Twelve years ago, the DC government, the National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration published an epic, 432-page study of Broad Branch Road.

The report described an urgent need to improve the road due to safety issues and bad stormwater management between Linnean Place and Beach Drive.

“The roadway is unsafe because of drainage issues, as well as poor lighting and the tendency for drivers to exceed the posted speed limit,” the report said.

Their research included gathering public comments.

“One of the reasons that my family chose to live in Forest Hills is because of the proximity to Rock Creek Park,” one person explained. “It’s extremely frustrating because there’s no safe access for pedestrians or cyclists to be able to get from our house into the park.”

The agencies then issued a final environmental study in 2021, appearing to pave the way for an improved Broad Branch. One of the neighborhood’s ANCs (3/4G) passed a resolution in support of the project, citing “repeated flooding” and the road’s lack of sidewalks.

Construction was expected to start in 2023, DDOT said.

But the project wasn’t funded in 2023.

I started asking DDOT about funding the project in 2024. That year, I was told, there wasn’t funding, sorry.

I checked in this year too. “Capital resources were extremely tight this budget cycle,” I was told. (Despite the DDOT capital budget being 45% larger than in 2023, hmm….)

Councilmembers can impact what gets funded, another DDOT staffer explained. So I checked with Ward 3 Councilmember Matt Frumin. I shared photos of the many pedestrians I’ve seen walking around Broad Branch’s blind curves.

No response.

I contacted his lead transportation staffer. How could we reinvigorate this stalled project?

“I won’t be able to focus on this project at this time,” they explained.

Then I reached out to Councilmember Charles Allen, who chairs the transportation committee.

I told him that I know a pregnant cyclist who was run off the road and fell as a motorist passed her on Broad Branch. The story haunts me.

Councilmember Allen, what will it take to get this project funded?

No response.

I emailed Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, as her ward borders the project. I routinely see senior citizens walking on Broad Branch. The safety issues are clear, I said.

No response.

Our leaders have decided to ignore this project. Year, after year.

Only the squeaky wheels get oil, so….

Speak up to DC leaders for a safer Broad Branch:

Here’s a draft email you could share:

Hi -- DC pedestrians have waited years for the Broad Branch Road rehab to be funded.

This project will make 1.5 miles of Broad Branch safer for all.

It’s common to see people of all ages walking, jogging and biking in the road, which has many blind curves and no sidewalk. The road connects parts of Ward 3 and 4 to Rock Creek Park.

It's been 12 years since a DDOT, NPS & FHWA environmental assessment found deficiencies that impacted the safety of motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. There's also uncontrolled runoff that has detrimental effects on the adjacent streambed.

Please get the Broad Branch Rehab funded in this year’s budget.

Thank you.

Here’s who to send it to:

Ward 3 Councilmember Matt Frumin -- mfrumin@dccouncil.gov

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George -- jlewisgeorge@dccouncil.gov

Councilmember Charles Allen, chair of transportation committee -- callen@dccouncil.gov

DDOT director Sharon Kershbaum -- sharon.kershbaum@dc.gov

Please be kind and civil. Thanks!

“Crazy stuff.”

That’s how one U.S. representative described DC’s plans for its 1 billion in tax dollars that the US House of Representatives is holding hostage.

A quick backstory for everyone who isn’t current — Congress passed a bill (to avoid a government shutdown) that forced DC to cut its budget by $1 billion. The Senate came to its senses and immediately passed a bill to fix this. President Trump supports it.

All eyes turned to the House of Representatives.

Two weeks have passed, and we’re still waiting.

“Momentum appears to be flagging,” Semafor wrote Wednesday.

It got worse on Thursday.

“We’ve urged the leadership to delay it until we get the budget resolution fixed, and then we should put requirements on that for the District of Columbia,” Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland told The Hill. “We should get the budget resolution agreed to before we take up an issue like whether or not, D.C. should be able to spend that billion dollars on whatever crazy stuff they want to spend it on.”

