This Week’s Highlights
Dear Neighbors,
As we head into Mother’s Day weekend, there’s much to report from the Council and in the community, including our first RECHARGE DPR roundtable, our Ward 4 Small Business Summit, important updates on our fight to protect Initiative 82, and a victory for Ward 4 tenants. Plus, lots of community resources and upcoming events in the neighborhood!
Community News
OAG Secures Victory for Ward 4 Tenants
On Tuesday, the Office of the Attorney General announced a $6.8 million judgement against A.J. Edwards Realty – including $1.5 million in rent refunds to nearly 100 tenants – in response to repeated concerns over dangerous and illegal living conditions in Ward 4 and across DC. In five buildings along Missouri Ave and 13th St NW in Brightwood, tenants endured dangerous code violations, including exposure to toxic lead paint, despite repeated court orders to make repairs. No one should have to fight for dignity and safety in their own homes. I am deeply grateful for the tenants who spoke out and stood up for their neighbors and commend Attorney General Schwalb for working to hold landlords who evade their responsibilities and break our laws accountable. This judgement sends a clear message that our communities have the power to demand better.
Join for Bike to Work Day!
Next Thursday, May 15th is National Bike to Work Day! I’m inviting Ward 4 neighbors to meet me at Highlands Cafe, 4706 14th Street, NW, at 8am to bike to work downtown together. Come on out and enjoy a fun, social-paced neighborhood bike ride!
Council News/Legislative Updates
Protecting Initiative 82
This week, the Mayor announced plans to repeal Initiative 82 in her upcoming FY26 budget proposal. Initiative 82 was passed with the overwhelming support of more than 70% of voters in 2022 and serves to phase out DC’s tipped minimum wage, ensuring tipped workers are able to be compensated fairly. Following this announcement, I met with UNITE HERE Locals 23 and 25 to discuss protecting I-82, and on Thursday, I joined DC Democratic State Committeewoman and Ward 4 activist Renée Bowser’s radio show “Unionism Drives Community” to talk about the harm the Mayor’s proposed repeal would have on the District’s workforce (Listen on WPFW or download mp3 file).
Since we still haven’t received the Mayor’s FY26 budget, there are details we still don’t know about how exactly this would impact tipped workers. What we do know is that in the years since I-82 was implemented, restaurants have continued to see growth while workers’ wages have grown as well. Since 2022, over 100 full-service restaurants have opened in DC. In fact, 2024 saw DC’s highest number of new restaurants opening in over a decade, with full-service restaurants employing tipped workers seeing the most growth. At the same time, wages have shown steady growth. In full-service restaurants, median wages for wait staff, bartenders, and hosts & hostesses surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2024. And since May 2023, employment in food service and drinking establishments has grown faster than either Maryland or Virginia.
Restaurants in DC and across the country are experiencing real challenges. The service industry was hit hard by the impacts of the pandemic, and now they are directly impacted by rising food prices and federal layoffs, which mean that more families are tightening their wallets and eating at home. But DC residents know that paying workers a living wage is how we sustain businesses’ growth. Relitigating popular policies only harms workers and undermines the will of the voters.
First RECHARGE Roundtable
On Monday, I kicked off my RECHARGE DPR oversight initiative with a public roundtable on environmental and safety hazards on Department of Parks and Recreation properties. During the roundtable, residents from across the District shared their experiences with how the identification of hazardous materials such as lead on surfaces and playgrounds has impacted their communities and ability to safely use DPR facilities with their families. DPR and the Department of General Services (DGS) also explained their responsibilities and procedures for testing and remediating hazardous materials. We examined various laws passed by the Council that cover the frequency of testing, closing of access, and community notification and engagement. During the hearing, I was concerned to hear that DPR’s exterior water fountains are not regularly tested for lead, an issue plan to address as soon as possible in partnership with Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who oversees the Department of Public Works.
We also heard from community members and experts about the hazardous chemical group known as PFAS. While consensus exists that PFAS exposure can have serious harmful effects on both the environment and human health, there is still a need for additional study to confirm how much exposure is dangerous, particularly from artificial turf fields. We also discussed the inability of old turf fields to be removed and disposed safely. Although turf fields offer some logistical benefits over grass fields, such as year-round availability, it is clear turf is not safer than natural grass. Further, turf fields also pose additional safety risks, as they can raise the surface and air temperatures much higher than grass fields.
I am grateful to all our public and government witnesses for providing important perspectives as the Committee on Facilities and the Council weigh how we can make our parks and recreation centers healthier and greener; two pillars essential to fully recharging DPR. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks about our next RECHARGE roundtables.
Testify on the Universal Paid Leave Portability Amendment Act
On Wednesday, May 14th at 10am, the Committee on the Executive and Labor Administration will hold a hearing on several labor bills before the committee, including my bill, the Universal Paid Leave Portability Amendment Act.
The bill would allow workers in the District to receive paid family and medical leave benefits when they are between jobs, provided they are not receiving unemployment benefits at the same time and have worked for a covered employer for part or all of the past year. Because of their health or caregiving status, these workers are often ineligible for unemployment benefits because they are not considered “ready, willing, and able to work.”
If you’ve needed paid leave while unemployed or want to speak in support of the bill, please sign up to testify in person or virtually.
