Annual Report for DC At-Large Council member Anita Bonds

Community Events Hosted by Councilmember Anita Bonds: Community Action Summit, Part 1 On December 7, 2013, with over 100 residents in attendance, Councilmember Bonds sponsored Part 1 of her Community Action Summit at the Department of Employment Services (DOES) where residents joined government officials to learn of more options in affordable housing and employment opportunities.

Community Action Summit, Part 2 On January 25, 2014, at the Reeves Center, Councilmember Bonds sponsored Part 2 of her Community Action Summit to focus citizens’ attention on issues pertaining to housing, workforce development, forthcoming neighborhood development, public safety, education, and health.

and chair exercises to stay physically active.

Live Well DC! Healthy and Affordable Meals for Seniors In the spring of 2014, Councilmember Anita Bonds participated with seniors throughout the District to talk about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and provided a healthy cooking demonstration. DC native Chef Tate and Dr. Ruby conducted a cooking demonstration that showed seniors how to create affordable healthy meals on a budget.

Office Hours in the Community Throughout the year, Councilmember Anita Bonds has hosted several office hours in the community. This gives Fall into Senior Fitness In the fall of 2013, Councilmember Bonds residents the opportunity to meet with Councilmember Bonds at a local coffee sponsored a program called “Fall into Fitness” held at all of the Senior Wellness shop, a market, or restaurant to discuss legislative and constituent issues that Centers throughout the District. The event provided seniors an opportunity to affect their community. learn how to stay fit by turning fruits and Senior Budget Town Hall vegetables around the house into tasty smoothies. They participated in a juicing In the spring of 2014, Councilmember demonstration with DC native, Chef Tate, Anita Bonds sponsored, along with Mayor and Dr. Ruby. The fun did not end there, Vincent Gray, a Senior Budget Town Hall meeting at the Kennedy Recreation they also learned the latest line dances

Center. Councilmember Bonds thought it was very important that District seniors had an opportunity to understand and engage in the FY 2015 city budget process.

Mayor Gray provided a presentation on the items in the budget that were of interest to the seniors.

BINGO with Bonds Throughout the year, Councilmember Anita Bonds visited different senior residential facilities with the DC Lottery and Charitable Games to engage with residents in friendly games of BINGO. Senior Summit In the summer of 2014, Councilmember Bonds sponsored a Senior Summit for residents to learn about the different services that are provided by District agencies. The summit also provided the participants the opportunity to learn about Senior Villages and the new transportation services through Seabury Connector.

EVENTS SPONSORED ON BEHALF OF COUNCILMEMBER AnitA Bonds Night at the Ballpark with the Washington Nationals, Summer 2013 & 2014 Night at the Shakespeare Theatre for the Free for All, Summer 2013 & 2014 Arts Open House with the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities, Winter 2014

design by: www.ktdcreative.com select photos by Kate Tallent

Putting People First CounCilmembeR AnitA bonds (At-LArge)

Citywide Progress Report 2014

Letter from Anita

I have always considered service to community a rewarding and worthwhile pursuit.

Now – since joining the Council of the District of Columbia as an At-Large member in December 2012 – I am honored with the opportunity to legislate policy based upon the ideas and concerns of citizens across the District.

Every day I am committed to public service by promoting good government, finding solutions to problems, representing constituent interests and confronting the challenges of progress as the District becomes a world class community. Each week my newsletter highlights those commitments and additionally reports on my activities with residents of various backgrounds from all 8 Wards. I am truly putting people first.

As a lifelong resident, who returned home after college at UC Berkeley to begin a career and raise a family, I have witnessed many changes in DC. Like many urban communities, populations have shifted and economies have changed. DC continues to grow with renewed promise in every ward. Our population is climbing; new schools, recreation centers, senior wellness centers, and housing are being built, while our finances remain steady and services improve. However, behind the success grows poverty and barriers disadvantaging access to the middle class and economic inequality continues to expand. Now that DC is prospering, it is urgent that we do more to accelerate public education reform, create more affordable housing, connect residents to jobs, and ensure that neighborhoods are safe, stable, and enjoyable communities.

The Councilmember Anita Bonds Citywide Progress Report (2014) contains highlights of legislation I have supported and community activities I have been privileged to attend as your Councilmember for the last 18 months. I plan to continue listening to constituents about how best we can keep the District of Columbia a place for all to call home.

