Happy Pride! We kicked off Pride month by raising the Pride flag at the Wilson Building. It’s great to live in a city that has consistently long embraced the LGBTQ+ community, which is such a rich part of the District.
Hello neighbors:
This week we made the $21 billion Fiscal Year 2025 budget final, though we still have to take a final vote later this month on the Budget Support Act – the part of the budget with the policy language that enables District government to spend the money the way we intended.
This was a difficult budget and it does not accomplish everything we wanted. While I am happy that we added more than 600 housing vouchers – the Mayor’s proposal had none – that’s not nearly as many as we need. I was proud in 2021 to author the Homes and Hearts Act, which generated 2,000 housing vouchers, and I thank Chairman Mendelson for working with me and other councilmembers to fund the vouchers we did in this budget. We are still short of where we need to be.
We also restored most of the funds necessary for the Pay Equity initiative we established two years ago, led by Councilmember Janeese Lewis George. That’s good, but not as good as protecting the full funding needed.
Still, we were able to accomplish some important wins here in Ward 1 and District-wide. Allow me to highlight just a few:
U Street Safety Corridor. More than $13 million was already designated for a streetscape project for this corridor, but a lot has changed since this project was conceived. I was able to shift funding so that we get the streetscape improvements, but with a mandate for D.C. Department of Transportation to focus on safety first, consistent with other, newer projects. Streets here are unsafe, with narrow sidewalks and wide travel lanes that encourage speeding.
We were able to allocate some of the funds to make changes to the adjacent 16th Street NW project, and for work on the planned parks at the former Bruce Monroe site and the Park Morton site, both of which will be closely tied to traffic safety issues there. Read more
LGBTQ Center. This afternoon I got to tour the site of the future site of the LGBTQ+ Community Center next to Howard Theater that will provide wraparound services, such as counseling, job opportunities, HIV/STD testing, education, food, support groups, showers, in addition to arts and culture, self-defense classes, and more. It was especially exciting to tour the site knowing that earlier this week my colleagues and I on the Council voted to allocate $1 million in the budget, doubling the District government’s commitment to building the center, with additional funds to come from private fundraising.
My own Committee on Public Works and Operations, which has oversight of the Mayor’s Office on LGBTQ Affairs, came up with half of the $1 million in additional funds in this year’s budget. The Council’s commitment to LGBTQ+ affairs this year includes other important measures, including creation of a more independent office on related issues, the creation of a commission on Black LGBTQ history, and setting up next year’s World Pride Festival for success. Read more
Parks and public spaces in Ward 1. Parks and public spaces in Ward 1 were big winners, too. The budget includes funds for planned parks at the Bruce Monroe and Park Morton sites, Civic Plaza and streetscape improvements in Columbia Heights, Park Road Triangle, K.C. Lewis Field, and Kalorama Park.
One other thing: this budget takes action on dangerous drivers (Washington Post), with funding I allocated to license plate readers to go after parking ticket scofflaws, and funding for Councilmember Allen’s STEER Act, which allows booting vehicles that rack up points for speeding and other traffic offenses, including those caught by traffic cameras and allows the D.C. Attorney General to sue repeat offenders, even if they live outside D.C.
It’s never just about the numbers – it’s about the people impacted by the programs and people funded in the budget. I remain committed to do the hard work to take care of our neighbors, to keep our city safe, to enhance our quality of life. We have an obligation to make sure our government serves people and meets their needs, and that’s what I am here to keep fighting for.
COUNCIL UPDATE |
Prohibiting utility shutoffs for vulnerable residents during summer & winter months
Energy insecurity is a serious problem with wide-ranging consequences for the health and financial wellbeing of vulnerable residents. Shutting off a home’s energy supply can lead to difficulty sleeping, poor respiratory health, and food insecurity, and can even be fatal. That’s why I introduced the Utility Disconnection Protection Act to prevent utility companies from disconnecting electricity and heat for vulnerable residents during summer and winter months.
The bill would also require companies to create payment plan programs for eligible customers and limit the amount providers can charge to restore power or gas after they have been disconnected due to non-payment to $25. Currently, utility providers can require that a bill is paid in full before service is restored, which can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Our current bare-minimum protection, based on the temperature, is inadequate for many populations in our city, and this legislation would go further to ensure children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities are protected from the stifling heat of summer and biting cold of winter.
