Great news: Starting Dec. 14, Metrobus route C63 in D.C., serving Washington Hospital Center, will extend to Georgia Av-Petworth, providing a connection to the Green Line and neighborhoods west of the hospital center.
WARD 1 UPDATE
Hello Neighbors:
For many of us, the continued D.C. police collaboration with ICE, Homeland Security, and other federal agencies on immigration enforcement remains top of mind, even as news coverage has subsided.
Mayor Bowser and her administration have escalated the harm occurring in our neighborhoods from this federal takeover. People are afraid and angry and deserve straight answers about MPD’s collaboration with ICE.
Yesterday, the Council’s Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which dozens of residents again testified about the frightening and devasting tactics employed by those federal agencies. They described numerous incidents of Metropolitan Police Department officer presence and assistance to those agencies, in violation of the spirit and the letter of D.C.’s Sanctuary Values Act.
We again witnessed a complete lack of transparency from the Bowser administration about MPD’s collaboration with ICE, whose actions are upending families, and making us all less safe, violating DC law under the executive’s direction.
Despite repeated questioning from me, Council Chairman Mendelson and others, Executive branch officials continued to sidestep specific questions about MPD collaboration.
It’s clear the Mayor and her administration will continue to deny residents the truth about the full picture of MPD’s cooperation and block legislative oversight by the Council. When they say “we are not coordinating with ICE,” what they really mean is, we’re not calling it coordination with ICE.
The Mayor and MPD leaders refuse to acknowledge the extent of what they have allowed under their watch and to acknowledge what is plain as day.
Next week I’ll publish a report from our human rights roundtable with findings and recommendations, and I’ll introduce legislation to address D.C. government’s inadequate response, including clarifying language about the ways in which MPD officers are not allowed to cooperate with immigration enforcement.
You can also read and watch my full remarks at yesterday’s hearing.
COUNCIL UPDATES
Enhancing safety for open streets
Yesterday, while my bill to require standards for safe and effective road barriers was being heard, the City Administrator released a new order that establishes a Task Force on Vehicular Terrorism Prevention. The establishment of the task force closely aligns with my legislation
Both my legislation and the task force will enable us to more safely and efficiently close streets for community events. D.C.’s current practice for street closures is expensive, unclear, and unsafe – one reason why we lag in implementation of open streets compared to peer cities.
My bill, the Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act aims to fix that. Unlike barriers designed for this purpose, many of the tools D.C. uses to close a street are not properly crash rated and are not certified as “anti-terrorism technologies” by the Department of Homeland Security. And staffing for road closures and special events is a big pressure for overtime spending.
For all these reasons, it’s critical that we adopt standards that will keep residents and visitors safe from vehicular terrorism as we open our streets, reimagine public spaces, and provide safe spaces for walking, biking, and other social activities.
Together we can work to make street closures safer, cheaper, and easier, and I look forward to the next steps.
What’s happening to the streateries?
If you’re in Adams Morgan this week, you may notice the District Department of Transportation working to remove the streatery platforms and barriers that were first erected by the city a little over a year ago as part of a pilot program. This space could be used for wider sidewalks, parklets, bike/scooter parking, and new streateries should businesses choose to pursue them. I shared these concerns, and DDOT has agreed to hold a 10’ curbside area for these and other public uses. We’ll now have the opportunity to take into consideration the highest and best use of public space, especially curbside space.
Also this week, the Council passed an amendment I introduced that will bring additional DDOT resources and planning for additional pedestrian space in this corridor, via the PLAZA Act. This will help advance a long-standing community desire for more regular road closures like the 18th Street Pedestrian Zone.
Read the full update on our website
BRIANNE IN WARD 1
Get help with your Pepco bills
Have questions about your Pepco bill? Staff from Pepco, Department of Energy & Environment, and the Office of the People’s Counsel will join our team at the Mount Pleasant Library on Monday, December 8 from 12 – 3 pm to offer support. Please bring your bill!