Here’s the crazy stuff that DC would have to cut — schools, police, firefighters & clean water. DC already had this budget approved last year, but then it was caught up in the government shutdown saga. Now DC may have to make cuts in the middle of a fiscal year.

DC tax dollars will sit idle as our city is forced to lay off teachers, firefighters and police officers. Oh, the irony of law-and-order Republicans forcing a Democrat-led city to defund its police department.

It’s a reminder that DC is a city of 700,000 second-class Americans who have no vote in Congress. The District “remains at the mercy of federal lawmakers,” as The Washington Post put it.

Hakeem Jeffries, who leads the House Democrats, said he hasn’t even spoken with Speaker Mike Johnson about the DC bill.

If DC were a priority, wouldn’t that conversation have happened already?

We’re already seeing negative impacts from this delay. DC may have its bond rating downgraded.

The 50 states need to come to DC’s aid.

Please urge your friends and family in other states to call their representative and urge them to vote for the District of Columbia Local Funds Act.

Here’s how they can identify their Congressperson.

Here’s what they could say:

1. “Hi! My name is ____________. I’m calling in support of the 700,000 residents of the District of Columbia. How are you today?”

• Give the staffer a chance to respond.

2. “I’m calling about the DC Local Funds Act. This bill would restore the District of Columbia’s ability to spend its tax dollars on DC’s schools, Metro system, emergency first responders, and more. Does your office know about the bill?”

IF YES:

• “Great! DC residents really want this bill to pass — and so does DC’s mayor, its Councilmembers, and the US Senate. I’m sure you saw that the Senate passed this bill with unanimous bipartisan support.”

• “Everyone will lose out if DC can’t spend local money on the things that keep the city running. Does your member support the DC Local Funds Act?”
  
  IF YES:

  • “That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for your support.”

IF NO OR UNCERTAIN:

• “Oh okay, I can tell you about it briefly. This bill would restore DC’s authority to spend their own local tax dollars. This provision was left out of the continuing resolution, and without it DC’s local funding is frozen.”

• “These are DC’s local funds, not any federal money, and CBO scoring confirms that the freeze included in the continuing resolution doesn’t benefit the federal budget at all. The DC Local Funds Act will allow DC to continue running basic services like trash pickup, Metro, and emergency first responders that serve the 700,000 DC residents”

• “DC’s mayor, Councilmembers, and the U.S. Senate all support this bill. The Senate passed it with unanimous bipartisan support.”

• “I hope your office will support the DC Local Funds Act. Have a great day.”

  (Thanks to FreeDC for creating this script, which I’ve edited slightly.)

Chuck Schumer, leader of the Senate Democrats, will support the Republican bill that will force DC to cut $1 billion from its budget. Many of his colleagues were stunned.

The bill will almost certainly pass. That will devastate our city. Et tu, Chuck?

But there may be hope that an 11th-hour miracle saves DC.

Schumer told reporters late Thursday that regarding DC's budget, " I think we can fix it, and I’d work with them to fix it."

So how could a fix happen?

"You could do it with amendments, you could do it with a standalone bill – if they really want to do it," Schumer said.

The vote will happen Friday so we don't have much time. I strongly suggest DC supporters contact Chuck. Encourage your New York contacts to reach out too.

Love DC? Speak up.

Call Schumer’s office: (202) 224-6542

(None of my calls went through Friday morning, but you may have better luck.)

Email Schumer’s staff:

mike_lynch@schumer.senate.gov

emily_sweda@schumer.senate.gov

kai_vogel@schumer.senate.gov

meghan_taira@schumer.senate.gov

jon_cardinal@schumer.senate.gov

raymond_omara@schumer.senate.gov

Email Schumer’s wife, Iris:

irisweinshall@nypl.org

Here's what you could say:

DC's 700,000 residents are overwhelmingly Democrats. DC residents have supported the senator's party, and he should support DC.

This bill will strip $1 billion from DC’s budget. It will slash funding for public safety, schools and emergency services.

DC should not be sacrificed.

Please urge the senator to do the right thing and defend DC's right to spend its own tax dollars on services that save lives and protect visiting New Yorkers. Whether it’s a standalone bill or an amendment, we need a solution today.