Sincerely,

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Legislative Highlights

INCREASING AFFORDABILITY IN DC DC is growing and with great success comes great responsibility. Councilmember Bonds has worked to make sure that the residents and businesses who endured the hard times can afford to remain in the District that is prospering today.

• Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2013: This bill, authored by Councilmember Bonds, eliminates the burden of property taxes for those District residents who are 70 years or older, have owned a home for 25 years or more, makes less than $60,000 in adjusted gross income. This bill was signed into law, funded by the Mayor but eliminated in the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Plan.

requirements when District-owned land is being disposed for the development of multi-family residential projects. A 30% affordable housing set-aside is required for projects that qualify as transit-oriented development and 20% for other land development. This bill has been referred to Committee on Economic Development.

• Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2013: This law, strongly supported by Councilmember Bonds, increases the minimum wage in the District to $11.50 in three annual steps, and requires the minimum wage to increase with the cost of living, by tying the rate increase to the Consumer Price Index. The first raise became effective on July 1, 2014.

• Affordable Homeownership Preservation and Equity Accumulation Amendment Act of 2013: This bill, authored by Councilmember Bonds, revises the resale restrictions associated with affordable for-sale units to preserve affordable units in high costs areas and maximizes the equity appreciation for homeowners who purchase units in distressed neighborhoods.

• Disposition of District Land for Affordable Housing Amendment Act of 2013: Cointroduced by Councilmember Bonds, this bill establishes affordable housing set-aside

• Tenant Bill of Rights Act of 2013: This law, co-introduced by Councilmember Bonds, requires a housing provider to provide tenants with a Tenant Bill of Rights, detailing their

rights as a tenant in the District. This bill will become effective in October.

• Hardship Green Grant and Rent Stabilization Act of 2014: Currently under review in the Committee on Transportation and Environment, this legislation authored by Councilmember Bonds provides residential building owners with at least 20 rental units or more a grant to cover up to 95% of the costs of installing green roofs or energy efficient materials. To qualify owners must maintain existing rents for at least 3 years.

• Housing Production Trust Fund Baseline Funding Act of 2014: This bill, co-sponsored

by Councilmember Bonds, requires that the Housing Production Trust Fund be funded at a minimum of $100 million annually. The HPTF fund is the District’s premier tool for producing and preserving affordable housing.

This bill is currently under review in the Committee on Economic Development.

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PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

EDUCATION & YOUTH

Good-paying jobs lead to real economic security. Today, too many District residents are unemployed, leaving the basic needs of their families in jeopardy. In a city with such economic growth and prosperity, Councilmember Bonds believes the Council should do everything it can to provide economic opportunity to those who need it most.

Despite recent educational reforms, District students lag behind other jurisdictions in academic achievement. While schools are showing measures of improvement, we must produce better results to guarantee our youth a 21st century education, eliminate the achievement gap and provide greater opportunities for success outside the classroom.

• Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Act of 2014: Amendment Proposed by Councilmember Bonds: This amendment to budget section “Subtitle J: Retail Priority Area” designates Good Hope Road S.E., beginning at the intersection of Anacostia Drive as a retail priority area and expands the priority area to Naylor Road SE.

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The wealth gap is astronomical.

I worry about young mothers and their expectation to afford housing in DC. Thanks Councilmember Bonds for taking the time for indepth conversations with residents.

– Shannon Kaplan, Ward 3 Resident

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• Fair Criminal Record Screening Act of 2014: Popularly called “ban the box,” this bill, co-introduced by Councilmember Bonds helps returning citizens re-enter the workforce by prohibiting the consideration an applicant’s arrest record during the hiring process. This bill is awaiting Congressional Review.

• Commission on Fathers, Men and Boys Establishment Act of 2013: This bill, cointroduced by Councilmember Bonds, establishes a Commission on Fathers, Men and Boys to advise the Mayor and Council on issues related to fatherhood, education, and employment among males. This commission is established and funded in FY 2015 Budget & Financial Plan.

• Cottage Food Act of 2013: This law, co-sponsored by Councilmember Bonds, establishes a set of compliance guidelines to allow entrepreneurs to prepare food in their residential kitchens and sell those products to the public without the requirement of having to acquire a license from the Department of Health. This law became effective on January 25, 2014.

