avail.

What's the big deal? The billboards contribute to the problem of vacant and nuisance properties by providing a financial incentive for properties to remain vacant for the foreseeable future rather than put into productive use that contributes to the safety and aesthetics of community.

After sending a letter to DCRA Director Linda Argo, I was pleased to receive a prompt response. Effective today, DCRA has established a special e-mail address, signs.dcra@dc.gov, which residents may use to report suspected illegal billboards. Residents are asked to provide information about any sign they believe may be unauthorized, including the location, a photograph (.jpg), and any detail from the sign that indicates the owner and owner contact information.

More information can be found on the MVSNA blog.
Read more!

Fenty Fired Who?

Clark Ray, then-the new head of Washington’s Department of Parks & Recreation, greeted children at the Harry Thomas Sr. Community Center pool. (Photo Joey DiGuglielmo, Washington Blade)

District residents should be shocked and disappointed this morning to learn of Mayor Adrian Fenty's firing of DC Department of Parks and Recreation Director Clark Ray, The Examiner reports.

Prior to Ray's tenure, the District went through something like five DPR directors in six years. Leadership was absent. Communication was nonexistent. Plans stood still or fell apart. Getting a light bulb, gate, or fence fixed in a park took a monumental effort. Parks were no fun.

Clark Ray's appointment by Adrian Fenty was a sign that our new mayor was going to put competence over politics. Ray had previously served as a Ward 2 neighborhood service coordinator and led Office of Community Relations & Services, among other positions. He had a reputation for getting things done. He knew the neighborhoods and the residents.

As DPR Director, Ray lived up to expectations. When streetlights were out or a park was trashed, he had it promptly fixed, such as the New York Avenue / 1st Street NW park just this past week. He took and interest in fixing once abandoned parks, like that at 2nd and Massachusetts Avenue NW. He moved forward with the construction of dog parks, which was on the wish list of many residents for some time, and several other park renovations. Ray was responsive, returning e-mails quickly. He had to work within resource and political constraints, but he was not shy about advocating DPR's mission. Now, I've been a harsh critic of some of our parks, but Ray was moving us forward after years of neglect. Competence is sometimes so hard to find.

He's fired. Not the person who authorized the transfer of a fire engine and ambulance to the Dominican Republic. That person's not fired. Ray's fired. Not the person who unexplainably reclassified decades old abandoned houses as occupied so that Shiloh Baptist Church would not have to pay higher taxes on it. That person's not fired. Ray's fired. If the Mayor has the urge to fire someone, we can find someone worthy of a 7pm Sunday visit to the Wilson Building.

I'm looking forward to Amy Poehler's sitcom because this one isn't funny. Read more!

Tired of this Slum Park: A Photo Tour

A can of Milwaukee's Best lies in Shaw's Worst.

Nearly every day, I walk or bike in frustration by the "park" on the 600 Block of N Street NW. A brief numeric summary of its history:

• 1 block from the convention center
  
• 2 murders in the last 3 years
  
• 3 community meetings (at least) to determine its future that went nowhere
• 4 broken lights that were finally fixed after 5 years of being broken (the only progress made on the park in a very long time); and
  
• Decades of abandonment, crime, public drinking, and drugs.
  

So why do we have still have this crime magnet, this eyesore in the heart of Shaw...

Community meetings did not bring about a renovation because government officials refused to move forward by blaming residents for not reach a consensus on a vision for the park -- basketball courts, a playground, tennis courts, or benches and green space, etc. A joint survey was widely distributed by a number of neighborhood groups by hand and online, which was also dismissed. Advisory Neighborhood Commission (2C) continues to refuse to take a leadership role, under the previous and current commissioners. Councilmember Jack Evans at one point (during a campaign) pledged an immediate $250,000 to redesign the park and get improvements moving. It didn't materialize.

Meanwhile, the United House of Prayer, which owns a substantial portion of the surrounding apartment complexes and is a political force, has pushed hard for the city to transfer the property to them for development. Most neighbors strongly oppose giving away public property and precious (potential) green space. UHOP, however, views the park as having a history of nothing but crime (in fact, UHOP refuses to acknowledge the parcel as a "park" at all given its long abandonment) with the only way to cure the problem as building on it. Nevertheless, in all of the community meetings that have come up on this issue, I've never seen or heard of a concrete plan as to what UHOP would pay for the parcel and how they would develop it.