Thank you.

What do our Mayor and Council think?

Mayor Bowser, Council Chairman Mendelson and many of our councilmembers have been largely silent on what DC residents should be doing right now. It’s frustrating that they have been mostly unwilling to share guidance or insight on DC’s best paths forward. Some of them think that there’s little hope and are focused elsewhere. This feels like a failure of leadership.

I continue to look for solutions and am grateful for everyone else who hasn’t given up.

Now the resolution moves to the Senate. It will need 60 votes to pass.

I’ve surveyed DC advocates, council members and government officials on how DC residents can help.

They suggest calling key Democrat Senators, and urging them to stick up for DC. Also, get friends who live in key blue states to call their senators.

The Senate vote needs to happen by Friday, and will likely be on Thursday. Call ASAP.

Here’s who to prioritize calling:

Senator Jon Ossoff (GA) — (202) 224-3521

Senator Gary Peters (MI) — 202-224-6221

Senator John Hickenlooper (CO) — 202-224-5941

Senator Michael Bennet (CO) — (202) 224-5852

Senator Dick Durbin (IL) — (202) 224-2152

Senator Mark Warner (VA) — (202) 224-2023

Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) — (202) 224-3244

Senator Brian Schatz (HI) — 202-224-3934

Senator Cory Booker (NJ) — (202) 224-3224

Senator Elissa Slotkin (MI) — 202-224-4822

If you want to go above and beyond, here’s a full list of Senators and their phone numbers. (All numbers start 202-22….)

Here’s what to say:

I'm reaching out to urge the Senator to vote no on the House’s continuing resolution.

This bill will strip $1 billion from DC’s budget. It will slash funding for public safety, schools and emergency services. It will not save the federal government a dime.

If this bill passes, DC classrooms will become overcrowded. School programs will be cut. Ambulance wait times will grow.

The DC police department, already short hundreds of officers, will be strained as it seeks to serve residents and visitors from your state.

Senate Democrats must hold the line and protect our nation’s capital.

Thank you.

If you’d rather send emails:

All of the people below are Senate staffers who met Wednesday or Thursday with DC supporters. Please reach out and reinforce the importance of supporting DC:

caroline_ehlich@ossoff.senate.gov

James_Floyd@durbin.senate.gov

Aiyha_Abdelbagi@warner.senate.gov

madeline_daly@alsobrooks.senate.gov

Joris_Alawoe@hickenlooper.senate.gov

milo_richards@hickenlooper.senate.gov

ashton_knepell@hickenlooper.senate.gov

arun_revana@schatz.senate.gov

jesse_isleman@schatz.senate.gov

monica_schneider@booker.senate.gov

marshall_burkhardt@kim.senate.gov

adam_finkel@warnock.senate.gov

sydney_hess@kelly.senate.gov

kai_vogel@schumer.senate.gov

samantha_lucas@ossoff.senate.gov

richard_suta@kim.senate.gov

Additional emails, all legislative directors of key senators:

jon_cardinal@schumer.senate.gov

thomas_carnes@kim.senate.gov

elizabeth_connolly@peters.senate.gov

anna_cullen@ossoff.senate.gov

james_floyd@durbin.senate.gov

leah_hill@booker.senate.gov

lot_kwarteng@warner.senate.gov

raymond_omara@schumer.senate.gov

baz_selassie@klobuchar.senate.gov

More emails:

rey_benitez@ossoff.senate.gov

anna_cullen@ossoff.senate.gov

mike_lynch@schumer.senate.gov

I’m running for ANC commissioner in 3/4G-07, where the first DC public housing West of Rock Creek Park opened in 1969. I dug into the DC library archives to better understand its history:

Regency House opened at 5201 Connecticut Avenue in the 1960s. “Luxury living at sensible prices,” read classified ads. “Swim in rooftop pool. Relax on sundeck.”

But its owners, Murray Levine and Annan Inc., were willing to sell it a few years after it opened.

