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Statement on Council Final Vote on RENTAL Act

Today, the Council has taken an important step toward addressing the District’s housing crisis with the passage of the Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act. This legislation is the product of significant consultation with many local stakeholders, including tenants, advocates, housing providers, and developers, who engaged in this process with seriousness and good faith.  The bill makes it easier for housing providers to remove tenants who violate their lease by failing to pay rent or engaging in serious criminal conduct. At the same time, it raises important questions about how we balance landlord needs with tenant protections, including special protections for victims of domestic violence. Evictions can have lasting and destabilizing impacts on families and communities, which is why these changes must always be viewed alongside our broader responsibility to preserve tenant rights and ensure long-term housing stability. In this debate, I worked to strengthen the ability of tenants to negotiate with prospective investors as part of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). TOPA is a District law that gives tenants…

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Statement on Final Vote on RFK Redevelopment Act

I pushed hard for stronger accountability to make sure the Washington Commanders deliver the housing and mixed-use development promised alongside the new stadium. My amendment to strengthen those protections did not pass. While I would have preferred a deal with tighter requirements and clearer enforcement, I ultimately chose to support the RFK Campus Redevelopment Act because I believe given the broad support on the Council this is a time to come together and press for the best implementation possible. If executed well, the potential benefits for the District are enormous. I look forward to being a partner in that implementation effort.   The RFK site can and should be a place where the District builds something extraordinary: new housing, good jobs, enhanced public access to the Anacostia River, environmental protections, and community benefits that reach residents citywide. This deal, even with its shortcomings, provides the framework to make that vision real.  As my vote indicates, I am committed to seeing this project succeed for the people of DC. The development has the potential to generate billions…

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Statement on January 16 Homicide in Ward 3

I am deeply saddened by the violence that occurred overnight in Ward 3. I have been briefed by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and appreciate their quick response. According to MPD, an adult male was shot and killed during a domestic dispute inside a residence in the City Ridge development off Wisconsin Avenue just before 2:30 am. The case is now being handled by homicide detectives who are on the scene, and an active investigation is underway. My thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the victim during this difficult time. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 202-727-9099 or text tips to the Department's TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.

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Statement on the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee in the Matter of Trayon White, Sr.

This is a sad day for the Council and the District of Columbia. The first time I truly saw how Councilmember Trayon White served his community was at a vigil after a shooting on Martin Luther King Avenue ten or more years ago. He spoke with his neighbors with empathy and strength, calling for change from outside of his community but also from within. He connected with his neighbors in a way that resonated. More recently, we overlapped at an event, and I asked him how he bore up attending so many funerals and meeting with so many families broken with pain after the loss of a loved one. He responded that he was tired - spiritually tired - but he showed up just the same. I say these things because at the center of all this is a person who has earned the love and respect of many in his community. There is a human being with strengths and weaknesses. A person who, like all of us, should not be defined by one act.…

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