Here's what I would propose. First, there are some elements that most, if not all, neighborhood residents agree should happen: (1) Remove the ugly chain link fence, the remnants of basketball hoops, and the broken concrete; (2) Remove the concrete planters that surround the entrance to the park, which only provide a barrier and hiding place; and (3) Install a new wrought iron fence around the park. (The final element was fixing the lighting - which did happen, although new light fixtures are needed at some point). Second, instead of placing the responsibility with the neighborhood to design a park, the Department of Parks and Recreation should come up with 3 alternative designs to present to the community. Ultimately, the ANC should vote to select one. Finally, DPR might enter a memorandum of understanding with UHOP, by which UHOP housing management would be permitted to lock the park after dark and assist in maintaining it. We should set a goal of obtaining funding, developing the design options, obtaining ANC approval within 2009, and breaking ground, completing the restoration, and naming the park in 2010.

Enough of my rantings, and now for our tour. From top to bottom, left to right:

1. View of the park from N Street NW;
2. A fence was recently erected around this structure, which I believe is a vent for metro, which is now filled with trash;
3. A sorry excuse for a basketball hoop - does anyone actually shoot into a milk crate or is this urban art?;
4. A makeshift backboard - look closely and you can see that the streetlight is leaning at an odd angle;
5. A garbage bag attached to the park fence - yes, those are dozens of singles;
6. Sneakers hang from the tree at the entrance to the park, marking a spot where a person was killed.
   

Read more!

The Little Engine that Couldn't

A Sosua local sings the blues after learning that a free DC fire engine and ambulance will not be coming to the "most beautiful beach in the Dominican Republic."

I have not posted in a while, but I've been following the fire engine fiasco, which you've no doubt heard about by now.

The basic run down: the DC government donated a fire truck and ambulance worth nearly $400k to Peaceaholics, an organization accustomed to receiving million dollar earmarks to purportedly negotiate gang truces when MPD throws in the towel.

Peaceaholics was apparently just an intermediary to transfer the little engine that couldn't work for the DC taxpayers anymore to a "poor" resort town in the Dominican Republic, which, of course, necessitated at least one publicly funded trip of a DC fire official to check it out.

Of course, as the details emerged, the town actually wasn't that poor and the equipment wasn't actually quite so worthless. Sunlight has a way of changing stories.

Authorized by an obscure line in the DC Register, The Examiner's Mike Neibauer caught it with a good eye and exposed the deal, and the duo was "recalled."

It's the political equivalent of attempting to stop a stupid email after hitting send, which only draws greater attention... and never works.

Rather than continuing to pretend everything is A-Ok, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Attorney General Peter Nickles, the Office of Procurement, Peaceaholics, and the fire department should fess up, immediately provide full transparency on who was involved and why, and address it appropriately. There are no take backs or do overs.

Barbara Hollingsworth nailed it in her column today. In case you have not been following the story, here is the play-by-play of Examiner coverage:

Odd deal sends D.C. fire truck, ambulance to Dominican town, 3/27/09
Cheh demands explanation of firetruck, ambulance donation, 3/27/09
Donated firetruck, ambulance recalled to D.C., sources say, 3/31/09
Fire official went to Caribbean to donate truck, 4/1/09
Fire chief says he was ‘clueless’ about donation, 4/1/09
Firetruck donation to Dominican town will get independent review, 4/3/09
D.C. Council opens own probe into donations to Caribbean, 4/10/09
Read more!

Error, Gross Negligence, or Corruption?

In reading the e-mail traffic on the Shaw neighborhood group (also on renewshaw), I came across an interesting post today. I'm reposting it below for broader readership:

On perusing the DCRA's Winter 2009 Vacant Property Listing and the online Real Property Assessment Database, I found that six of the seven vacant properties owned by Shiloh Baptist Church (or agents of the same) in Shaw are no longer classified as vacant (Tax Class 3) but are instead now classified as Tax Class 1 or 2 (Residential or Commercial, respectively) . Below is a breakdown of the classifications from the online Real Property Database.

Property Address Tax Class
1543 8th Street, NW 001 - Residential
1600 8th Street, NW 003 - Vacant
1526 9th Street, NW 002 - Commercial
1528 9th Street, NW 002 - Commercial
1532 9th Street, NW 001 - Residential
1533 9th Street, NW 001 - Residential
1534 9th Street, NW 002 - Commercial

By all appearances, all seven properties remain vacant (they are all boarded up) and not marketed for sale or lease. I can think of no justification for their tax classifications to have changed. Accordingly, I think this is an error (if not the result of gross negligence or corruption) and could result in lost revenue for the city. Further, it undermines the equity and effectiveness of the Class 3 tax class.

Shiloh should pay the Tax Class 3 tax on all seven vacant properties they own as if this mistake never happened and should not benefit from whatever has caused this reclassification.

Let me absolutely clear here -- these properties have been vacant for 30 years and they are still vacant. The owner's refusal to sell, lease, rent, renovate or do anything with the property leaves Shaw with an island of urban blight. Not too long ago, the city took the positive step of condemning them in order to force repairs, as the historic properties were in danger of being lost.