DC Mayor Walter Washington felt that its layout -- efficiencies and one-bedrooms -- made it ideal for the elderly. He proposed that DC make it public housing for anyone over age 62. There were 1,145 elderly on the city’s public housing waitlist. 

Buying the building would give DC a 172-unit building without having to wait several years for new construction. The city had also struggled to buy land for new buildings at prices it could afford. 

There was no public housing West of Rock Creek Park in early 1969. Chevy Chase was a White neighborhood. Washington said that buying Regency House would help the city comply with new federal guidelines that called for ending a concentration of public housing in certain sections of cities. 

Chevy Chase neighbors were divided. 

The plan would force existing Regency House residents to move out within a year. They’d receive $200 for moving expenses.

It would also change the racial and economic makeup of the White neighborhood. New residents would be mostly Black. Rents that had been $137.50-$200 a month would fall to $50 to $55 a month.

A flyer was distributed to neighbors urging them to attend a city hearing on the purchase. It was critical of the potential acquisition. “It seems too incredible for words that a person on welfare will be afforded living accommodations which exceed the level, as a lawyer friend of mine said, ‘my own mother is accustomed to.’ ” 

“A raucous crowd of about 275 last night jammed a hearing,” the Evening Star recounted. “Opponents, mostly residents of the Chevy Chase neighborhood around the apartment house, frequently interrupted speakers with applause or boos.” 

The Star reported that “hearing officer Samuel J. Fusco demanded quiet, asking, ‘Can I appeal to your maturity as adults?’” 

A Chevy Chase Citizens Association meeting a few weeks later drew 500 people, most of whom were critical of the Regency House purchase, according to reports. One woman called it “the first step in a ‘block-busting’ plan,” according to the Washington Star.

The tension also played out in letters to the editors in local newspapers like The Washington Star and The Washington Post. 

“Why is it morally right to evict Peter to house Paul?,” wrote DC resident Samuel Rosenberg. “We do not like public housing projects in our neighborhood. Public housing belongs in low-price neighborhoods. In this way, the taxpayers stand to get the most for their money and more people in need of housing can be accommodated.” 

Some critics objected to public housing having amenities like air conditioning and a swimming pool.

“You open the door for people who simply don’t know how to live,” was one argument against, according to a Washington Star story.

That caught Mayor Washington’s attention.

“Statements from west-of-the-park white liberals that people on public housing wouldn’t know how to take care of a ‘luxury’ building like Regency House made [Mayor Washington] even more determined to see it through,” The Post reported.

Many supported Washington’s plan.

“The interests of West-of-the-Park Washington cannot be pursued in an isolationist spirit, and that pleasant living for some of us in Washington can only be a permanent reality when living in Washington is pleasant for all its citizens,” Eric W. Beshers, chairman, Northwest Parents Action Group, wrote in a letter to the editor. 

Washington signed off on the $2.475 million purchase in March 1969.

One criticism was the price tag for Regency House, $125,000 over an appraisal of the building. 

The deal still needed signoff from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It told the mayor that the community would have to come up with $125,000 to cover the gap between the building’s appraisal and the seller’s price. 

Mayor Washington scrambled to raise money from six foundations, including the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation.

“If we can’t make this project, [Washington] said, we can’t ever make public housing effective here, and the whole program is doomed,” The Post reported. 

The mayor told friends that finding the money to save the project was “the most demanding thing I’ve ever had to do,” according to a Post story. The sellers agreed to drop their price by $50,000, and Washington came up with the rest of the money. 

HUD approved the sale in May 1969. Its news release was described as “cold” by The Post, as Republicans had been critical of the project and HUD was led by a President Nixon appointee.

New residents started to move in. 

Ruth Dade, who had waited 28 months for public housing, described her Regency House room as “the answer to my prayers,” in a Post story. She grew up in DC. Her first house on Spring Road was “across from an ash dump where her grandmother used to look for coal.”

Some headlines described an ease of tension, and many neighbors welcoming the new residents. Local religious groups that had rallied behind the project engaged new residents in an ecumenical center in the building. The rooftop pool didn’t remain open.

