ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on September 23, 2020. Commissioners present: Frank Wilds (5A01), Grace Lewis – Parliamentarian (5A02), Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03), Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05), Claudia Barragan (5A06), Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07), Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08)

Ward 5 Councilmember Report

Silas Grant, Senior Adviser to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, noted Councilmember McDuffie recently introduced emergency legislation, the Local Business Enterprise Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, to close a loophole around certified business enterprises (CBEs).

For those impacted by flooding and sewer backup issues as a result of the storm on September 10, DC Water has a resource page at https://dcwater.com/storm-and-flooding-september-10-2020. DC Water has established a cleanup fund using two vendors. Residents who still need to dewater, clean, and sanitize their homes should contact the vendors directly: (1) Service Master at (703) 212-7000 or (2) ServePro at (703) 448-8444. DC Water will pay the vendor directly.

DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) Flood Response

Clint Osborn with the DC HSEMA Hazard Mitigation Program has been assigned to work with the MOCRs to help residents affected by the September 10th flood. He outlined the steps affected residents should take:
(1) Any affected resident that still needs to clean and sanitize their home should immediately call the DC Water vendors noted above (Service Master or ServePro) for immediate dewatering and cleanup/sanitizing. Residents having trouble reaching the vendors can contact DC Water’s cleanup temp to help, but the fastest way to get service will be to contact the vendors directly. DC Water will pay the vendor directly up to $5,000.
(2) File a homeowners insurance claim even if the home may be uninsured or underinsured. Residents can contact DC’s Department of Insurance, Securities, & Banking (DISB) for assistance in addressing any policy concerns.
(3) File a claim with DC Water’s insurer at https://dcwater.com/claims.
(4) Apply for DC Water’s backwater preventer rebate program, which provides reimbursement up to $6,000 for installation of a backwater valve by a licensed plumber. Installing a backflow preventer is the best way to prevent sewer backflow into one’s home. DC Water has expanded the program to Edgewood and Riggs Park residents, but residents who live outside of these neighborhoods should still apply, as DC Water will determine eligibility for the program by address. All residents must apply for and be determined eligible for the program before installing a backflow valve in order to be reimbursed. Note: Even if you did not experience sewage backup in your home, if your address is eligible for the program, DC Water will reimburse you up to 90% (up to $6,000) for installation of a backwater valve, so all residents in the affected neighborhoods should consider applying.
(5) Any affected homeowner who has not done so already should participate in DC’s canvassing effort (see image below). Contact James Farley at (202) 738-2085. DC is assessing whether to make an application to FEMA for a disaster declaration in order to get more relief to affected homeowners. DC will need to meet certain thresholds, and the canvassing effort will help with the FEMA request.

Catholic University

Catholic University introduced their new public safety official, Kirk McLean, Associate Vice President for Public Safety & Emergency Management. He is a retired Prince George’s County law enforcement officer.

Catholic has a COVID-19 information page with information related to case numbers and reopening. Judith Biggs Garbuio, Vice President of Student Affairs at Catholic, stated classes are being offered primarily online. She noted 611 students are living on campus, consisting of a small number of first year and transfer students. Catholic does not know how many students returned to the DC area to off campus housing. Ms. Garbuio noted that some students had to return because their landlords would not let them out of their lease. When students enroll in spring classes in a couple of weeks, the university will have a better sense of where their students are living.

Catholic is conducting surveillance testing of student-athletes and symptomatic individuals. As of September 23, the university reported 73 off campus positive COVID-19 cases and 10 on campus positive COVID-19 cases. The university does not have any reported positive COVID-19 cases among faculty or staff since students began returning to campus on August 15. Most faculty are teaching classes remotely, and most staff have the option to telework until at least December 31, 2020.

Catholic recently sent communication to neighborhood residents asking them to contact the public safety line at (202) 319-5111 if residents see large student gatherings. Ms. Garbuio stated that they were made aware of one large student party off campus and those students were placed on threat of suspension.

Providence

View Providence’s presentation here.

Nicole Commodore, Director of Community Impact & Advocacy for Providence, noted Providence continues to work with DC on COVID-19 response. Providence is also willing to partner with organizations to provide masks to seniors in need.

Providence was recently selected and approved as the medical provider partner for the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind’s grant application for the DC Hope Community Grant.

Providence will have a free community flu shot clinic on October 7, 2020, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am and from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

DC’s State Health & Planning Development Agency (SHPDA) recently approved Providence’s certificate of need for a diagnostic and imaging center. The center will be housed in the old emergency center and is expected to open in spring 2021. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

(One item not discussed was the DC Office of Attorney General’s recent communication regarding the OAG’s investigation of the closure of Providence Hospital. Read more at https://oag.dc.gov/blog/investigating-closure-providence-hospital.)

ANC 5A Website

The ANC is planning to revamp its website again. The current website is not user friendly or ADA compliant. Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) and Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) will spearhead the project. Look for a new website first quarter 2021.

ANC 5A08 Public Safety Task Force

ANC 5A08’s public safety task force held its first orange hat walk on September 16. If you are interested in participating in the 5A08 task force, reach out to Commissioner Fletcher.

Ward 5 Mutual Aid

The ANC informed the Ward 5 mutual aid organization that it needs to partner with a nonprofit organization in order to receive a grant from the ANC. The mutual aid organization will look at partnering with a couple of area churches.

DC Census 2020

There is still time to complete the census if you have not done so. Visit https://2020census.gov.

Miscellaneous

An update on Art Place at Fort Totten was originally on the agenda, but was removed by Commissioner Fletcher. He will provide an update at a future meeting.

At the request of a resident, the ANC will consider recording the meetings to make them publicly available to residents.