Recently, the DC Council increased the vacant property tax rate to approximately 10x the occupied residential rate (previously, it was 5x the residential rate). Obviously, Shiloh did not want to pay what would be a massive amount of new taxes on this span of vacant property. Did they find someone at DCRA willing to switch the numbers for them from Class 3 (vacant) to Class 1 (residential) or Class 2 (commercial)? Did they find some valid exception?

The neighborhood, and all DC taxpayers, deserve an explanation. Read more!

Thomas Attacks

I first read today in The Mail some very disturbing news. There's more detail in The Examiner.

Apparently, Councilmember Harry Thomas (Ward 5), threatened a community newsletter, the Brookland Heartbeat, after they ran an article entitled, "Few Gains for Ward 5 in 2009 Budget," criticizing his record.

Thomas responded by sending an open letter to the Brookland Heartbeat and Ward 5 residents, which concluded with an explicit threat to the newsletter and its advertisers.

"I request that the Brookland Heartbeat publish and distribute a retraction to its readers. In addition, Long and Foster will be held accountable for its role in underwriting the Brookland Heartbeat, as well as the businesses that support the publication."

What the?

Thomas's statement reminds me of the Bush Administration official who threatened law firms providing pro bono representation to Guantanamo detainees by reading off the names of several of the firms and then suggesting that their corporate clients take their business elsewhere.

"I think, quite honestly, when corporate C.E.O.’s see that those firms are representing the very terrorists who hit their bottom line back in 2001, those C.E.O.’s are going to make those law firms choose between representing terrorists or representing reputable firms, and I think that is going to have major play in the next few weeks. And we want to watch that play out," then-deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs, Charles Stimson Stimpson said in a radio interview.

After all, supporting the right to an attorney and the writ of habeas corpus, both enshrined in the constitution, are deserving of retaliation.

Thomas's statement is quite Stimpsonesce, suggesting businesses retaliate against those exercising their First Amendment rights, in this case, freedom of the press.

Stimpson later apologized. A month later, he resigned.

Read more!

DC Vote: Gunned Down

So I just read that the U.S. Senate passed legislation this afternoon to give the District a vote in the House of Representatives. Only thing is... they amended the bill to make our vote contingent on repealing the District's gun laws.

That leaves three options:

1. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton shows some chutzpah and introduces an amendment to the House version of the bill to repeal all of Utah's strict alcoholic beverage laws in order to protect their 21st Amendment rights to show how ridiculous it is for Congress to meddle in local affairs.


2. I'm reminded of a scene in Glory, one of my favorite movies, where the soldiers take their checks, raise them in the air, and chant "tear it up," "tear it up."


3. Hope that such stupidity is corrected in conference committee after a measure without the gun amendment passes the House.

Don't get me wrong, I've already predicted that the bill will ultimately be torn apart as unconstitutional, but I'm fed up with this b.s.

Read more!

Very Sad News... Connie Maffin

I was very sad to learn that Connie Maffin passed away early this afternoon after suddenly becoming ill last week.

I came to know Connie when I lived in Logan Circle and I was privileged to serve with her on the Logan Circle Community Association board.

She was truly a matriarch of the community and the city, which she played no small part in building, promoting, selling, and loving over three decades - from the prostitute and drug dealing days to its recent renaissance. Connie was our neighborhood's voice of reason, our historian, and a good neighbor and a friend to all who knew her.

Connie will be missed, but her presence will continue to be felt and guide us for a long time to come.

---

LCCA Mourns Loss of Long-Time Member Constance Maffin

(Washington, D.C) – The Logan Circle Community Association (“LCCA”) is mourning the passing of long-time member, leader, mentor, and friend Constance W. “Connie” Maffin. Connie died on February 16 after a short illness. Connie and her husband Bob were married in 1974 and lived together since then in their grand Victorian row house on the majestic stretch of Vermont Avenue N.W. just below Logan Circle. The LCCA community extends it heartfelt condolences to Bob and the entire Maffin family on their loss.

Connie was one of LCCA’s pioneering members and served as both an officer and board member numerous times. In recent years she served on the annual Holiday House Tour Committee, for which she headed up home selection and ticket sales. She was also a member of the Committee of 100, the city’s oldest planning organization and citizens’ lobby; Lambda Alpha, an international land economics society; and served as a trustee to the D.C. Preservation League.

“Connie Maffin was a household name in the D.C. civic movement, especially in Logan Circle,” said LCCA President Jennifer Trock. “She was a pillar of the community and a friend to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Connie will be sorely missed.” LCCA Board Member and House Tour Co-Chair Tim Christensen agreed. “It was a joy to work with Connie on both a personal and professional level year after year and, frankly, we don’t know what we’re going to do without her,” he said.