“The poor people moving in [has] made no difference. There’s been no trouble whatsoever, and I’m going to stay as long as I can in the neighborhood,”   Patrick Fitzgibbons, a 37-year resident of Chevy Chase, said in an October 1969 Daily News story. 

The Post revisited Regency House a year after the sale and reported that “most real estate agents say houses are still selling for what they would expect in that area, although some say ‘it’s still too soon to tell.’ The exit to the suburbs did not materialize. It is hard to find a complaint about the new tenants.”

Studying the history of Regency House reminded me of our current debate in Chevy Chase over adding housing at the library and community center. I also thought of a line often credited to Mark Twain -- history never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.

The entire Murch Elementary school community is reeling. How could this happen? And how can we make sure it doesn’t happen again? 

I listened to a neighborhood meeting this week that focused on DeAndre’s death. 

A woman living in the building next door to DeAndre’s described witnessing child abuse for years, and her frustration when nothing was done about it.

At one point, she said, she complained to management at Connecticut House, where DeAndre lived, after a concerning incident involving a girl. "If anything happens to this little girl," she recalled saying, "the blood is on your hands."

“I’m not the only person next door to the Connecticut House that hears all of this and witnesses it and tries to intervene and tries to affect it,” she added later. “It’s a systematic failure all around.”

Another woman in the meeting described moving out of Connecticut House after 32 years of residence because she feared for her life. She described that a neighbor threatened her life.

A current resident of Connecticut House, who said she’s part of the city’s programs for rapid rehousing and assistance for needy families, described services for neighbors in need as woefully incomplete.

She took issue with government representatives in the meeting who mentioned that families sometimes refuse the city’s services. 

“There isn’t any support. It doesn’t actually exist. They’re not actually giving us case workers,” she said, and added that she didn’t even know who her caseworkers were. 

Her criticisms come two years after a scathing report on DC’s Housing Authority outlined failures like inadequate management of the city’s voucher program and poor oversight of its policies and operations. 

News stories about DeAndre’s death describe an apartment in shambles, with “large amounts of garbage, clothing and assorted property … strewn about in every room.”

DC’s Child and Family Services Agency had been in touch with Pettus’s family since at least 2023, we’re told. Yet where were they this month? Why didn’t they intervene? 

We received no answers in the neighborhood meeting. The Department of Human Services backed out of the meeting a couple hours before it began. 

The only bright spot from our government was Councilmember Matt Frumin, who attended the start of the meeting. He acknowledged issues, and agreed to partake in an Oct. 28 meeting.

I think one woman summed things up best — “The mayor, the city, the departments under her owe us some type of plans or action where they’re going to resolve some of these issues so that we’re not at the point now where children are being killed.” 

Another concerning part of DeAndre’s death is how our criminal justice had engaged — or not engaged — previously with his father.

DeAndre’s father was charged with several felonies last year, but prosecutors asked for the charges to be dismissed. Why were the charges dropped? The US Attorney’s office, which had the charges dismissed, won’t say. But we know that the US Attorney follows through on far fewer cases than in past years.

If the US Attorney had followed through on its case, would DeAndre still be alive? Would Murch students still have a classmate? Would two girls still have a brother? 

I’m heartbroken by DeAndre’s death. I check news sources every day, hoping to learn more about what went wrong, and how we can do better in the future. I want to believe someone in power is working to learn from this, and prevent the next tragedy. 

I strongly believe that a great city government would prevent deaths like DeAndre’s. We all need to work together to pressure our government to make meaningful changes.

The meeting — where our government offered no plan for improvements — left me fearful that we’ll soon see another death like DeAndre’s.

I’m not willing to let this drop until we see changes. Please get in touch and work with me, matt@51problems.com.

DeAndre should not die in vain.

Here’s what I shared with members of the Chevy Chase listserv today, a popular forum for community news. I’m proud of my track record and excited for what lies ahead:

I’m incredibly excited to share my candidacy for commissioner in ANC 3/4G-07.

