Metro Shutdown
Dear Transiteers:
Reason Magazine is libertarian, but you don't have to be a
doctrinaire libertarian to see that Charles Paul Freund makes a good
deal of sense when he criticizes the grounds on which Metro made its
decision to close down early last week in anticipation of Hurricane
Isabel (“DC Blows Itself Away: High Wind, Blowhards, and Public Safety
in the Capital,” http://www.reason.com/links/links091903.shtml).
WMATA officials have dismissed public criticism of their decision as
“Monday morning quarterbacking” and “twenty-twenty hindsight.”
But Freund makes a good case that the problem wasn't faulty weather
forecasting that exaggerated Isabel's strength and duration, but instead
was Metro's condescending paternalism toward its customers, the
residents of this region.
Freund writes: “The chairman of Metro's board, Jim Graham, told The
Washington Post that the decision to close was 'part of a
coordinated action to get people to stay at home.' That was interesting.
Since when has it become the role of transportation officials 'to get
people to stay at home'? Their apparent role until now has been to
provide dependable transportation; the decision to use the system or not
has generally been left to customers. . . . The problem with Metro's
decision wasn't one of caution, however; the system's officials should
be cautious. If officials had really shut the system down because
employees and riders were in danger, no one could reasonably have
objected. But that isn't why they closed the turnstiles; they did so, in
their own words, to keep people home, and that's an act of moral
overbearance. That's not their role. . . . Although a contingent plan
like [Miami's] would have resulted in some uncertainty, it would have
made sense under the uncertain circumstances. When they chose instead to
close down, they crossed the line from providing safe service to
exerting moral authority.”
Freund clarifies for me what had been my vague sense that something
other than unpredictable weather was wrong about the basis on which
Metro chose to shut down. But can anyone find a flaw in Freund's
analysis, and convince me that Metro made the right decision?
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Danilo Pelletiere (themail, December 6, 2000) wrote: “When I was a
recently arrived high school student here, a lot of kids wore 'It's a DC
Thang, You wouldn't understand' T-shirts. The shirt was full front and
back of things I didn't understand then, and probably would understand
only a few more now.”
I wuz doing a Google.com search on “It's a DC Thang” and spied
this message. I'm a sixty-year-old grandma, a sixth generation proud
Washingtonian. The T-shirts Danilo referenced were my tribute to growing
up Black in DC. Here's an excerpt from a message I penned a while back:
“Did you know that Grandma NitaBoo (Anita Brown) is the owner/designer
of the T-shirt line: It's a DC Thang? The first 'wearable memories'
T-shirt debuted at my fiftieth birthday party on January 30, 1993 (down
in da basement in LeDroit Park/ Bloomingdale). Too many colored people
don't realize the numbers of legendary athletes, coaches, musicians,
singers, dancers, etc. who are Native Washingtonians! Our runaway
bestseller for five years has been "Mama Said" tees,
sweatshirts, tote bags, and aprons (http://www.anitabrown.com/mamasaid.shtml).”
Currently out of print T-shirts are UDC, The People's University;
It's a Howard Thang; It's a B'More Thang; It's a Hampton Thang; It's a
Philly Thang; It's a Catholic Thang; I'm a Native Washington, born in
DC, not just chasin' a job!; DC Sports Heroes, from the playground to
the pros, from the 'hood to the Hall of Fame (sports almanac and two
different T-shirts); Easy Does It (12-step program slogans); Jesus Is.
All, except UDC, contain thirty-five to forty names, places, and
activities from back in da day! All designs are copyrighted by Anita
Brown, It's A DC Thang, Inc. It's a DC Thang is our registered
trademark.
###############
Throughout his nearly five years in office, Mayor Williams has shown
a decided preference for hiring out-of-towners to fill high-level
positions in his administration. Two weeks ago, for example, he
announced the appointment of Robert Bobb, from Oakland, California, as
City Administrator; Robert T. Maruca, from New Mexico, as Director of
DC's Medicaid Office; Gustavo Velasquez, from Philadelphia, as Director
of the Office of Latino Affairs; and Benidia A. Rice, from Arizona, as
the Director of the Child Support Enforcement Division of the
Corporation Counsel's Office. Even at a lower level, the hiring
preference often is for nonresidents of the city. The vast majority of
the twenty “literacy coaches” appointed by the State Education
Office this summer don't live in DC.