If you can’t attend, please register and our team will follow up.
Meet with me at La Doña Cafe
I’ll be at La Doña Cafe Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 10 am – 12 pm to meet with residents one-on-one, answer questions, and offer support. Please note this is a different time than our usual Brianne on Your Block events. Registration is encouraged but not required.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Leaf collection updates
Even as the snow falls, DPW leaf collection continues, thanks to our hard-working DPW collection teams!
The first pass for leaf collection in Section C began on Monday, December 1. Collection in Section D is anticipated to begin on Monday, December 15.
As a reminder, you can find your collection section and use the real time leaf tracker on the dedicated DPW website.
If your street has not been serviced after DPW announces that crews have moved on to the next section, please call 311 (202-737-4404) or visit 311.dc.gov to open a “Leaf Collection Missed” service request.
Stay updated on the D.C. Stabilization Center
The Department of Behavioral Health invites you to a community engagement meeting on Monday, Dec. 8 at 7 pm at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus. Hear updates on the opening of the District’s new Crisis Stabilization Center at 1338 Park Road NW (the former fire station) and get your questions answered about the Center, an additional support for residents struggling with substance use disorders. DBH will present a newly drafted Good Neighbor Agreement, which aims to provide clear channels for community engagement and feedback, maintain shared lines of communication amongst project stakeholders, and support overall goals of the community.
Please contact Arish Narayen, DBH Project Manager, if you have questions about this event at [email protected] or 202-934-2103.
Explore the city’s public school options for your child
Learn more about the DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools options for your child for the 2026-2027 school year at #EdFEST25 ahead of the launch of the My School DC lottery application on December 15.
- Saturday, December 6 (Grades 9-12), 10 am – 2 pm
- Eastern High School
- 1700 East Capitol St NE
- Saturday, December 13 (PK3 – Grade 8), 10 am – 2 pm
- Kraken Kourts and Skates
- 514 Rhode Island Ave NE
CALENDAR
Council Committee on Public Works & Operations Oversight Roundtable
Monday, December 8, 10 am | online and in-person
The Committee will hold a roundtable to discuss missed trash and recycling collections for DPW-serviced households, public litter can installation and removal, and the agency’s residential street sweeping program.
Council Committee on Health Public Hearing
Wednesday, December 10, 9:30 am | online and in-person
The Committee will hear testimony on Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau’s bill, the Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 2025.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D
Tuesday, December 16, 7 pm | Mt Pleasant Library (3160 16th Street NW) and online
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A
Wednesday, December 17, 7 pm | online
Council Winter Recess
December 23 – January 1, 2026
Our offices will be closed December 25 to January 1.
IN THE NEWS
WASHINGTON INFORMER
Black Youth, Environmentalists, Entrepreneurs Express Support for ‘Bottle Bill’
NBC4
DC residents seeking emergency rental help wait in line for hours
“D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau blasted DHS.
‘DHS should never have forced residents to stand in line for hours in the cold and should have been prepared for the crush of phone calls. DHS should apologize to D.C. residents and explain how this very predictable outcome was not foreseen and how they will make sure this doesn’t happen again,” she said in a statement.”
WAMU
D.C. once again sees technical glitches, surging demand for rent relief program
CONTACT US
Brianne K. Nadeau | Councilmember | [email protected]
Ariel Ardura | Committee Director | [email protected]
Abigail Boshart | Legislative Aide | [email protected]
Amanda Chulick | Legislative Analyst | [email protected]
David Connerty-Marin | Communications Director | [email protected]
Kara Dunford | Communications Manager | [email protected]
Estelle McKinney | Constituent Services Specialist | [email protected]
David Meni | Deputy Chief of Staff & Legislative Director | [email protected]
Maricela Nava | Deputy Chief of Staff & Scheduler | [email protected]
Sabrin Qadi | Senior Legislative Aide | [email protected]
Niccole Rivero | Chief of Staff | [email protected]
Eliza-Roche Robinson | Constituent Services Specialist | [email protected]