Community Resources
Responding to ICE Raids Across DC
This week, there were several reports of ICE and immigration enforcement activity around DC, including in our Ward 4 community. These incidents are deeply traumatic for families across DC, and I share the fear and concern many neighbors have and continue to feel. In light of these incidents our community has experienced over the last several months, I want to make sure all neighbors are aware of the resources available on my website for undocumented neighbors and those fearing being targeted by immigration enforcement.
Public Safety Walk with Councilmember Pinto
On Wednesday, May 14th from 4 to 5pm, I am joining Ward 2 Councilmember and Chair of the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety Brooke Pinto for a public safety walk in Ward 4. We will meet at the entrance to the Petworth-Georgia Ave Metro at Georgia Ave and Quincy St NW and discuss ways to promote sustainable peace in our communities. Neighbors can RSVP here.
GAP Open House and Family Fun Day
On Saturday, May 17th from 10am to 1pm, GAP Community Child Development Center is hosting an Open House and Family Fun Day at 209 Upshur St NW. Activities will include a magic show, baby ducks, bunnies, and chicks, classroom tours, and light refreshments all day. Come on out and learn about GAP’s incredible resources offered to the Ward 4 community!
Healthy Homes Fair
Register today for the biggest, consumer-facing, home electrification event in the United States on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, from 1 to 5pm at Catholic University! Visit the Healthy Homes Fair to explore the products, services, and incentives available to use your homes to combat climate change while increasing health and comfort. With more than 100 exhibitors, an appliance “petting zoo,” an e-bike tasting party, a bouncy castle for the kids, food trucks, and much more, the Fair is bound to have something for everyone!
Neighborhood Events
New Exhibit Open at Zenith Gallery
Zenith Gallery in Shepherd Park is currently showing two new exhibits. “Mapping the Soul,” by Joanathan Bessaci, is a “poetic exploration of identity and memory, where sculptures, maps, fabrics, and photographs weave together fragments of a personal and universal story,” and is open from April 25th to May 31st. And “The Wonder of DC Trees” is now open at the MLK Library downtown until May 29th.
Ward 4 Mother’s Day Free Market
On Saturday, May 10th, from 12 to 4pm, Petworth Peanuts and Ward 4 Mutual Aid are hosting a Free Mother’s Day Market, with books, toys, clothing, and much more donated by community members. Stop by Emory United Methodist Church (6100 Georgia Ave) to join!
A Taste Petworth
Join Roosevelt High School for the 2nd annual A Taste of Petworth, a fundraising event that will highlight the excellence of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Roosevelt’s CTE programs offer a diverse range of pathways, including Culinary Arts, Business Management, Global Service and Diplomacy, and JROTC, providing students with essential skills for success in today’s global marketplace. This year’s A Taste of Petworth will take place on Friday, May 23rd, 2025, from 6pm to 9pm at Roosevelt. The event will feature a Casino Night theme, bringing together delicious tastings from local restaurants, student-led showcases, live entertainment, and casino-style games. Neighbors can purchase tickets using the following link: https://bit.ly/4jSvB2X
For more local events, check out DPR, DC Public Library, and NPS.
Important Reminders
Office Hours in the Community
Ward 4 office hours are happening every Wednesday afternoon at Fort Stevens Rec Center from 12 to 1pm, followed by office hours at Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center from 1:30 to 2:30pm. Community members can stop by and speak one-on-one with a member of our team about DC government services or our work in the Ward 4 community.
Support for Federal Workers
As many in our community face unprecedented challenges, I’m grateful to everyone who is stepping up to support neighbors. The Office of the Mayor has rolled out fedsupport.dc.gov, sharing resources for federal workers who have been laid off or impacted by recent cuts. I also want to remind neighbors of resources on my website for federal workers impacted by recent actions and neighbors facing the threat of immigration enforcement, compiled with the help of Councilmember Nadeau. DC government and the DC Council are also hiring for a range of positions, and I encourage community members to take a look at the open positions and share with a neighbor.
Ward 4 in the News
The Infatuation: The Best Ethiopian Restaurants In DC
Next Stop… Riggs Park: Reminder: LRCA Scholarship Application Due May 16, 2025
Petworth News: Timber Pizza opens a pop-up on the 200 block of Upshur
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George: Announcing New RECHARGE Plan for the DC Department of Parks and Recreation
Ward 4 Dispatch: Senior Affordable Housing, RECHARGE DPR, and Ward 4 Small Business Summit
These are news articles that mention Ward 4 or pertain to events in our community. Councilmember Lewis George does not write or endorse their content but shares them for community awareness.
This week we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, National Nurses Week, and Early Childhood Educator Day. I couldn’t close out this newsletter without a huge shoutout to every teacher, nurse, and early childhood educator in our city who dedicates themselves to caring for our neighbors or educating the next generation. We know that appreciating our incredible nurses and educators needs to also be coupled with paying them the wages they deserve and addressing the issues they face in the workplace.
I also want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to everyone in Ward 4! This year is extra special for me as it’s my first year as a mother. I hope we can all find time this weekend to celebrate the mothers and mother figures in our lives and remind them just how special they are.
Happy Mother’s Day Weekend, Ward 4!
Yours in Community,
—Janeese