Connie was an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Residential and was licensed in D.C. and Maryland since 1978. She served as chairperson of the Real Estate Board of the District of Columbia, which oversees the regulation of over 12,000 licensees in the city. She was past president of the Washington D.C. Association of Realtors and was named WDCAR’s REALTOR of the Year in 2007. She chaired the Public Policy, Residential Sales, Awards, and REALTOR Political Action Committees. In 1993 she was awarded Distinguished Sales Associate of the Year in recognition of her professionalism and commitment to the industry. She also served as a director of the National Association of REALTORS for three years.

Connie was a graduate of the Real Estate Institute and held the GRI national designation. She also completed the National Trust for Historic Preservation's historic real estate program. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, she received her M.A. in urban policy from George Washington University and her B.A. from Barat College of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Illinois.

A portion of the proceeds from LCCA’s 2008 Holiday House Tour will be donated to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation in Connie’s memory. In lieu of flowers, friends are also invited to make a donation here or by mail to P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

A public viewing will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. All are invited to attend. Read more!

Last Stop: Service Cuts

Little Jimmy made 5-cent lemonade that his neighbors just couldn't do without. The only problem was that the more he sold, the more money he lost. In fact, on the hottest day in recent memory, he sold sold much that he had to ask his parents for extra allowance to cover the costs. Finally, Jimmy came up with a simple solution... if he sold less lemonade, he'd lose less money.

While of course an oversimplification, this is the philosophy now being employed by current policymakers at Metro. The system continues to see increases in ridership, shattering its record this inauguration day, yet is seeking funds from Congress to help cover the surge in fare-paying but not cost-covering customers. Now metro officials are considering ridiculous service cuts in order to cut the growing revenue-cost gap, to see what might stick.

Stop service on weeknights at 10pm? Cut off the Yellow Line at 9:30pm or eliminate a portion of the Yellow Line? Make us wait longer for less trains? Open later on weekday mornings? Shut down some metro entrances that have multiple ways in and out? Get rid of bus routes?

What's off the table, according to WMATA officials, is increasing fares.

Currently, Metro's base fare is $1.65 in weekdays during the morning and evening rush (up to $4.50 based on distance), and $1.35 at all other times (up to $2.35). Metro, the second largest metro system in the country after New York City, is also one of a few that charges variable fares. Its base fare, however, is still considerable lower than most other systems, including New York, Chicago, and Boston, which charge a flat $2 or $2.25 per ride. In fact, when I moved from Brooklyn in 1993, the subway charged just 10 cents less that what DC's metro charges off peak 16 years later.

Off-peak fares may be a significant part of the problem. As The Examiner found, while metrorail ridership continues to increase (up 3.8% in 2008), "Metrorail riders are riding more during non-rush hour times and traveling shorter distances." The result: Metro is getting short changed.

Service cuts hurt DC's economy, hurt the environment, hurt tourism, and hurt DC's reputation as a world-class city. Tell the lawyer lives in Bethesda and works downtown that the Metro will stop running at 10pm and he'll buy a parking space and start driving. Tell the resident of Cleveland Park or Northern Virginia who is thinking of coming in for a night on the town that Metro service will be slower and close earlier and she'll opt to either stay where she is or drive. Visitors to the city will stick with cabs or tour buses. Convenience and reliability, as well as affordability, are the hallmarks of a mass transit system. Lose them and the system falls apart.

Metro can't keep operating at a loss. Nor can it reduce service and turn the Metro system of the nation's capital into a joke.

Substantially relying on federal funds is also not the answer. Such requests should be reserved for major infrastructure improvements, such as the Dulles line, the Purple Line, and the need to expand the Blue Line and metro capacity generally.

Policymakers and number crunchers need to closely look at the revenue side, and stop focusing on drastic ways of cutting service. That means re-examining Metro's fare structure.

Times are hard and no one wants to hear about a fare increase. Yet, continued viability of the system may require increasing the base fare to $2.00 in line with other cities. Any such hike might be accompanied by substantial discounts to those with SmarTrip cards or an all-you-can-ride 30-day unlimited ride card to keep it as affordable as possible for those who depend on Metro to get to work each day. Maybe Metro should consider eliminating off-peak price breaks that would seem to primarily benefit leisure riders?

All options need to be on the table.

Read more!

14th & Geez, Pt. 2

In the Sunday Post, Answerman John Kelly takes up the topic of my post last week on the long-vacant properties at 14th and G Streets NW. The website includes a 2-minute video tour of the inside of the bank that's worth a look.

Kelly's interview with the director of the Armenian National Institute reveals that the properties were purchased by a wealthy individual for a museum before there was a plan for its design or what would go inside. Now, about 8 years since the first acquisition, the museum's opening seems far from imminent, given today's economic climate. Don't hold your breath for the museum of urban decay to turn around by 2011, as anticipated on the museum's website.