This week Mayor Williams announced that he was naming Judy Banks to
his cabinet to be Director of the Office of Personnel. Ms. Banks has
worked for the District government for twenty-eight years in a variety
of management positions, and for most of the past year has been the
Interim Director of the Office of Personnel. She was appointed Interim
Director in November 2002, following the departure of Milou Carolan. The
legal limit on serving in an acting capacity is 180 days, and it is
illegal to serve or to draw a salary in an acting capacity for a longer
period. In Ms. Banks' case, that period ended on May 1, 2003, and she
had no authority to act as Director of Personnel or to be paid as
Director after that date. But the official responsible for enforcing
that law and the other personnel rules and regulations of the District
is the Director of Personnel. DC law requires the Director of the Office
of Personnel to be a District resident. Ms. Banks is a resident of
Mitchellville, Maryland, and has adamantly refused to move into the
District. In a September 16 letter to the city council (http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/banks.htm),
the mayor indicated that he was granting Ms. Banks a waiver of the
residency requirement, even though only the council can grant such a
waiver legally. In his letter, the Mayor argues that “the position of
Director of the DC Office of Personnel has proven to be hard to fill.
Among the barriers in recruiting a Director of Personnel are the: fact
that the District government is in the midst of changing its personnel
and payroll systems, and no candidates with experience in both
disciplines emerged as a result of the executive search; uniqueness of
the District government's 'learning curve'; and absence of feasible
candidates who are willing to accept the significant challenges
associated with the position.”
The position description that advertised the Personnel Director's
vacancy (http://www.dcwatch.com/mayor/030924b.htm)
states that “full-time residency within the District of Columbia is a
requirement and must be accomplished within the first six months of
employment.” Ms. Banks obviously shares the Mayor's disregard for this
legal requirement, and personally finds the prospect of having to live
in the District so disagreeable that she refuses to consider it. But the
Director of Personnel is responsible for enforcing the residency
requirement. When other hiring decisions are made, how enthusiastic will
she likely be about enforcing it on others?
###############
Overhead Power Lines
Cynthia Harrison, harrison@gwu.edu
I am not sure why, in the twenty-first century, we still have a web
of power lines over our heads in northwest DC, but isn't it past time to
bury them? Our streets have been torn up repeatedly and DC is now
repairing/replacing the water conduits. Why can't these projects be
coordinated with a plan to bury the power lines? Can't private companies
that wish to bury, e.g., fiber optic cables, get permission only if they
also agree to participate in the burial of power lines? These lines and
transformers are dangerous above our heads and subject to deterioration
from the weather. Surely they would be safer under ground. They could be
buried close to the curb and close to the surface in piping that would
be accessible at points for repairs. If PEPCO's stockholders don't want
to pay the freight (although they are surely losing tons of money with
paying overtime crews whenever there is a big storm), we need government
intervention (and don't bother with the ripostes about how the
government can't do anything right — it has no monopoly on
incompetence and at least we would know whom to hold accountable).
###############
My Inaugural Column at DCPSWatch.com
Erich Martel, ehmartel@starpower.net
A few weeks ago, Dorothy Brizill and Gary Imhoff initiated a new web
site, DCPSWatch.com and invited me to be a columnist. I want to thank
them for establishing this web site and for inviting me to write a
column. I have been a DCPS social studies teacher since 1969, first at
Francis L. Cardozo High School and, since 1985, at Woodrow Wilson High
School. I currently teach Advanced Placement U.S. History, world
history, and African studies. In addition to my classroom experience, I
worked on a number of history curriculum and standards projects in DCPS
and on a national scale, including the development of the National
History Standards and reviews of state history and social studies
standards.
These experiences have given me considerable insight into the
obstacles that prevent large numbers of our students from achieving the
levels of academic success we expect to see. I contend that the primary
obstacles to student achievement are to be found in the policies and
practices of the DC Public Schools, not in external socioeconomic
factors. I intend to focus on these obstacles with the goal of shedding
light on and demystifying their causes. Since I am not an expert in all
areas of education, I will freely draw upon the specialized knowledge
and research of those who are.
It is my hope that the information and reports posted to this column
will generate discussion and debate on these academic topics. Discussion
and informative response to questions are vital, the lack of which is a
common experience of parents and teachers when seeking answers to
important questions -- unless pressured by the media or forced by the
courts. In order to promote such discussion, I shall briefly mention
each column that I post on the DCPSWatch web site in themail, with a
link to the full column. For my full inaugural column, go to http://www.dcpswatch.com/martel/030919.htm.
###############
I find it amusing that you [Dorothy Brizill] repeatedly accuse Mr.