ANC 5A Public Meeting
September 23, 2020
6:45 pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81006714937?pwd=U2NRNVo1QXFaZHhCSUpwbENydjZPQT09

Meeting ID: 810 0671 4937
Passcode: 903231

Call in Number: 1 301 715 8592 

All residents will be muted.  Individuals will be called on once acknowledged by the Chair.

Agenda Items

1. Catholic University of America COVID Plan and progress and Introduction of new Public Safety Director
2. ANC 5A08 Cafritz Project Update

On September 9, 2020, ANC 5A held a special public meeting. Commissioners present: Grace Lewis-Parliamentarian (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio-Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards-Chair (5A05); Claudia Barragan (5A06); Sandi Washington-Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher-Vice Chair (5A08)

Hope & Joy Home Health Care Agency

The owner of Hope and Joy Health & Allied Services, a home health center based in Laurel, Maryland is looking to open a location in DC, specifically in Ward 5. Ostensibly the purpose of appearing before the ANC was to request the Commission’s support for the business’s Certificate of Need application with the DC Department of Health State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA). The owner identified a home at 4328 Varnum Place NE that is currently being used for a catering business as a potential location. Because this home is zoned for residential use only, he would need a special exception to operate a business at the home. It is not clear if the homeowner currently resides in the home while the catering business is being operated, but if Hope & Joy’s owner were to obtain a special exception, no one would reside in the home and there would be four to five employees working out of the home. No clients would be served at the home.

The ANC voted (5-0-1) not to support Hope & Joy because the owner would ultimately be seeking to operate a business in a residential zone. Commissioner Claudia Barragan (5A06) abstained. The discussion was strange because the owner stated that it would actually be more affordable for him to lease an office suite rather than go through the zoning process to turn a residence into a business, so it was not clear why he was even approaching the ANC about this idea. At any rate, he is apparently committed to opening in Ward 5, so he is working with Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) to identify commercial space in Ward 5, including available space at Art Place at Fort Totten. He stated that he does not need to have a location identified for the Certificate of Need, but it would be useful and ultimately he would of course need to identify a location for SHPDA.

EYA Josephite Development

EYA is proceeding with a townhome development at the St. Joseph’s Josephite Seminary called Townhomes at Michigan Park near 12th Street and Allison Street NE, after the DC Court of Appeals affirmed the Zoning Commission’s approval of the project back in July of this year. That lawsuit by a nearby resident delayed the project for a few years. View EYA’s presentation to the ANC here.

The project will have roughly 80 three to four bedroom townhomes. Six of the homes will be reserved for families with income at or below 60 percent of area median income. The price of those homes will be in the $250,000 to $300,000 range. Four of the homes will be reserved for families with income at or below 80 percent of area median income. The price of those homes will be in the $350,000 to $400,000 range. There are other community benefits, including a permanent easement preserving some green space, public art, publicly accessible playground, training opportunities for Phelps High School students, money for a tax assistance fund, and an application for historic preservation of the seminary building, as well as pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures associated with the project. Residents will see a sales trailer at the site in the next couple of months. The first homes are anticipated to be completed by late 2021. If you have questions about the project, contact Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03).

Pepco Proposed Rate Increase

The DC Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) gave a very detailed presentation on Pepco’s proposed multi-year rate increase application. The presentation is not available on the ANC website yet, but a helpful fact sheet from OPC on this issue is available on the OPC website. According to the fact sheet,

On August 11, 2020, OPC and all of the non-utility parties to the Pepco rate case proceeding (Formal Case No. 1156), filed a joint motion with the DC Public Service Commission (PSC) requesting that the PSC direct Pepco to withdraw its rate increase application, dismiss Pepco’s Multiyear Rate Plan (MRP) Enhanced Proposal, and grant additional consumer relief.

OPC Consumer Fact Sheet available at https://opc-dc.gov/images/pdf/OCF_PastPerformanceEvaluation.pdf

I will not attempt to explain OPC’s position in full; the fact sheet is a good explainer. OPC and the other non-utility parties argue that Pepco has not provided enough evidence to support its requested rate increase and that Pepco has used unreliable data.

The ANC voted unanimously to support OPC’s recommendation requesting that Pepco withdraw its proposed rate increase application and multi-year rate plan. A public hearing before the DC Public Service Commission is scheduled for September 29, 2020. Individuals may sign up to testify or submit comments for the public record. Instructions from OPC’s fact sheet:

• You can file comments with the PSC via this link:
https://edocket.dcpsc.org/public/public_comments or send an email to
PSC-CommissionSecretary@dc.gov. Please reference Formal Case No. 1156.
• You can speak at the virtual community hearing that the PSC will be holding on September 29. If you wish to testify, send an email to
PSC-CommissionSecretary@dc.gov by the close of business on September 22.

ANC Space at Art Place at Fort Totten

The ANC gave Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) the green light to proceed with securing a self-insured document from the Office of ANC so that ANC 5A can occupy space set aside for the ANC at the Modern at Art Place. Once that document is obtained, the ANC will apparently be able to use the space free of charge. Recall that there has been a multi-year conversation regarding this approved public benefit and who would be responsible for utilities and liability and such. To date, the space, which was completed in 2017, has remained unused. The commissioners now believe that they can in fact secure the required self-insured document and will decide later on how to best use the space for the ANC.

ANC 5A08 Public Safety Task Force

There was a bit of follow-up regarding the creation of a public safety task force for ANC 5A08. It sounded like orange hats have been purchased for that single member district (SMD). The idea of the orange hat is an old one; individuals wearing orange hats would walk around their neighborhoods promoting public safety. If you live in ANC 5A08 and would like more information, contact Commissioner Fletcher.

The next ANC meeting is scheduled for September 23, 2020.