It sounds like a story I've unfortunately seen and heard so many times before in DC. A nonprofit with good intentions. A grand plan. And little clue as to how to make it happen - whether its lack of organization or internal consensus, regulatory or legal know-how, or holding out for additional funding or property. Weeks turn into months, months into years, sometimes years into decades, and before you know it, the economic/social/market environment has changed so significantly that the plans fall through or concept no longer makes sense.

What I'd like is for Answerman to look into is whether the museum will pay DC taxes at the higher rate for vacant properties and what plans they have for cleaning up the unsightliness of the buildings while those who live and work downtown continue to wait for the plans to take shape and the economy to turn around?

Read more!

The Stick Approach: Bag Tax

Councilmember Tommy Wells is set to introduce legislation Tuesday that would place a 5 cent tax on each bag you use when buying items at supermarkets, convenience stores, and other shops. The idea is to encourage shoppers to bring their own bags. Those who don't would pay a small tax, about 2 cents of which would go to cleaning the Anacostia, 2 cents to the business, and about a cent into a fund for providing seniors and low-income residents with reusable bags.

Although polution caused by plastic bags is the primary issue, the bill would also apply the tax to paperbags as an incentive to get buy-in from store owners, since paperbags are more costly than plastic. (Some think this goes too far)

San Francisco and Oakland, California have banned plastic bags outright due to environmental concerns. Some other states and countries are considering restrictions, including Maryland.

The plastic bags do seem to be everywhere -- I particularly enjoy spotting that species of tree that is native to urban environments -- the bag tree. I'll need to get a photo of one of those for the blog.

What do you think of the Wells' proposal? There is an online petition here if you would like to express your support.

Over the past year or so, I moved toward bagless. Now, for planned trips to the supermarket I use the canvass reusable bags. Not only is it more green, it's actually much more convenient. They hold much, much more. And they are more comfortable to carry than heavy plastic bags that cut into your hand and more than occasionally split open, sending your food rolling down the sidewalk. Grocers sell the bags to customers for $1 each, making them readily available - I purchased mine at the Super Safeway (CityVista).

But plastic bags still have their purposes, whether it's for dog poo or household trash, particularly. Even when relying on reusable bags, the impulse or small purchase keeps a sufficient supply. If plastic was not available at all, then I'd just have to buy them, which seems to defeat the purpose.

I do have some mixed feelings about the proposed bag tax. I remember back in the day in New York, and this still is the case there, when soda cans had a 5-cent refund. As kids, we'd walk the beach and pick up dozens of cans, then bring them to the supermarket and double or triple our allowance. This seemed to encourage recycling, while providing a free army of trash haulers. It was a carrot approach. DC is considering the stick.

Are there other ways to encourage use of reusable bags and reduce use of plastic bags? Read more!

TV/VCR of Higher Learning?

When I went out shopping for a new tv some time ago, I remember being cautioned not to buy a combo TV/VCR. It might seem to be a good deal, but if one breaks, well, then you are stuck.

Those involved in deciding whether a new community college for the city should be part of the University of the District of Columbia (we are the only urban center in the country not to have one) might consider that sound advice. (Mike Debonis of the CityPaper chronicles the latest here)

In this case, the District already has a broken TV, and, even before fixing it, it is thinking of strapping a new VCR (or DVD player in today's technology) onto it.

I admire the passion and drive that UDC's new president brings to the job. And I'm pleased he has made it is mission to turn the failing institution into one that we can be proud of. But for now, the new community college should be independent of UDC.

I personally like the idea of establishing a prominent downtown campus for DCCC in the vacant Franklin School, returning it to educational use. One can envision students working on their assignments across the street in Franklin Square park.

According to the Franklin School's historic designation application:

The Franklin School was the flagship building of a group of seven modern urban public school buildings constructed between 1862 and 1875 to house, for the first time, a comprehensive system of free universal public education in the capital of the Republic. It was hoped that this new public school system would serve as a model for the nation as the need to provide equal educational opportunities for all Americans was finally recognized as essential to the survival of a democratic society. For women and African Americans, this ideal of universal public education was accompanied by a policy of separation of students both by sex and by race. The school was named for Benjamin Franklin who had clearly understood and advocated the absolute necessity of universal public education for the success of the young nation....

Franklin School was immediately successful, creating an entirely new perception of public schools and their significance to the future of the nation. The building became the symbol of the fulfillment of the Board of Trustees' vision of a free public school system in which equality of educational opportunity would be the foundation of a truly democratic society in which barriers of class, wealth, and sex would at last be overcome.

Could there be any more fitting use of the building than the District's flagship community college?