Maddox of bias when your knee jerk reaction to every two bit allegation
is to jump on the side of the council against him. You are not only
unprofessional, but unimportant as far as what goes on in this city.
Digging through people's tax records and showing up at Council meetings
reading your nonsensical diatribes adds nothing to the public debate and
does nothing to establish your own credibility. Leave the governing of
this city to people who matter. Believe me, nobody is impressed with the
fact that you are Vincent Orange's little pit bull.
###############
Campaign for a Smokefree DC Launched
Tac Tacelosky, tac@smokefreedc.org
I'd wager that most themail readers do not know that DC law allows
smoking in almost all workplaces. In addition to restaurants and bars,
DC law permits smoking in offices, day care centers and even health care
facilities . But no worker should have to breathe hazardous secondhand
smoke on the job, and we all deserve to breathe safe, smoke free air
when we go out. You can send Mayor Williams and the DC Council a free,
instant fax in favor of smokfree workplace policies by clicking on http://www.SmokefreeDC.org.
Smokefree DC — a citizen-based group whose goal is to promote smoker
workplaces in the District — has launched a campaign to bring our
clean air laws up to par with New York, Delaware, California, Boston,
and other places that wisely prohibit smoking in workplaces, including
bars and restaurants. Last Wednesday, more than a hundred faith leaders,
public health representatives, union officials, citizen activists, and
bar and restaurant owners and workers gathered at National City
Christian Church to announce their support for smokfree workplace
legislation, which has been introduced by Councilmembers Adrian Fenty
and Kathy Patterson. Secondhand smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, 69 of
which are known or probable carcinogens. Secondhand smoke can cause
heart disease, lung cancer, asthma and pregnancy complications including
sudden infant death syndrome. Help us make DC a healthier place to live.
Please go to http://www.SmokefreeDC.org
now. Tell our elected officials you want all workplaces to be smokfree,
and sign our E-petition in support of 100 percent smokfree workplaces. For
more information, E-mail Angela Bradbery, angela@smokefreedc.org,
or Sean Tenner, sean@smokefreedc.org.
###############
There is a tendency in the District of Columbia to view Advisory
Neighborhood Commissions primarily as watchdogs of city services. This
is a valuable role, and as a commissioner of the Mount Pleasant ANC
(ANC-1D), I work with my colleagues to ensure that the police patrol our
streets, trash gets collected, and street lights get replaced. But ANCs
can, and should, do more than just agitate for better service delivery.
In fact, the intimate relationship that ANCs have with their communities
make them ideally suited to acknowledge, and to confront, some of the
deeper, systemic challenges facing our neighborhoods. This power became
apparent to me in recent weeks as our ANC considered, and subsequently
passed, a resolution demanding that the District of Columbia expand
local voting rights to include non-US citizen residents.
Nearly one third of Mount Pleasant residents are currently barred
from participation in local politics because they have not achieved
Federal Government citizenship. These residents pay taxes, serve in the
military, and are subject to all of our laws, but have no say in how the
District is governed. Many of these residents have lived in Mount
Pleasant for many years, and they contribute to making our neighborhood
a vibrant, diverse community. A few months ago our ANC created a Latino
Committee. From the beginning, committee members emphasized the
importance of addressing the inequity in political representation. There
was a strong consensus that many of Mount Pleasant's problems, including
unequal access to jobs and education, crime, and gentrification
pressures, were exacerbated by the lack of full political participation.
In subsequent weeks members of the Latino Committee joined with
representatives from other neighborhood organizations to research
non-citizen voting. They confirmed that there is a broad historical
precedent for non-citizen voting in United States, that the US Supreme
Court has upheld this practice, and that municipalities across the
country have successfully passed and implemented similar legislation. On
September 8th, the Mount Pleasant ANC passed a resolution in support of
voting rights for documented, non-US citizen residents, by a vote of
5-0, with one abstention. In the coming months the Voting Rights for All
DC Coalition, an organization which partially grew out of these efforts,
will take this proposal to other ANCs across the District and aims to
eventually have legislation introduced before the city council.
I urge all DC residents — and all my fellow ANC commissioners —
to take up this issue in their own ANCs. Extending voting rights in
local elections to all legal residents, including those without US
citizenship, will promote a feeling of participation and empowerment.
This is the first step to building a lasting consensus that can truly
move our city forward. By passing such legislation we will also
demonstrate to the nation our passion for democracy and reiterate our
demand for full Congressional representation. The District government is
mandated to give “great weight” to the recommendations of ANCs.
