Public Roundtable on Legislation to Reduce Poverty In DC

D.C. City Councilmember Marion Barry has proposed a resolution to move the Council toward budget legislation that would address poverty “in a holistic manner.” The resolution includes recommendations for funding in a wide range of areas.

On Thursday, December 11, at 10:00 AM, Barry will hold a public roundtable to build support for his approach. The event will be in Room 500 of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.

To testify in person, contact Michael Rious at 202-724-7807 or mrious@dccouncil.us, by December 9 at 5:00 PM. Written statements for the record will be accepted through December 19.

— Kathryn

Public Roundtable on Restoring Essential DC Services

On December 8, at 10:00 AM, Councilmember Jim Graham will hold a public roundtable, or hearing, on a bill to increase District parking meter rates. Funds raised by the rate increase would be used to “restore essential services for District residents.”

The Council recently reduced funding for a range of programs that serve the needs of homeless and other poor residents, including support for affordable housing. Enactment of the bill would a way for the Council to modify these cutbacks.

Under the bill, meters that currently cost $1.00 per hour would cost $1.50 per hour. Meters that currently cost 50 cents per hour would cost 75 cents per hour. And parking at meters in the central business district would no longer be free on Saturdays.

The Council will be interested in learning whether the public is willing to accept these increases in exchange for less far-reaching cutbacks in essential services. For example, it needs to know if the increases will not discourage you from shopping downtown.

The public is invited to testify or to submit written testimony that will be made part of the official record. The official notice of the hearing provides details on the process and the location of the hearing. The hearing is open, and attendance is another way to demonstrate interest.

— Kathryn

Pennywise Budget Cuts

No one who’s ever looked for an apartment in D.C. needs to told that there’s an affordable housing problem here.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, housing is affordable if it costs no more than one-third of income. By this standard, rental costs are unaffordable for nearly two-thirds of D.C. households that rent.

In fact, a person earning the current minimum wage would have to work nearly 158 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment here. No wonder so many people are homeless or going without basic necessities like nutritious food and medicine just to keep a roof over their heads.

The District can do something about this problem. It can put more money into its affordable housing programs. Instead, the City Council recently cut funding for two of the major programs.

But, as Marc Fischer pointed out in his Washington Post column, providing housing for homeless people costs far less than the alternatives–emergency room visits, incarceration in jails or mental hospitals, overnight shelters, rescues of people who are freezing to death.

Some members of the City Council think the affordable housing budget cuts are worth a second look. Let’s hope the whole Council sees that it is being pennywise and pound foolish.

— Kathryn