There was an article in The Post today highlighting attempts by both MD Senators to move DC's juvenile detention center from Laurel into the District. DC, with no vote in Congress, of course, has no say in this matter. But that is beside the point.
In one of the news groups I subscribe to, HillEast, which happens to be my neighborhood, a debate raged about the location on the new center. While no location was specified, rumor has it that it will be placed in the eastern part of Capitol Hill. Residents were in uproar about having a juvenile detention facility in their neighborhood for fear of increased crime.
I urge citizens to take a true community view on this issue. We are one city, and we all need to work together to solve our problems. Would HillEast be my first choice for a new juvenile detention center? Probably not. But if it were truly the location that made the most sense, I would support it. If the kids in the facility are from DC, then the facility should be in DC where families can easily come to visit with them.
We are one city. Our problems will not be solved by continuing to isolate those who are less fortunate. While property values are an issue, let's think about the families in poverty who can barely make ends meet, and who are desperate for help. Let's put ourselves in their shoes. How would you feel if people wanted to keep you out of their neighborhood. You would probably feel hopeless. But suppose residents of HillEast embraced the facility and even volunteered and mentored some of the children who live there. It could make a difference in the lives of people who truly need help.
A rising tide will lift all ships. If we truly want to make the city a better place, everyone will have to pitch in. Let's not fall prey to the NIMBY syndrome.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Drucker told to Resign
I guess Mayor Fenty wasn't happy with Drucker, this should certainly cause some chatter.
From today's City Paper
Fenty Community Relations Chief Resigns
Posted by James Jones on Mar. 28, 2007, at 6:17 pm
A dispute within the administration of Mayor Adrian Fenty about regulatory enforcement has led to the departure of the city’s leading official for constituent services. Merrit Drucker, director of community relations and services, submitted his resignation March 21 and will leave the government on Friday, according to Drucker.
Drucker ran an office that follows up on complaints from residents on neighborhood problems and breakdowns in city services. He earned a reputation as an energetic go-getter as Mayor Anthony A. Willliams‘ clean city coordinator. Fenty’s appointment of Drucker to the community-services post was seen as a step up for the hard-driving manager.
During his brief tenure, Drucker championed the use of an aggressive city code enforcement regimen called Operation Fight Back, a multi-agency regulatory sweep first instituted by Williams in 2003. It seemed like an approach custom-made for Fenty, who has long been a stickler for using government tools to tackle quality-of-life problems.
But not everyone was happy with the hard-line approach, including some business owners and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham.
When asked whether the lack of backing for his regulatory posture played \na role in his decision to leave his post, Drucker replied, “Yes. I think I’ll just leave it at that.” Another sticking point relates to Drucker’s work space. According to sources, Fenty ordered Drucker’s eight ward outreach coordinators to centralize their \nactivities in Fenty’s “bullpen” at the John A. Wilson Building. Drucker wanted nthem to remain in the field, as they’d been under Williams. Drucker says he mostly ignored the petty squabbling that is part of the D.C. government landscape. “I tried to stay out of the politics the best I\ncould,” he says, but wouldn’t elaborate.
When asked whether the lack of backing for his regulatory posture played a role in his decision to leave his post, Drucker replied, “Yes. I think I’ll just leave it at that.”
Another sticking point relates to Drucker’s work space. According to sources, Fenty ordered Drucker’s eight ward outreach coordinators to centralize their activities in Fenty’s “bullpen” at the John A. Wilson Building. Drucker wanted them to remain in the field, as they’d been under Williams.
Drucker says he mostly ignored the petty squabbling that is part of the D.C. government landscape. “I tried to stay out of the politics the best I could,” he says, but wouldn’t elaborate.
From today's City Paper
Fenty Community Relations Chief Resigns
Posted by James Jones on Mar. 28, 2007, at 6:17 pm
A dispute within the administration of Mayor Adrian Fenty about regulatory enforcement has led to the departure of the city’s leading official for constituent services. Merrit Drucker, director of community relations and services, submitted his resignation March 21 and will leave the government on Friday, according to Drucker.
Drucker ran an office that follows up on complaints from residents on neighborhood problems and breakdowns in city services. He earned a reputation as an energetic go-getter as Mayor Anthony A. Willliams‘ clean city coordinator. Fenty’s appointment of Drucker to the community-services post was seen as a step up for the hard-driving manager.
During his brief tenure, Drucker championed the use of an aggressive city code enforcement regimen called Operation Fight Back, a multi-agency regulatory sweep first instituted by Williams in 2003. It seemed like an approach custom-made for Fenty, who has long been a stickler for using government tools to tackle quality-of-life problems.
But not everyone was happy with the hard-line approach, including some business owners and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham.
When asked whether the lack of backing for his regulatory posture played \na role in his decision to leave his post, Drucker replied, “Yes. I think I’ll just leave it at that.” Another sticking point relates to Drucker’s work space. According to sources, Fenty ordered Drucker’s eight ward outreach coordinators to centralize their \nactivities in Fenty’s “bullpen” at the John A. Wilson Building. Drucker wanted nthem to remain in the field, as they’d been under Williams. Drucker says he mostly ignored the petty squabbling that is part of the D.C. government landscape. “I tried to stay out of the politics the best I\ncould,” he says, but wouldn’t elaborate.
When asked whether the lack of backing for his regulatory posture played a role in his decision to leave his post, Drucker replied, “Yes. I think I’ll just leave it at that.”
Another sticking point relates to Drucker’s work space. According to sources, Fenty ordered Drucker’s eight ward outreach coordinators to centralize their activities in Fenty’s “bullpen” at the John A. Wilson Building. Drucker wanted them to remain in the field, as they’d been under Williams.