Watching the community work with the ANC on this issue illustrated to me
how the ANCs can use the "great weight" of their voice to go
beyond expectations and champion community-rooted, long-term solutions.
This is what the power of small government is all about.
###############
Since the Board of Elections and Ethics seems to be in danger of
losing its capacity for protecting our elections, and any claim to
ethical process in government, I think we need an adoption plan. Each
member of the Board of Elections and Ethics should be adopted by members
of our community, to be written to, called, to have their actions and
votes reviewed as things proceed into this election season.
Let's talk with them and let them know that we realize the critically
important job they have. If we cannot rely upon the Board to carry out a
fair, nonpartisan, accurate, open, legally valid election process, we
need community eyes on them. We need to hold them to the best standards
of democracy that we require when we send election observers all over
the world to monitor elections. Let's monitor our own elections. The web
site for the Board is http://www.dcboee.org.
Their next meetings are on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., on October 1,
November 5, and December 3, at 441 4th Street, NW, Room 280 North.
###############
Reply to Larry Seftor
Leah Gurowitz, gurowitzl@dcsc.gov
Mr. Seftor wrote [themail, September ]: “I was quite surprised that
others, apparently employees, were waved on when they set off the metal
detector.”
As the Courts' public information officer, I was quite surprised too,
as I have spent some significant amount of time in those lines. As a
result of your E-mail, the Deputy Executive Officer of the Courts
contacted the person who coordinates the court security function for the
US Marshal Service here at the Moultrie Courthouse and expressed her
concern (and yours). She reiterated the 100 percent check policy that is
the stated policy of the DC Courts and was reassured that it would be
enforced. I should point out that a significant number of law
enforcement officers come into the courthouse each day, in uniform and
thus armed, and screening for them is obviously somewhat different in
that they are allowed to bring weapons into the building. Thank you so
much for raising this to our attention. We appreciate your jury service.
###############
Two letters [in themail, September 21] regarding primary care and
hospitals said there is a need for emergency rooms because poor people
need nighttime hours. Primary care can't compete with the drama of the
hospitals' ER. Vanessa Dixon defended DC's hospitals, supporting their
self-reported beleaguered status. The hospitals' needs for money were
also recently been championed by the editorial page of the Post and by
Gary Imhoff in themail. Hospitals matter. Fortunately, DC has a lot of
them. Sixteen in all. Eight full service. One focusing on children. The
rest specializing in other areas of hospital care. At the same time,
300,000 DC residents live in areas designated by the federal government
as primary care shortage areas. But hospitals are not everything; nor
should they get all the attention and all the money. Nor should their
self-reported beleaguered status be accepted as without self-interest.
Hospitals are run by people, and people are not known to be altruistic
at all times; nor even primarily. While Ms. Dixon breezily says DC can
come up with the money for both primary care and a new public hospital,
my experience in DC doesn't support that. Primary care has never gotten
the money in the past, so why does she think it will get any now?
DC General closed because it was a money cow. When push came to
shove, DC General was too expensive to keep open. Since DC General
closed, the Alliance has turned into DC's new health care money cow —
a $33 million deficit last year, and who knows what it will rack up this
year. Another $1.2 billion is going into Medicaid. Where is most of that
money going? To the hospitals and nursing homes. The private hospitals
getting the money are both nonprofit and for-profit, by the way. Please
don't forget, DC taxpayers, that hospitals are in the business of health
care, and it is a very well paying industry. The illnesses that are
killing low income people in DC are chronic: high blood pressure,
asthma, diabetes, and cancer, for example. We can prevent and control
these illnesses with primary care. If people get treatment, medication
and establish a partnership with a provider, they can live longer,
healthier lives. Sure, some of these folks, maybe all of these folks,
will end up in the hospital at some time as the illnesses take their
toll and the aging process weakens the body. But the goal outta be to
keep people out of the hospital as long as possible.
The solution to overcrowded ER's doesn't have to be to build more
hospitals: it could be to improve, expand, and fully fund primary care
(and throw in some urgent care units as well for good measure). I know I
would rather not go to a hospital unless I have to. Nothing against the
hospitals; they do good work, but it is no fun to be in a hospital. I am
glad I have access to primary care and prevention. I wish all DC
residents could say the same.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Democratic Debate Watch, September 25
Linda Greenan, greenanl@georgetown.edu
The DC Democratic State Committee and Ward 2 and Ward 3 Democrats are
hosting a Debate Watch this Thursday, September 25, at the Governor's
House Hotel, 1615 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., from 8 to 10:30 p.m. $25 per
person; $10 for College Democrats. Proceeds go to fund the Ward caucuses
for delegate selection to the Democratic National Convention. Cash bar,
complimentary hors d'oeuvres. This will be the first campaign debate
appearance of Gen. Wesley Clark. Please come and spread the word.