• Free Transportation for Summer Youth Amendment Act of 2013: This law, co-sponsored

by Councilmember Bonds, amends the School Transit Subsidy Act of 1978, allowing qualified Summer Youth Employment Program participants to travel on Metrobus, Metrorail, and public transportation services offered by the District at subsidized or reduced fares. This bill was incorporated into the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Act of 2014.

• Public School Librarians, Art Teachers, Music teachers, and Physical Education Teachers Act of 2013: This bill, co-sponsored by Councilmember Bonds, seeks to establish a law mandating that each public school have a full-time librarian, art teacher, music teacher, and physical education teacher to ensure well-rounded public education. This bill is currently under review in the Committee on Education.

• LGBTQ Homeless Youth Reform Act of 2013: This law, co-sponsored by Councilmember Bonds, addresses the service and shelter needs of homeless youth in the District of Columbia who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning. This law establishes that a minimum of 10 beds are allocated and maintained for LGBTQ homeless youth. This law became effective on May 3, 2014.

• End Youth Homelessness Amendment Act of 2014: This bill, strongly supported by Councilmember Bonds, amends the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to require the Interagency Council on Homelessness to clarify that the right to hypothermia shelter applies to all homeless District residents who are homeless, including unaccompanied minors.

This bill was incorporated into the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Act of 2014 in Subtitle K.

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It is about time the Council took the important step to raise the minimum wage. Glad to see our leaders promoting parity and ensuring working individuals get fairer wages to sufficiently provide for their families.

– Terrance Woodbury, Ward 2 Resident

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Too many people in our community have had their lives destroyed because of a simple marijuana possession charge.

No one person’s life should be permanently derailed because of a non-violent mistake.

Decriminalizing marijuana was the fair and right move.

– Albert Sanders Jr., Ward 6 Resident

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Councilmember Anita Bonds is in tune with the community and has a very effective and informative newsletter.

– Ms. Gillis, Ward 4 Resident

SAFETY

The safety of each our residents is a top priority. While in many areas crime has significantly decreased, crime remains as a daily concern in many parts of the District.

• Simple Possession of Small Quantities of Marijuana Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2013: This law, co-introduced by Councilmember Bonds, makes the possession or transfer without remuneration of one ounce or less of marijuana a civil violation. This law became effective on July 17, 2014.

• Limitations of Guardianship Amendment Act of 2014: This bill, authored by Councilmember Bonds, protects the well-being of incapacitated individuals from unreasonable confinement or involuntary seclusion by guardians, requires all individuals seeking to be appointed as a guardian or conservator to undergo a national criminal background check, and requires all guardians and conservators to re-file a petition after five years of service. This bill is currently under review in the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

• DC Crime Solvers Act of 2014: Currently under review, this bill authored by Councilmember Bonds seeks to require a convicted or guilty defendant of any criminal offense to pay an assessed court fee of $5 to be used to fund the D.C. Crime Solvers reward program. This bill is currently under review in the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

• Domestic Violence Hotline Establishment Act of 2013: This bill, co-sponsored by Councilmember Bonds, requires the Office of Victim Services to establish an ongoing operation of a 24-hour toll-free hotline to assist victims of domestic violence. Provisions from this bill were incorporated into the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Act of 2013 in Subtitle D.

The right to quality, affordable healthcare provides our citizens a sense of dignity and security and it is a great example of the government doing something meaningful and right.

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• Councilmember Anita Bonds is the senior community’s best advocate on the DC Council. She asks the hard questions on how policies and laws will affect senior citizens.

• Patient Protection Act of 2013: This bill, co-introduced

by Councilmember Bonds, requires an acute care general hospital or psychiatric hospital to submit a staffing plan that provides sufficient and appropriately qualified nursing staff in each unit within the facility. This bill is currently under review in the Committee on Health.

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• One of Bonds’ top priorities is to protect seniors from the burdensome rise in living costs and ensure that those who stayed while the city struggled can afford to remain as the city experiences economic success.

• Councilmember Bonds believes that long-term senior homeowners and tenants deserve a property tax exemption as they experience gentrification and rising living costs due to the city’s economic success.

