Neighbors,

Happy Independence Day! I celebrated by walking in the annual Palisades parade joined by residents, fellow Councilmembers Brooke Pinto, Christina Henderson, and Robert White, and the music of Crush Funk. The parade was an exciting display of community spirit where thousands of neighbors came together to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately, many of the Declaration of Independence’s aspirations, like equality, voting representation, and the consent of the governed remain unrealized by 700,000+ disenfranchised DC residents today.

The 250th anniversary of America’s founding – July 4, 2026 – is just three years away and is an opportunity to highlight the complete story of the District within our national history. In March, the Council adopted my “Sense of the Council on the Establishment of an America250 Commission” resolution, which urged the Mayor to establish a commission to plan events to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial, educate American’s about DC’s full history, and promote the cause of DC Statehood. I reiterate my call for the Mayor to establish an America250 commission for DC to honor our city’s local history, which was integral to countless watershed moments in our nation’s history.

This newsletter includes information about my work to secure a truly visionary Metrobus network, prepare our DC Public Schools for the fall, and protect our city’s rent stabilization system. My newsletter is biweekly, so follow me @CMFrumin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more frequent updates.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Councilmember for Ward 3

I submitted on behalf of Ward 3 residents my recommendations for WMATA’s Better Bus Visionary Network on June 29. My seven recommendations to enable reliable, frequent, well-connected Metrobus service for all of Ward 3 reflect more than 250 comments from constituents and resolutions from each Ward 3 ANC.

Overall, the Visionary Network proposal has the potential to improve significantly bus transit across the DC region. If implemented, it could enhance service availability at all hours, strengthen connections to different parts of the city, and extend service beyond jurisdictional borders. The draft plan succeeds in including new connections in Ward; however, many came at the expense of existing connections.

The plan unfortunately proposes eliminating or significantly changing several routes, leading to reduced frequency and limited access to schools, employment centers, commercial districts, and Metrorail transfers in Ward 3. I called on WMATA to adopt a Visionary Network plan that improves frequency, reliability, connectivity, and equity for residents traveling to and from the far Northwest portion of the city.

In many ways, WMATA is the lifeblood of the region’s economy. The financial challenges that WMATA will confront in the coming years are enormous. I am committed to working with the District and federal governments and leaders in Maryland and Virginia to enable WMATA not only to weather its fiscal crisis but to deliver a truly transformational, world-class bus system for residents. We must act to expand public transit service and fully fund the final Visionary Network plan.

Read my full letter to WMATA and recommendations here.

The Council will be in recess from July 15 to September 15. While the Council will pause its routine legislative activities, my work serving Ward 3 residents will not take a break. During recess, my office will remain open and ready to assist you with constituent services throughout the summer.

I will use the recess to delve deeper into many of the issues facing Ward 3 residents and identify solutions to improve our voucher program, support strong DC Public Schools, and promote public safety. Regularly scheduled legislative meetings of the Council are not held during recess, opening the schedule to hear from more experts, government officials, and residents as I look forward to introducing substantial legislative actions once the Council reconvenes in late summer.

The academic year ended two weeks ago, and the Council is already focused on ensuring DC Public Schools are prepared to welcome students back in the fall.

I joined Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and the Committee on Facilities and Family Services for a school readiness tour at Jackson-Reed High School. Along with the Department of General Services and DC Public Schools, we assessed critical outstanding maintenance issues that must be resolved before students return to school. We focused on the upcoming roof repairs scheduled for this summer and ensuring that the $550,000 I secured to repair auditorium technology infrastructure will be used efficiently. We also identified maintenance issues in several bathrooms and emergency doors in need of repair. In its FY24 budget, the Council appropriated $71 million to improve DCPS facility maintenance and resolve the work order backlog, a significant step towards ensuring a safe, well-maintained learning environment for students. We will return to Jackson-Reed High School in August to evaluate the progress on these maintenance issues.

As the new Ward 3 high school at 4530 MacArthur Blvd NW prepares to open for its inaugural school year, I introduced legislation to formally name it MacArthur High School. The legislation, which comes at the request of DCPS, makes the school’s temporary name permanent and enables the school to begin procurement of necessary materials for students, staff, and the facility. During the community working group process for the high school, DCPS conducted a public online survey to solicit school name nominations. More than 540 community members participated, and the name “MacArthur High School” received the most support. Many respondents emphasized the desire for continuity by maintaining the name that DCPS and the community had been using for more than a year, as well as to designate a name based on a location, not a person: the high school is located on MacArthur Boulevard. I support both sentiments and look forward to the Council adopting this naming legislation.