###############
People in DC Family History/Genealogy
Workshop, September 30
Matthew Gilmore, dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu
Matthew Gilmore, coeditor of H-DC, Washington DC History E-list and
web site, will be offering a workshop for researching people in DC,
particularly family history/genealogy, on September 30, offering
generally applicable research techniques and describing the sources
available at various institutions throughout the city. The workshop will
take place in the Washingtoniana Division of the DC Public Library, 901
G Street, NW, Room 307, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A tour of the
division will follow and the opportunity to work with some of the
sources discussed.
Mr. Gilmore, formerly a staff member of the Washingtoniana Division,
will highlight the variety of tools and sources for documenting people
in Washington, DC, both in the Washingtoniana Division itself and at a
number of other institutions throughout the city. The workshop is
intended to complement programs and workshops at the new City Museum
that deal in depth with sources in that collection. Mr. Gilmore has been
offering workshops since 1997. This is the one in an ongoing series of
workshops that will also cover building and neighborhood history. The
workshop is free, but registration is requested so that enough handouts
can be prepared. For more information and to register, please E-mail dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu.
The Martin Luther King Library is at 901 G Street, NW, and the
Washingtoniana Division on the third floor in room 307. The phone number
for the Division is 727-1213.
###############
Happy DC Fiscal New Year, September 30
Bell Clement, bellclement@msn.com
The DC Affairs Section of the DC Bar, the ACLU-National Capital Area,
the Bar Association of DC, and the David A. Clarke School of Law, UDC,
host a conversation and reception to kick off DC's FY 04 on Tuesday,
September 30, 6 to 8 p.m. at Hogan & Hartson, 555 13th Street, NW,
in the Fulbright Center (13th Floor West). We will be discussing the
federal/District fiscal relationship, its impact on fiscal year '04, and
efforts currently underway, such as the commuter tax law suit, to
reformulate it.
Our panelists: The Hon. Linda Cropp, Chairman, DC Council; the Hon.
Jack Evans, Chairman, DC Council Committee on Finance; Dr. Natwar
Gandhi, DC Chief Financial Officer, and Walter Smith, Executive
Director, DC Appleseed. Our analysts: Jonetta Rose Barras, The Barras
Report; Mark Plotkin, WTOP, and Tom Sherwood, NBC Channel 4. Our
moderator is Colbert I. King, of the Washington Post. Reception (light
hors d'oeuvres, beer, and wine) follows the presentation.
The cost is $25, or $15 to sponsor members, nonprofit or government
employees, UDC students, and faculty. Reservations (credit card payments
only) may be faxed to the DC Bar at 824-1877, and should be received
twenty-four hours prior to the event.
###############
100,000 More DC Residents: Who Benefits?,
September 30
Cheryl Cort, staff@washingtonregion.net
The Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities' Forum
presents “100,000 More DC Residents: Who Benefits?” on September 30.
Refreshments at 6:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m., at the Sumner School, 1201
17th Street, NW (at M Street, and Dupont Circle and Farragut North Metro
stations). Panelists: Alice M. Rivlin, Brookings Institution; Skip McKoy,
DC Agenda; Jim Dickerson, Manna, Inc.; Loretta Tate, Marshall Heights
Community Development Organization. Moderator: Bob Pohlman, Coalition
for Non-Profit Housing and Economic Development.
Mayor Williams has adopted the goal of increasing the City's
population by 100,000 residents over the next ten years, sparking debate
and policy proposals from all quarters. Affordable housing and
antipoverty activists claim 100,000 more residents might mean more
displacement of existing low-income families. Alice M. Rivlin, the
initiator of the proposal, has developed a strategy that includes repair
of the city's troubled public institutions, restoration of its fiscal
health, and rejuvenation of distressed neighborhoods. Join us for this
important discussion about the future of the City. RSVP (attendance
only) to WRN, 667-5445 or E-mail staff@washingtonregion.net.
Web site: http://www.washingtonregion.net.
WRN Livable Communities Forums are free of charge.