Some might feel that there's a better use of the Franklin School than a community college. It might a beautiful boutique hotel or unique condos, for example. This isn't a new argument. In fact, it's 140 years old. At the building's dedication in 1869, Alderman Chase responded to critics who felt that the Franklin School building was too fine for a public school house:

"Ah! sir, I hope the time may never come when we would make less beautiful and attractive the places where our children are to receive an education, where lasting impressions are to be made upon the young mind, than we would the offices of State...It has been well said by an eminent thinker, 'Show me the churches and school houses of a nation, and I will tell you what is its civilization and enlightenment."

So what's it going to be... a TV/VCR or an independent, downtown DCCC campus rooted in the tradition of a high-quality education for all with a fresh start? Read more!

14th & Geez...

Two blocks from the White House, three blocks from the DC Council's Wilson Building, in the center of the downtown, there is a half block of vacant property, and it's not a pretty sight. Welcome to 14th and G Streets N.W.

Those of us working nearby have wondered why, it has stood like this for nearly a decade. "It's just bizarre," said a co-worker who caught me snapping photos.

The largest and most notable of the properties is the National Bank of Washington, which doubles as "Washington's Oldest Bank" and possibly downtown's longest eyesore. The bank, which is a designated historic landmark, includes Hahn Shoes at the ground level, which wraps around 14th Street onto the G Street side. The windows are held together by clear tape. The entryways are boarded up.

It's 24 degrees this morning and there's a homeless man bundled up so tight at the corner of the building that you can see nothing but his blue gloves slightly protruding from the blankets and tarps.

The Washington Post did a feature on the shoe store as part of a series of places that have disappeared from the DC area, in October 2008.

Just around the corner on the G Street side is a half block that is frozen in time. It harks back to the days when small independent businesses were able to exist downtown.

There's the ruins of a large office building that continues to have a sign for Shelton's Salon & Day Spa at the ground level, which was apparently operating into 2004. In front, there is one of the largest homeless encampments I've ever seen. Fort G. Back in the 1930s, the Olmstead Grill was located here. (1336 G Street NW)

Next, is Clement's Pastry Shop, which moved to Hyattsville, Maryland in 2000 after 35 years at that location. A decal still hangs in the inside window noting its membership in the National Restaurant Association - 1995. (1338 G Street NW)

Then there is the nail salon and tattoo parlor, which still has a website in its old address.

There's also a newsstand, which had moved to 1004 F Street, in case you arrive back in town after moving in the 1990s and you're looking for the latest edition of The Common Denominator. At some point, the building had an Italian restaurant, though it's sign is partially covered by a "Lease Office" sign. The space is clearly not for lease, but there it sits. (1340 G Street NW)

The strip wouldn't be complete without the building that included the Dragon Exotic Massage Parlor and a brewing company upstairs. The first floor continues to have a window display composed of sea shells and candles. That soothing feeling is interrupted by crime scene tape that has cordoned off the entry way for at least the past month. (1342 G Street NW, 5th photo below)

Finally, between the strip of buildings and the bank is a vacant lot. There's a weed as tall as a tree growing there. In the summer, passers by can see it peaking over the wall. For now, tourists receive an education message, noting how the District has greater population and more registered voters than Wyoming, but doesn't have a vote in Congress. (1344 G Street NW)

The properties, all of them, were purchased one by one by the Armenian Genocide Museum between 2001 and 2003. According to D.C. records, the museum spent $21.5 million in total to acquire the area. The total proposed assessed value of the properties for 2009 is $32.9 million.

The museum plans to open "before 2011." It appears the museum has recently made progress. In March 2008, the museum sought and obtained approval of their plans from the Historic Preservation Review Board. You can view its plans online.

The wait has not been without cost to the museum. Since 2005 (as far as online records go), the museum has paid $1,676,314.98 in DC property taxes. It has apparently been spared paying at the significantly higher vacant property tax rate, however. The museum pays about $12,000 to the downtown Business Improvement District each year.

Let's hope that the Museum of Urban Decay's exhibit on "Downtown, DC in the 1990s, the Pre-Anthony Williams Years," is replaced soon. Read more!

A Fair Budget?

Earlier this week, the Fair Budget Coalition released its annual budget recommendation report, "Shared Challenges, Shared Solutions, Shared Opportunities."

One might expect front-line service providers to have an expensive wish list of everything under the sun for the D.C. Council, particularly in a recession when individuals are most vulnerable.

But that is not the case here.

Having the chance to work with the Coalition in preparing this report, I was impressed with the amount of time they took to target their requests to the most critical areas and to identify ways to use available funds more wisely. In fact, when the District's anticipated revenue shortfall grew, the Coalition pulled their report and spent another month focusing it further.

Their recommendations fall in 9 general areas: workforce development, homeless services, housing, TANF, food stamps, food and nutrition, health and disability, children and youth, and tax and revenue.

