Author: Brianne K. Nadeau

WAMU Covers Nadeau’s Hearing on Street Harassment – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

First-Ever Street Harassment Hearing at D.C. Council to Share Resident Stories, Explore Solutions – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Hearing requested by Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

WASHINGTON – In a first for the D.C. Council, a hearing tomorrow will focus on street harassment in the District and provide an opportunity for residents to share their stories and discuss possible solutions. The hearing, requested by Ward 1 D.C. Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau and co-convened by the Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Housing and Community Development, is the first Council hearing dedicated solely to the subject. 

New Bill Prevents Families from Losing TANF Benefits – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau introduces bill for families facing hardships to prevent childhood hunger and homelessness

WASHINGTON — At a time the District is committing unprecedented resources to prevent homelessness, Ward 1 D.C. Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau introduced a bill today that will prevent families facing extreme hardships from losing assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The bill establishes hardship extensions for circumstances such as domestic abuse, mental or physical impairment and low literacy that make complying with TANF’s transition to employment requirements impractical, if not impossible. It also requires more advance planning and participant education about the transition to employment process. The bill is supported by many organizations working to prevent homelessness, and was co-introduced by Councilmembers Silverman (I-At Large), May (D-Ward 8), Orange (D-At Large), Bonds (D-At Large), and Todd (D-Ward 4).

Upcoming Hearing on Street Harassment – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

In a first for the D.C. Council, a hearing this week will focus on street harassment in the District and provide an opportunity for residents to share their stories and discuss possible solutions. I have worked hard to advocate for this hearing and I invite residents to testify.

Paid family leave, getting serious about affordable housing – Ward 1 Update – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Supporting Paid Family Leave

I recently co-introduced a bill that would give workers in the District up to 16 weeks of paid leave for a major life event such as birth or adoption of a child or caring for a sick or injured family member or for self-care. The bill would allow any employee in D.C., or any D.C. resident employed outside of the city, to access a government-run fund to cover the costs of the paid leave. The best-in-the-nation bill would help keep families healthier and workers happier while helping businesses increase employee retention, productivity, and profitability. The bill was authored by Councilmembers David Grosso and Elissa Silverman.

Learn more:

• Press release with background on the bill
• Washington Post Columnist Petula Dvorak: D.C.’s amazing paid family leave proposal: Generous and long overdue
• WAMU: U.S. May Lag On Paid Parental Leave, But D.C. Could Jump Ahead With 16 Weeks

My bill to make the details of District land deals more transparent had a public hearing in September. The Land Disposition Transparency Act of 2015 will require posting details about the deals online and require the Mayor to provide more details about the process to the public and Council. 

I also wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post about how we have to use all the tools at our disposal if we are serious about producing the affordable housing we need. This includes turning to the untapped value of our vacant, publicly owned land.

Learn more:

• Washington Post Op-ed by Councilmember Nadeau: Get serious about affordable housing
• Councilmember Nadeau’s opening statement on The Land Disposition Transparency Act of 2015

After the Public Service Commission rejected a proposed merger of Pepco and Exelon several months ago, the Mayor, Attorney General, Office of the People’s Counsel and others involved in the proceedings negotiated a settlement that includes millions of dollars in additional concessions from Exelon. As you may recall, I spent a great deal of time reviewing evidentiary hearing testimony before I opposed the original proposal because I believed it did not adequately protect ratepayers and would set back our environmental goals. I, along with six of my council colleagues, have decided to support the proposed settlement, which addresses my original concerns by protecting ratepayers through early 2019, providing assistance for low income citizens and including a commitment to expand solar and wind power along with millions to support additional renewable energy development. While the Council has no formal role in the proceedings, we have sent a letter to the Public Service Commission for its consideration. The letter, linked below, outlines how the proposed settlement addresses my prior concerns.

Learn more:

• Letter from Councilmembers to the Public Service Commission in support of the settlement
• Details of Mayor Bowser’s settlement

I recently introduced a bill that will designate Theodore “Ted” Williams Alley in the Pleasant Plains neighborhood to commemorate the life of the community leader and the enduring legacy of his family. The bill will also remove a roadblock to the construction of a building on the property which includes publicly accessible community benefits.

Learn more: New Bill Honors Pleasant Plains Community Leader Ted Williams

• I had a great time meeting with Latino tech innovators at this year’s national #LATISM conference.
• Police have announced an arrest in a Park View shooting from this summer.
• Thanks to all who came out to my recent public safety meeting with MPD, ANCs and residents to address the rise in violence near 14^th and V Streets.
• A great story about La Casa, an architectural and public policy success helping chronically homeless residents in Columbia Heights.
• Join me on December 12 for the Third District Police Citizens Advisory Council Awards Banquet where we’ll be honoring officers for the work they do in our community.