###############
Strike a Blow to Free DC’s Budget, October 1
Bill Mosley, billmosley@starpower.net
On October 1, a coalition of local organizations will rally on
Capitol Hill to free DC's budget from congressional control. October 1
is significant because it is the first day of the government fiscal year
— a day by which, if the pattern of recent years holds, the federal
government still will not have approved the District’s budget. Because
of DC's colonial status, Congress has assumed the right to hold up the
District's budget until it is reviewed and passed as part of the federal
appropriations process — even though 75 percent of the District’s
budget is raised from local tax funds, about the same as most states.
Because Congress cannot finish the federal government’s work on time,
much less the District's, enactment of our budget is usually delayed
well into the fiscal year -- this year, by nearly four months. These
delays prevent the District from spending new funds on such essential
needs as health care, schools and public safety. Moreover, as our budget
moves through the appropriations process, members can attach
“riders” — restrictions that are at odds with the wishes of DC's
voters. Current riders include a ban on needle exchange programs to
prevent AIDS and a prohibition on implementing the initiative to allow
marijuana to be used for medical purposes. This year, Congress is
threatening to attach a rider mandating a school voucher program in the
District.
It's time to get Congress out of our local affairs! Democracy demands
that we be allowed to determine how to spend our own money. Come to a
rally at noon on October 1 directly across from Capitol South Metro (in
front of the Republican National Committee) and demand that Congress
Free DC's budget! Call the Stand Up for Democracy in DC Coalition at
232-2500 for more information.
###############
A Tale of Two Capitals at the National Building Museum, October 8
Brie Hensold, bhensold@nbm.org
A Tale of Two Capitals: St. Petersburg and Washington, DC, Wednesday,
October 8, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Designed specifically as national
capitals in the eighteenth century, the "new towns" of St.
Petersburg and Washington are physical and emblematic manifestations of
their contrasting national cultures and aspirations. Architectural
historian Anatole Senkevitch, Jr., of the University of Michigan, will
critique the conceptual and design strategies that shaped these two
capitals, noting that, while there are marked distinctions between them,
St. Petersburg and Washington have more in common than might initially
be supposed. After his talk, he will be joined by Blair Ruble, director
of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies at the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars, for a discussion with the
audience. This program is co-presented with the Faberge Arts Foundation.
Wednesday, October 8, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. National Building Museum,
401 F Street, NW (Judiciary Square Metro, Red Line). $12 Museum members,
Faberge Arts Foundation members, and students; $17 nonmembers.
Registration required.
The National Building Museum, created by an act of Congress in 1980,
is a private, nonprofit institution that examines and interprets
American achievements in building through exhibitions, education
programs, and publications. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Public inquiries: 272-2448 or visit http://www.nbm.org.
For more information, contact Brie Hensold, Public Affairs Office,
272-2448, x3458.
###############
Housing Needs for the City and Region, October 21
Cheryl Cort, staff@washingtonregion.net
The Fall 2003 Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities
Forum Series: Housing for the City will focus on the critical issue of
affordable housing in the District of Columbia. “Housing Needs for the
City and Region,” will be given on October 21, at the John A. Wilson
Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, room TBA.
Refreshments at 6:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m. Speaker: Margery Turner,
Urban Institute. “Government Response to the City's Housing Needs,”
in November at a location to be determined, with a speaker who is a
leading DC Housing and Economic Development official. “An Alternative
Housing Policy Agenda for the City” will be given in December at a
location to be determined. Speakers will be DC councilmembers and
leading housing policy advocates.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Dining Room Table
Dona Lenkin, donal@nih.gov
Contemporary, rectangular table, 36" x 70" plus leaf, dark
wood French design with leaf storage under table top. Purchased new in
2000 from Roche Bobois. $1200. E-mail donal@nih.gov
or call 686-1833.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Columbia Heights Room for Rent
Maude Bauschard, mbaushard@usaction.org
For rent, one bedroom plus bathroom for $480/month plus one third of
gas and electricity in diverse Columbia Heights neighborhood in
spacious, well-lit three bedroom, two bathroom duplex; close to Metro,
bus lines, Adams Morgan, Mt. Pleasant, U Street. Share with two
progressive, professional women who like music, dance, wine, veggie
cooking, and working out. Looking for fun, active male or female to
share home. Open house this Saturday the 27th from 4-7 p.m.; contact cheightshome@usaction.org.
###############
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and should be about life, government, or politics in the District of
Columbia in one way or another. All postings must be signed in order to
be printed, and messages should be reasonably short — one or two brief
paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many messages as possible can
be put into each mailing.