BRIANNE IN WARD 1 |
Housing in Ward 1 is a critical physical need. But it’s also a mental and emotional health need, a need for self-sufficiency and fulfillment. For purpose. Jubilee Housing is constantly pushing the envelope to serve the community, and I had the honor of speaking at their Justice Housing breakfast to preview their ambitious vision for the next five years. There is no end to the work ahead of us, but there is progress, and I look forward to continuing to fulfill our purpose together to do everything we can to make access to dignified, affordable housing possible.
Ribbon cutting (w/ toilet paper, of course!) at the new Columbia Heights restroom. There will be 6 in D.C., the result of budget funds I secured. Residents, tourists, parents, kids, people with medical conditions, unhoused neighbors – everybody’s gotta go & now they can more easily. Thank you to Director Spriggs and the entire team at the Department of Public Works for their leadership and support. And to Marcia, Janet, George, and Beth, and to Kate, Leonard, and Marc, who celebrated from afar – the original “Loo Committee” who have been working for years to make this happen.
This week I met with Naimah Simkins of Prep Enrichment Center Daycare on Park Road NW for a tour of the learning center. The amazing teachers and staff provide a quality and creative early childhood education experience for Ward 1 families.
June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. In the District, we marked the month with a Council resolution encouraging residents to look for ways to prevent the tragic effects of this public health crisis.
Our team member Estelle joined the TRIGGER Project for its annual festival to spread awareness on how to end gun violence by changing norms and narratives.
Great to celebrate Omari’s Music Bar & Agave Lounge on Georgia Ave NW at today’s ribbon cutting! Chef Kay has brought together a culinary experience rooted in sustainability and inspired by the inclusion of agave throughout the menu.
COMMUNITY UPDATES |
Brianne On Your Block
The next Brianne on Your Block, where residents meet one-on-one with me to discuss ideas, concerns, or to request help with a specific issue, is coming up on Thursday, June 20 at RedRocks from 6 – 8 pm. Thank you, RedRocks, for hosting us!
Registration is encouraged, but not required
Annual Ward 1 Pool Day
Join Councilmember Nadeau, her team, and your Ward 1 neighbors for a day of summer fun, raffle prizes, and refreshing treats
District of PRIDE Showcase
Join the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs for an evening of live music, drag performances, powerful poetry, and more to celebrate the incredible talent within the LGBTQIA+ community at the District of Pride Showcase. It’s a night of joy, creativity, and pride you won’t want to miss.
IN THE NEWS |
WASHINGTON POST
D.C. Council votes on 2025 budget, opening mobile sports betting market
WASHINGTON POST
Analysis | Five winners and losers in D.C.’s 2025 budget
“…with contributions from the public works committee headed by council member Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1), some Department of Public Works tow trucks will now get to have license plate readers to go after parking ticket scofflaws.”
WASHINGTON INFORMER
Collins Council Report: Second Budget Vote (FY 2025)
“Meanwhile, an [amendment] by D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1) funds two civil engineer positions within DDOT and changes the U Street Streetscape project between 14th and 18th streets to better prioritize traffic safety and transit improvements along the corridor.”
CALENDAR |
Columbia Heights Day
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 11 am – 5 pm | Harriet Tubman Elementary
Annual one-day celebration of Columbia Heights!
Committee of the Whole Meeting
Tuesday, June 18, 11 am | in-person and online
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D
Tuesday, June 18, 7 pm | in-person and online
Council offices closed in observance of Juneteenth
Wednesday, June 19
Brianne on Your Block
Thursday, June 20, 6 pm | RedRocks, 1036 Park Rd NW
Meet one-on-one with Councilmember Nadeau
Annual Ward 1 Pool Day
Sunday, June 23, 12 – 3 pm | Banneker Pool, 2500 Georgia Ave NW
Join Councilmember Nadeau, her team, and your Ward 1 neighbors for a day of summer fun, raffle prizes, and refreshing treats
Legislative Meeting
Tuesday, June 25, 11 am | in-person and online
Public Works & Operations Committee Hearing: Public Testimony
Tuesday, July 2, 10 am | in-person and online
Public Works & Operations Committee Hearing: Government Witnesses
Wednesday, July 3, 10 am | in-person and online
Council offices closed in observance of Independence Day
Thursday, July 4
Legislative Meeting
Tuesday, July 9, 12 noon | in-person and online
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]
Jerry Clark | Constituent Services Specialist | [email protected]
David Connerty-Marin | Communications Director | [email protected]
Kara Dunford | Communications Specialist | [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 | Legislative Assistant | [email protected]
Niccole Rivero | Chief of Staff | [email protected]