On June 27, MPD and federal partners including DEA, ATF, FBI, and IRS-CI announced the arrest of 12 alleged members of the “Kennedy Street Crew,” a drug trafficking organization that operated open-air drug markets and caused gun violence. The organization, also known as “KDY,” used violence and intimidation to protect its territory surrounding Ward 4’s 100-1200 blocks of Kennedy Street NW. As the cases progress through the justice system, I hope the District will help make the Kennedy Street NW community whole as it recovers from violence and crime.

During the investigation, the agencies identified a link between the Kennedy Street Crew and a November 2022 incident involving unlawful discharge of a firearm that occurred outside of Jackson-Reed High School resulting in a lockdown. This was a troubling episode for our community. I am grateful to MPD, the US Attorney, and federal law enforcement agencies who coordinated on the investigation and brought these charges. Robust interagency collaboration like this is part of what we need to make progress in getting guns off the street and keep our communities safe.

The June 29 hearing on the “Rent Stabilization Protection Amendment Act of 2023” demonstrated overwhelming support for the legislation that I introduced in March. The bill, which aims to eliminate the exemption of housing vouchers from rent stabilization laws, garnered support from Chairman Mendelson and seven other colleagues. By leveling the playing field between voucher recipients and private tenants, this bill could preserve voucher dollars and prevent inflated rents. Community input is invaluable as we shepherd this bill through the legislative process, and I encourage residents to share written testimony here before the hearing record closes on July 13. I am hopeful that the bill will be approved at a committee markup when the Council reconvenes in September, and I will continue working with my colleagues to safeguard the District’s rent stabilization system, which thousands of Ward 3 tenants rely on.

Pool Availability

The Wilson Aquatic Center was intermittently closed last week due to unsafe humidity levels inside the building. To address the periodic closures, I pressed the Department of Parks and Recreation to institute compensatory aquatics offerings for the Ward 3 community. DPR agreed to extend operating hours at Hearst Pool, which now opens at 6 am daily. To improve communication to residents about pool closures, DPR encourages residents to sign up to receive live updates about facility operating statuses, programs, and events. To sign up, text DCDPR to 888777 or join their mailing list here.

To provide another aquatics option, the University of the District of Columbia has opened access to its natatorium to the public for a modest fee. The UDC pool is open from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Monday through Wednesday, and 10 am to 2:30 pm on Thursdays and Fridays. For more information about the UDC pool, click here.

Metrobus Nighttime Courtesy Stops

Beginning June 25, Metrobus passengers can request a courtesy stop in locations without a marked bus stop between 9 pm and 5 am. If the bus operator finds it safe to do so, they will pull over to the curb so the passenger can exit using the front door of the bus. In situations like busy highways, intersections, or areas lacking a curb, courtesy stops may not be possible. This change will make late-night Metrobus service a safer, more convenient option for all residents, especially women and vulnerable populations. Learn more here.

Yard Waste Collection

The Department of Public Works has changed its yard waste collection policy. Instead of including yard waste with conventional waste in the trash container, residents now must place yard waste in paper bags and submit a "Scheduled Yard Waste" 311 service request for collection. If yard waste is found in the trash container, the trash will not be collected.

GW Neighborhood Health Ambassador Program

George Washington University will launch its Neighborhood Health Ambassador program this summer, which will train up to 36 community health workers. Participants, who must be 18 years or older and possess a strong desire to improve community health in the DC region, will take part in a 144-hour Community Health Worker training. Trainees will then dedicate 20 hours per month for 8 months to community work. The application, which can be accessed here, is available until July 14.

Master Facilities Plan Town Hall Series

The Deputy Mayor for Education will host a series of virtual town hall meetings on the Master Facilities Plan beginning July 12. Residents can provide feedback on DC school planning projects, review the state of DCPS facilities, and assess potential strategies for the city’s long-term plan. Click here to learn more and register.

Van Ness Gopuff Art Contest

Gopuff and Van Ness Main Street are partnering to uplift local artists who will beautify the Van Ness business corridor. The two organizations seek local artists to submit proposed artwork for display in the windows of Gopuff’s site in Van Ness. Artwork, which must be entered by July 14, should reflect Van Ness Main Street’s 2023 theme “celebrating community.” Three winners will be chosen after the public votes on the finalists using social media mid-summer. For more information, click here.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

(202) 724-8062