Drucker says he mostly ignored the petty squabbling that is part of the D.C. government landscape. “I tried to stay out of the politics the best I could,” he says, but wouldn’t elaborate.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Death by Paperwork
Did you know that anytime an MPD officer makes an arrest, he/she must spend hours filling out paperwork and then appear in court first thing the next morning to present it to a magistrate? This process is a burden for officers, makes them think twice before making arrests, and forces them to spend less time cruising the streets or walking the beat.
One of my best friends is an MPD officer, and he has given me detailed horror stories of some of DC's finest. In some cases, officers who get off work at 3AM, must sleep in their cars because they need to appear in court at 7:30AM, just a few hours later. DC, which falls under the purview of the US Attorney, is one of the few places in this nation that does not have a judge available 24 hours per day to process arrests.
Because this process is so burdensome, many officers have decided that its easier to release suspects instead of making an arrest. So, not only are officers spending less time on the street, but when they are on the street, they aren't catching criminals. I don't blame our fine officers for this. As a military man myself, I understand how frustrating a bureaucracy can be. The only way to change this is to fix the system.
Unfortunately, the City Council has no ability to make the change because the process is controlled by the federal government. Yet again, another example of DC residents being treated as second-class citizens. Well, I brought this to the citizens tonight via Chair Samantha Nolan and the 2nd District Citizens Advisory Council. Ms. Nolan shares my passion for MPD officers and led a spirited discussion on the issue. The CAC is sending a letter to the US Attorney's office, which is a great first step.
Contact US Attorney Jeffrey Taylor and tell him that you want attorney's available at all hours to receive arrest paperwork. He can be reached at dc.outreach@usdoj.gov. Or here's another keen idea: why don't we give officers computers so they can submit the paperwork online? No matter what the solution, we need a change.
One of my best friends is an MPD officer, and he has given me detailed horror stories of some of DC's finest. In some cases, officers who get off work at 3AM, must sleep in their cars because they need to appear in court at 7:30AM, just a few hours later. DC, which falls under the purview of the US Attorney, is one of the few places in this nation that does not have a judge available 24 hours per day to process arrests.
Because this process is so burdensome, many officers have decided that its easier to release suspects instead of making an arrest. So, not only are officers spending less time on the street, but when they are on the street, they aren't catching criminals. I don't blame our fine officers for this. As a military man myself, I understand how frustrating a bureaucracy can be. The only way to change this is to fix the system.
Unfortunately, the City Council has no ability to make the change because the process is controlled by the federal government. Yet again, another example of DC residents being treated as second-class citizens. Well, I brought this to the citizens tonight via Chair Samantha Nolan and the 2nd District Citizens Advisory Council. Ms. Nolan shares my passion for MPD officers and led a spirited discussion on the issue. The CAC is sending a letter to the US Attorney's office, which is a great first step.
Contact US Attorney Jeffrey Taylor and tell him that you want attorney's available at all hours to receive arrest paperwork. He can be reached at dc.outreach@usdoj.gov. Or here's another keen idea: why don't we give officers computers so they can submit the paperwork online? No matter what the solution, we need a change.
The Tragedy of Temple Courts
Tonight I attended a meeting addressing problems at Temple Courts, part of the NW#1 development near North Capitol Street. For years, residents have been living in third-world conditions. Chronic infestations of rats, mice, bed bugs and roaches create living conditions that I thought could never exist here in the United States. The building's owner has ignored these issues and was fined $1.4 million by DCRA for maintaining unhealthy and unsanitary conditions. Finally, DCRA just gave up because enforcement proved impossible. It made me sick to see human beings living in the capital of the free world subjected to the conditions at Temple Courts.
The meeting was put together by first-year Councilmember Tommy Wells, who is making a valiant effort to improve the situation. Mayor Fenty showed his support to residents of Temple Courts by attending as well, and offering to let the tenants themselves decide the fate of their homes. Residents were given three options:
1) Remediate the issues while the tenants stayed in place
2) Relocate, remediate and return -- a process that would take approximately two years
3) Relocate, demolish, rebuild and return - a process that could take up to five years
While none of the solutions is perfect, and I'm afraid there are no perfect solutions, the fact that tenants were given the opportunity to control their own destiny really left me with hope.
I am writing this blog to bring problems that continue to lurk below the surface to the surface. Temple Courts is now moving in the right direction, but there are heartbreaking stories all around this city, and I hope that we can bring them to light here.
What/where are other public housing issues in DC needing to be addressed? Are certain neighborhoods east of the river being ignored? I urge you all to look for similar problems and post them here on District Matters for all to see. It's up to us to make a change.
The meeting was put together by first-year Councilmember Tommy Wells, who is making a valiant effort to improve the situation. Mayor Fenty showed his support to residents of Temple Courts by attending as well, and offering to let the tenants themselves decide the fate of their homes. Residents were given three options:
1) Remediate the issues while the tenants stayed in place
2) Relocate, remediate and return -- a process that would take approximately two years
3) Relocate, demolish, rebuild and return - a process that could take up to five years
While none of the solutions is perfect, and I'm afraid there are no perfect solutions, the fact that tenants were given the opportunity to control their own destiny really left me with hope.
I am writing this blog to bring problems that continue to lurk below the surface to the surface. Temple Courts is now moving in the right direction, but there are heartbreaking stories all around this city, and I hope that we can bring them to light here.
What/where are other public housing issues in DC needing to be addressed? Are certain neighborhoods east of the river being ignored? I urge you all to look for similar problems and post them here on District Matters for all to see. It's up to us to make a change.
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