• Councilmember Bonds authored and passed - with 10 votes - the Senior Citizens Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2014 to ensure that long-term senior homeowners have more resources to pay regular occurring expenses and not on rising property taxes: • Funding for the bill was eliminated in the final FY 2015 Budget Support Act and Financial Plan.

HEALTH

• Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2013: This law, cointroduced by Councilmember Bonds, amends the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2008, expanding earned sick and safe leave to restaurant industry workers. This public health measure greatly reduces the transfer of illness from restaurant workers to consumers.

This law became effective on February 22, 2014.

THE SENIOR COMMUNITY’S ADVOCATE

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The bill that exempts seniors from property taxes goes a long way in a city that is growing as rapidly as DC. While the prices of everything are going up, it is comforting to know that our elders, who have lived here since the 70s, will have some relief.

– Grace Lewis, Ward 5 Resident

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Anita cares about affordable housing and when I watch her during Council hearings you can tell her heart is in the right place.

– Ms. Dianne Camp Ward 7 Resident

• New language, beginning in 2015, provides for a property tax deferral for homeowners and housing cost rebates for senior tenants who use the Schedule H Form when filing their annual tax returns.

• Voters should rest assured that Councilmember Bonds will continue to fight for a clear, simple property tax exemption for seniors who have stood with the District of Columbia during the difficult years.

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Community Events Hosted by Councilmember Anita Bonds: Community Action Summit, Part 1 On December 7, 2013, with over 100 residents in attendance, Councilmember Bonds sponsored Part 1 of her Community Action Summit at the Department of Employment Services (DOES) where residents joined government officials to learn of more options in affordable housing and employment opportunities.

Community Action Summit, Part 2 On January 25, 2014, at the Reeves Center, Councilmember Bonds sponsored Part 2 of her Community Action Summit to focus citizens’ attention on issues pertaining to housing, workforce development, forthcoming neighborhood development, public safety, education, and health.

and chair exercises to stay physically active.

Live Well DC! Healthy and Affordable Meals for Seniors In the spring of 2014, Councilmember Anita Bonds participated with seniors throughout the District to talk about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and provided a healthy cooking demonstration. DC native Chef Tate and Dr. Ruby conducted a cooking demonstration that showed seniors how to create affordable healthy meals on a budget.

Office Hours in the Community Throughout the year, Councilmember Anita Bonds has hosted several office hours in the community. This gives Fall into Senior Fitness In the fall of 2013, Councilmember Bonds residents the opportunity to meet with Councilmember Bonds at a local coffee sponsored a program called “Fall into Fitness” held at all of the Senior Wellness shop, a market, or restaurant to discuss legislative and constituent issues that Centers throughout the District. The event provided seniors an opportunity to affect their community. learn how to stay fit by turning fruits and Senior Budget Town Hall vegetables around the house into tasty smoothies. They participated in a juicing In the spring of 2014, Councilmember demonstration with DC native, Chef Tate, Anita Bonds sponsored, along with Mayor and Dr. Ruby. The fun did not end there, Vincent Gray, a Senior Budget Town Hall meeting at the Kennedy Recreation they also learned the latest line dances

Center. Councilmember Bonds thought it was very important that District seniors had an opportunity to understand and engage in the FY 2015 city budget process.

Mayor Gray provided a presentation on the items in the budget that were of interest to the seniors.

BINGO with Bonds Throughout the year, Councilmember Anita Bonds visited different senior residential facilities with the DC Lottery and Charitable Games to engage with residents in friendly games of BINGO. Senior Summit In the summer of 2014, Councilmember Bonds sponsored a Senior Summit for residents to learn about the different services that are provided by District agencies. The summit also provided the participants the opportunity to learn about Senior Villages and the new transportation services through Seabury Connector.

EVENTS SPONSORED ON BEHALF OF COUNCILMEMBER AnitA Bonds Night at the Ballpark with the Washington Nationals, Summer 2013 & 2014 Night at the Shakespeare Theatre for the Free for All, Summer 2013 & 2014 Arts Open House with the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities, Winter 2014

design by: www.ktdcreative.com select photos by Kate Tallent

Putting People First CounCilmembeR AnitA bonds (At-LArge)

Citywide Progress Report 2014