I’m a proven neighborhood organizer with a track record of innovative, inclusive and lasting successes that connect neighbors and boost quality of life. I was born in DC, grew up in Arlington and went to high school in the city. My family moved to Chevy Chase last year and my son attends Murch.

My neighborhood organizing began when I bought my first home in Park View.  I co-founded a neighborhood group after a murder at Georgia Avenue and Lamont Street.

We addressed the gun violence, addiction and rampant drug use at the corner. The improvements were so dramatic that a bagel shop thought it was a good idea to open in a vacant building at the corner.

You’ve probably heard of it — Call Your Mother — a huge success with 12 locations now in the DC area. 

The corner of Georgia and Lamont is an incredible turnaround story. One contributor was the monthly cleanups I launched after the murder. They won an award from Mayor Bowser and endure to this day, carried on by current residents.

I am a uniter not a divider. When young White residents in Park View clashed with older Black residents over tree boxes and bike lanes, I brought people together on the shared value of pedestrian safety.

The city planned to remove crosswalks at Georgia Avenue and Morton Place. The crosswalks connected businesses and were heavily used by neighbors, including residents of the adjacent public housing complex. 

We called for safety improvements. The city heard us, kept the crosswalks and installed a safety median, acknowledging that a changing neighborhood must not leave behind the vulnerable. We also had safety improvements installed at other intersections that had no negative impact on traffic or parking.

My passion for public art includes leading the first ever traffic signal cabinet box art project in DC. You can see part of the installation outside Petworth Library.

It beautified Georgia Avenue, discouraged graffiti and celebrated a Barbadian artist with ties to the neighborhood. 

The project showcased my creativity, grit, people skills and coalition building. Getting those permits wasn’t easy. Too often our city bureaucracy fails us.

I once spent 22 months getting our government to replace a graffiti covered traffic sign that was unreadable. It shouldn’t take Herculean efforts for common-sense maintenance to occur.

When not working or raising my kids — I’ve spent recent weeks knocking on doors and hearing from neighbors.

It’s alarming how many neighbors are disconnected and unaware of what’s happening in Chevy Chase. My district has the lowest voter turnout of any of our ANC’s districts.

My goal is to make my district the most engaged and connected part of Chevy Chase.

Public safety and uniting neighbors remain top priorities.  This year I’ve testified for reform at our troubled Department of Forensic Sciences.  A best-in-class crime lab is essential for a city that values public safety, trust, and racial equity in criminal justice.

I’ve seen the power of smart ANCs to drive change. When a school principal told me his students were encountering drug paraphernalia and trash at the rec center that served as their playground, I pressured the city government to improve things. I involved the local ANC to pass a resolution supporting better cleaning at the rec center.

We got results. I get results. 

When neighbors on an unsafe block struggled to hear from their unresponsive police lieutenant, I reached out to MPD Chief Pamela Smith, and explained the importance of MPD engaging.

The lieutenant met with the neighbors.

Our district deserves an advocate for all, and I’d be honored to take on the role. Please be in touch, matt@51problems.com.

The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed. 

I learned that line when I wrote about technology for a living. 

I think of it every time I see an electric vehicle drive down Connecticut Avenue, or when a friend shares a creative use of ChatGPT.

DC statehood isn’t here yet, but I’m embracing it on the flagpole outside my home. I want you to do the same.

Perhaps the biggest gift DC leaders can give our 700,000 residents is statehood. The impact would be massive, and life-changing. We would take control of our laws and budget from Congress. We would be eligible for more federal resources. We would be full members of the country with all the rights that other states hold, including a vote in Congress.

A big hurdle is that DC statehood is rarely part of the national conversation. I’m sure you’ve watched the presidential debates. There were no questions on DC statehood. 

DC leaders need to be creative about keeping statehood in the conversation. The 51-star challenge will help. 

It’s easy to purchase a 51-star flag online. And it’s deeply patriotic to want every American to have a voting representative in Congress. 

DC residents have been injured or killed in battle for their country. They deserved a vote. We all deserve a vote. 

I’m proud of our country and am here to help us be even better. 