Many of the recommendations are just commonsense... such as increasing transparency in the D.C. budget through use of more line items, improving data collection to better serve disabled infants and toddlers, and expanding access to the federally-funded food stamp program. Other recommendations are cost neutral, such as the Coalition’s support for providing basic mental health benefits to members of the DC Health Care Alliance through reallocating savings from closing the DC Community Services Agency. Some cost money, but are desperately needed, such as increasing funds for adult literacy programs.

You can download the full report here. Read more!

Mermaids, aliens & bigfoot: what do they have in common?

This week marked the end of the anti-coal campaign in Metro Center with the replacement of the "in reality" ads with more neutral-messaged Pepsi signs. I'm not sure if there's an award for "most effective ad or advocacy campaign," but, if so, I'd nominate the in reality series. The simplicity of the messaging and imagery was ingenious - turning on its head the industry's clean coal campaign. It makes me want to pick up my undergrad studies in marketing and combine it with advocacy.

Read more!

Stop... or else!

Earlier this week, I posted a cynical comment about the DC Council's consideration of legislation that would make it unlawful to drive with ice on the car when it does not enforce current laws that are supposed to protect us slipping on ice. At the time, I wondered what the no-driving-with-ice proposal provided as the penalty for a violation, given that there is no consequence for a person or business (or the DC government) when they don't clear the sidewalk from snow and ice, as also required by law.

Since the bill was not available on the Council's Legislative Information System as any legislation should, I could not find the answer. Well, today's Post and Examiner report that there was debate over whether to include a $50 or $100 fine. Ultimately, the Council passed the new law, but stripped any potential penalty. Instead, it empowered the police to issue a warning (can't anyone do that now - "excuse me, it's dangerous to drive around like that?"). At least Councilmember Mendelson is quoted as admitting that the legislation is less a matter of law than a "statement of policy."

Do we need the Council to pass aspirational statements of policy?

I remember a similar debate some months ago when the Council considered an amendment proposed by Councilmember Wells to prohibit vehicles from blocking bike lanes. After a debate errupted as to whether there would be any consequence for a violation beyond that already available for double parking, the bill died (I believe), ultimately passed with a potential $65 fine.

Having laws with no enforcement makes zero sense. In some instances, there is a lack of enforcement because of a lack of funds or lack of priority placed by goverment agencies or MPD. But, as these examples show, in other cases, there is a lack of enforcement simply because the Council passes unenforcable laws... stop, or else!

The Council should consider whether making conduct illegal, but providing no enforcement, has broader ramifications. Does it foster an environment in which people feel that it is ok to break the law so long as the violation is "minor"?

Or do such laws just show lazyness on the part of a Council that wants to appear concerned, but don't actually spend the time doing their homework to draft legislation that works? Read more!

Not a Good Sign

February 3, 9:50 pm: Trash Can at 5th and N Streets NW.

Read more!

Ice Emergency

The DC Council is considering enacting legislation to make it a traffic violation to have ice on the hood or roof of your car while driving because it presents a hazard to other drivers. Apparently, DC may be the first jurisdiction to do so. While the proposal may have merit, the cynic in me says, "great work, Council, what we need is another unenforced law." (And it is classic that the law was proposed by Councilmember Thomas as "emergency legislation" - I guess winter snuck up as a complete surprise!)

For instance, you probably know that DC law requires those who control property (this includes owners, renters, business owners, etc.) to keep the area in front of their house or store clear of snow (within 8 hours of daylight when the snowfall stops). What is not as widely known is that there is no mechanism for enforcement. No citation, no fine, nada. Apparently, if the owner or occupant doesn't step up, the city is supposed to do it. More likely, the person who gets injured will have to sue. When it comes to public property, the DC government has responsibility to keep the sidewalk safe.

What I've found over the years is that almost without fail, the places you are most likely to go down hard are vacant properties and properties owned by the DC government. I'm kicking myself for not taking a few photos after our recent little snow as I walked, I mean, slid, passed some DC-owned/vacant properties. Often, good samaritans on the blocks are nice enough to pick up the slack. So if the government wants to discuss the risks of ice, I challenge them to enforce the laws already on the books (how about citing vacant property owners for not clearing the ice, just like when I get a ticket like clockwork for forgetting to move my car on alternate street sweeping days) and get their own act in order. Read more!

Franklin School: Is there a plan?

The Franklin School, located at 13th & K Street NW, was designed by Adolph Cluss in 1869.
It is a National Historic Landmark. Photo: Amy Arch on Flikr.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2F's February 4 agenda (7pm at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW) includes (at about 8:45pm) presentation of a proposal for the Franklin School. As you may remember, the city abruptly closed the Franklin School, which was being used as a low-barried shelter for 400 homeless, in late September, after gradually removing its beds to reduce capacity.