Revised Pepco-Exelon Deal – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

After the Public Service Commission rejected a proposed merger of Pepco and Exelon several months ago, the Mayor, Attorney General, Office of the People’s Counsel and others involved in the proceedings negotiated a settlement that includes millions of dollars in additional concessions from Exelon. Councilmember Nadeau spent a great deal of time reviewing evidentiary hearing testimony before she opposed the original proposal because she believed it did not adequately protect ratepayers and would set back our environmental goals. She, along with six of her council colleagues, have decided to support the proposed settlement, which addresses her original concerns by protecting ratepayers through early 2019, providing assistance for low income citizens and including a commitment to expand solar and wind power along with millions to support additional renewable energy development. While the council has no formal role in the proceedings, they have sent a letter to the Public Service Commission for its consideration. The letter, below, outlines how the proposed settlement addresses Councilmember Nadeau’s prior concerns.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/287551846/Letter-from-DC-Councilmembers-to-the-Public-Service-Commission

New Bill Honors Pleasant Plains Community Leader Ted Williams – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau introduces bill to designate Theodore “Ted” Williams Alley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Contact: Tom Fazzini, [email protected], office: (202) 724-8180, mobile: (202) 262-8998

WASHINGTON — A bill introduced today in the D.C. Council will designate Theodore “Ted” Williams Alley in the Pleasant Plains neighborhood to commemorate the life of the community leader and the enduring legacy of his family. The bill from Ward 1 D.C. Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau will also remove a roadblock to the construction of a building on the property which includes publicly accessible community benefits. 

New Bills Address Language Access, Late D.C. Government Payments and ANC Absenteeism – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau introduces bills to improve D.C. government services, increase ANC accountability

WASHINGTON — Bills introduced today in the D.C. Council would enforce the requirement to provide District government information in multiple languages, apply pressure on District agencies to address late payments to grantees and contractors, and remove Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners from office who are chronically absent from their duties. The bills from Ward 1 D.C. Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau are aimed at making District government more efficient, accessible, and accountable. 

We Need You: Neighborhood Watch Training Sept. 12 – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Over the past few months you’ve talked with me at your community association and ANC meetings, at my Brianne on Your Block office hours and at our Public Safety Walks about the violence we’ve been experiencing in our communities. I’ve taken your concerns to MPD and other city agencies and they’ve used the information you’ve provided to target their resources as part of an immediate response. Thank you for your advocacy.

On the Public Safety Walks, residents had the opportunity to talk directly with MPD and the District employees who are addressing these issues every day. Making these connections and establishing new partnerships will ultimately lead to safer communities, but as productive as these Public Safety Walks have been, it will take more to get at the root causes of violence and crime. When I asked you to let me serve in this position, we talked a lot about long-term solutions, and I want you to know that I’m committed to achieving them. But I need your help to get there.

Today, I’m announcing our new Ward 1 public safety initiative: a neighborhood watch training for the entire ward, to be held on Saturday, September 12 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus (3101 16^th St NW). This training is for everyone in the community – long-time residents, newcomers, business leaders. My dream is for Ward 1 to have the best community engagement in the District, and it starts with building connections block-by-block, complementing the work of our ANCs and community association leaders, and all those who came before us.

At this training you will:

• Learn how to start your own neighborhood watch
• Hear from Ward 1 leaders and MPD on best practices and existing support
• Meet other Ward 1 residents and business leaders who care about these issues to begin building our Ward 1 block-by-block network

When I first got involved in our community, more than a decade ago, it was as a member of the Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association Orange Hat Patrol. Each week, we would meet our MPD officer and “walk the beat.” We’d look for little things that made the neighborhood unsafe, such as burnt out street lights or trees that needed to be trimmed, or larger things, such as abandoned property that allowed crime to thrive. As we walked, we talked with neighbors about what we were doing, and what they were seeing in the community. Together, we made the neighborhood safer.

So today, I’m asking you to share in our public safety efforts.

I want to commend Mayor Bowser on her work to get violent weapons off the street, and the work MPD has done already in this regard. And I want to build on those efforts block-by-block in Ward 1.

I have recently been asked to weigh in on proposals to temporarily bring back the MPD Vice Squad, also known as “jump out squads.” The practices employed by them, which involves officers pulling up to a location and arresting a group of people, have been retired by MPD, and have been widely criticized. I cannot support these proposals, and I do not think they help us achieve the long term, sustained outcome we truly want for the District. When violence and drug activity were at their worst, what made the biggest difference was residents partnering with MPD, taking back their blocks and being part of the solution.

We didn’t get to this place overnight, and we won’t solve our problems overnight either. But through a sustained effort at the deepest grassroots level, our community will become stronger and will overcome these issues.

Please join us September 12, and please share this email widely to encourage your friends and neighbors to attend.

I thank you for your partnership,

Public Safety, Meeting with Residents — Ward 1 Update – Office of Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

Working to address public safety issues

As summer continues, many community members have reached out to me and my office about crime and public safety. I want you to know that I am deeply troubled by these incidents and share your concerns about the recent rise in crime. I am working in partnership with MPD and our social service agencies to address them.