Learn more about Matt: Read about his ANC campaign in Chevy Chase

His name was Kent. He was smart, helpful and generous.

I moved to his ANC and shortly after I started a neighborhood group, Georgia Avenue Thrive. We worked to make Park View more connected, inclusive and vibrant.

Sometimes I’d attend ANC meetings to share Thrive’s work, or ask for the ANC’s help.

And there was Kent — always dressed up and leading the show. You could tell he loved the work.

Kent always greeted me warmly and made sure I was heard. He was connector. Thrive was a big success, and the support of leaders like Kent was big.

My family moved to Chevy Chase last year, and I heard my ANC commissioner wasn’t returning.

It felt like my time to give back. The ANC had helped me and Thrive so many times.

We had big wins that I was so proud of. Pedestrian safety. Pioneering public art. Neighborhood cleanups that the mayor honored. Public safety improvements that attracted the first Call Your Mother bagel shop to a corner once overrun with violence and addiction.

Kent was such a success that he now leads DC’s ANC office.

You may have seen him quoted in The Washington Post’s story about the tension at Chevy Chase’s ANC, and the shortage of ANC candidates.

I’m determined to help get Chevy Chase’s ANC back on the right track. Here are some of the values that I’ll bring to the work:

1. Civil discourse.
Let’s be neighborly. Chevy Chase is a great neighborhood and our problems pale in comparison to what many people deal with. We shouldn’t be toxic, or take cheap shots. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

2. Health and happiness for all.
I like to start with shared and universal values. Life is the greatest gift. It should be cherished and prioritized. How can the ANC make us a happier, more connected community?

Americans are drifting apart. Household size is shrinking. Fewer people know their neighbors. Kids are less likely to walk to school. Social capital has declined.

I want to unite, not divide Chevy Chase. I’m excited to pursue projects that are win-win situations for a wide range of neighbors.

3. Operational excellence.
Chevy Chase should have the best ANC in the city. Other ANCs should be copying our best practices. We should set the highest bar for ourselves, and for DC’s government.

I once spent 22 months navigating DC’s bureaucracy to have graffiti removed from a public road sign.

I had to end up on a first-name basis with the employee tasked with replacing the sign. Incidents like that are inexcusable.

More recently, I’ve been deeply concerned with the long-running flaws and shortcomings of the DC Department of Forensic Sciences, commonly called the Crime Lab. The failures are a hazard to public safety, trust in government, and racial equity.

Our government has tremendous room for growth, including the DC Housing Authority and our 911 dispatch system. Recent reports on their flaws are alarming and unacceptable. I’ve watched in horror as neighbors struggle to connect to 911 following a shooting.

4. Live in harmony with each other and nature
Neighbors shouldn’t interrupt you and scream at you at a community meeting, or snipe unfairly at you on public forums. I recommend that everyone read Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg, and Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg.

We live in the shadow of a US National Park. Let’s remember to connect with nature, and to respect it.

5. Understand the past and build a great tomorrow
I was born in DC and went to high school in the city, a few miles from 116 Bryant Street, best known for its role in the landmark 1948 Supreme Court ruling on racial covenants, Hurd vs. Hodge.

During the racial reckoning of 2020, I tracked down my AP American History textbook from high school to see if we’d been taught about the racial covenants.

We hadn’t.

Too often, we don’t fully understand our city and our history. My first DC apartment was a few feet from the site of Tally’s Corner, a landmark, best-selling book that opened many eyes.

More recently, I’ve explored the history of how a Chevy Chase block came to be named Kanawha. I’ve teamed with research librarians, and we’ve yet to uncover the story.

I want to better understand Chevy Chase. I feel so lucky to live here, and would love to give back to the community.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out — matt@51problems.com.

Highlights:

—why they lead the cleanups

—what it’s like to volunteer at a cleanup

—the weirdest pieces of trash they’ve picked up

They also preview this Saturday’s cleanup in Park View. It starts at 10am on July 6 at the fitness equipment located at the corner of Warder St. and Princeton Place. Call Your Mother will be sponsoring! Yum.

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