Years ago, the District planned on putting a boutique hotel in the historic building through one of those lucrative, no-bid contracts to a politically-connected developer. When that saw the light of day, the plan fell apart, ultimately ending in a lawsuit and recent settlement in favor of the developer.

Is a legitimate, publicly-vetted plan for the Franklin School near? As this 2005 article shows, a plan has been long coming and through many concepts, but not soon arriving. Read more!

Go Mendo! Time for an Elected AG?

I've expressed frustration in the past with the tendency of our elected officials to introduce symbolic and PR-focused legislation purportedly supporting voting rights for District residents (coins, postage stamps, postmarks, statuary hall, ballpark signs, etc.) rather than move on substantive legislative that can move us closer to full home rule. Yesterday's Examiner reported on one of those rare substantive efforts - Councilmember Mendelson's introduction of legislation that would make the District's Attorney General an elected official.

An attorney general is a state's chief legal officer. He or she is charged with a wide range of important functions, including advising government agencies on how to comply with the law, defending the state in civil litigation, and suing on behalf of the state when it is wronged. In the states, attorneys general general share criminal prosecutorial power with district or county attorneys elected at a more local level, and handle appeals. In 43 of the 50 states, the attorney general is elected. In the remainder, the Governor appoints the attorney general with the exception of Tennessee, which is unique in having its Supreme Court appoint the highest legal officer.

The Mendelson bill, introduced on January 9 and referred to the Council's Public Safety and Judiciary Committee (chaired by Mendelson), has so far gained the co-sponsorship of Councilmembers Catania and the Browns Squared. It would provide for election of the attorney general, on a partisan basis, for a 4-year term beginning in 2010. Election of the AG would coincide with that of the Mayor. Congresswoman Nortan has pledged to move the change to the District's Home Rule act through Congress if passed by the Council.

Only a few years ago, the name of the position was changed from Corporate Counsel to Attorney General, a somewhat symbolic gesture to put the position on par with that of the states. The Mendelson bill is meant to continue the move forward. Currently, DC's AG, unlike other state AGs and district attorneys, shares prosecutorial power with the United States Attorneys office (the federal Department of Justice), which handles all major crimes, leaving DC's AG and the District's prosecutors to deal with relatively minor offenses. The Mendelson bill does not change that allocation of responsibilities... yet. That change must make it through Congress, and, while Norton has introduced federal legislation in the past, it has gone nowhere. In 2007, it didn't get the support of a single consponsor. It didn't move in 2006 or 2003 either.

An elected AG for the DC would provide more independence from the Mayor and greater responsiveness and accountability to the people. It might create momentum in the Congress for providing us lowly residents of the District with the power to enforce our own laws rather than rely on federal prosecutors who report to the the U.S. AG to do so. It would also add some needed democracy to the District, which has so few elected officials with real power for its 600,000 residents beyond a 13-member council and the mayor.

In moving forward, the Council does need to be aware of pitfalls. Elected attorney generals rely on campaign contributions to get and stay in their posts. That has the potential for favoritism, uneven enforcement when a contributor is involved, or cronyism in the award of lucrative contracts to private attorneys to assist the District in litigation. Strong transparency and conflict of interest laws are needed to safeguard the integrity of the position. Read more!

License to Vote?

Presidential limousines under Presidents Obama (left) (AP) and Bush (right) (Getty Images)

Although many federal vehicles have U.S. Government plates, the presidential limousine has historically had a D.C. license plate. In the final months of the Clinton presidency, the president installed D.C.'s then-new "Taxation Without Representation" plates. A few months later, President Bush had them removed. Instead, President Bush kept DC plates on the limo, but opted to not include the slogan (a choice offered by the DMV - Councilmember Graham recently proposed requiring the motto on all DC plates rather than offering http://www.dc.gov/).

Many had high hopes that President Obama would place the Taxation Without Representation plates on the new presidential limo. The Hill reported that DC Vote and Shadow Senator Paul Strauss expected the move. All 13 DC Councilmembers sent a letter to the president elect asking him to do so. Mayor Fenty, noted for his close ties to the new president, along with Congresswoman Norton, opted not to impose on the new president, calling the license plate just a "symbol." Funny, that never stopped DC's almost voting delegate from pushing DC postage stamps, postmarks, quarters, a spot in statuary hall, etc., etc., but I digress.

Well, the big day came. I watched the limo drive by in the parade. Surprise! The new presidential limousine does not have the Taxation Without Representation tags. In fact, for the first time in memory, the mobile fortress does not have DC tags at all. Welcome the new, blue USA 1 plates.

What does this mean for DC's quest for voting rights? Probably nothing. But President Obama certainly chose not to make a statement on this issue on his first day in office. I hope he'll consider DC tags in the future as a resident of our great city.

Read more!