April 25, 2019 | Vol. 5, Issue 17
Dear Washingtonians,
Coming into office in 2015, I set a clear goal: to create new pathways to the middle class for District residents.
To do this, we got to work revamping our workforce training programs, fighting for a higher minimum wage, investing in programs and grants to support underrepresented entrepreneurs, and, of course, making big investments in housing. Over the past five years, we have made tremendous progress in reducing unemployment, driving down homelessness, and creating new
opportunities for residents in every ward of our city. Through all of our work, we have been anchored by a simple belief – that safe and stable housing is the first step toward a safe and stable life.
As we add more housing, we must continue to be intentional about ensuring that residents across the income spectrum can access and afford new and existing housing. In doing so, we can push back against displacement and keep Washington, DC a city that works for people of all backgrounds. We must invest more in the tools that are already working and create new tools for the challenges that arise. And with the Fiscal Year 2020 budget proposal, that's what we're doing.
This year, we're increasing our investment in the Housing Production Trust Fund by 30 percent to $130 million; increasing our investment in the Housing Preservation Fund by 50 percent to $15 million; and creating a new tool – the Workforce Housing Fund. The Workforce Housing Fund will help give more people who work in and serve DC the opportunity to live in DC.
The idea behind the Workforce Housing Fund is simple: teachers deserve to live where they teach; firefighters deserve to live where they save lives; social workers deserve to live where they care for our most vulnerable; construction workers deserve to live in the neighborhoods they help build.
Our community has worked hard to build new pathways to the middle class for DC families – those who have been here for
generations as well as those who are moving here for new opportunities. The Workforce Housing Fund reflects the reality
that as we work to expand our middle class, we must also work to protect it.
Learn more about why we need a Workforce Housing Fund HERE.
Sincerely,
 Mayor Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget proposal allocates $122.1 million for a new K Street Transitway, a major redesign of K Street NW between 12th and 21st Streets, NW.
The new K Street Transitway will include: dedicated bus lanes, separated from general traffic; protected bike lanes; and streetscape improvements that improve pedestrian and enhance the corridor's sustainability. Learn more HERE.
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 The warm weather is back, and food waste drop-off sites are reopening across the city. On Saturday mornings, District residents can drop off food waste to be composted at designated farmers markets, free of charge. The food waste will be taken to a local facility where it will be turned into compost.
Learn more about the Food Waste Drop-Off program and find an open site near you HERE.
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 On Saturday, June 1, the Bowser Administration will host the third annual We the Girls Leadership Conference at Eastern Senior High School.
The conference, which is for young women in grades 5-12, celebrates our young women of color in DC Public Schools and provides students opportunities to engage in workshops on leadership, identity, college readiness, bullying, health/wellness, and much more. It will also include workshops for educators and parents centered on gender equity and supporting young women of color. Registration is open until Friday, May 24.
Learn more and register HERE.
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 This week’s District Minute features stories about the Solar Works DC program and the Mayor's plans for a new K Street Transitway.
 The mission of the DC Department of Corrections (DOC) is to provide an orderly, safe, secure, and humane environment for pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates, while providing meaningful opportunities for community reintegration.
DOC currently has an opening for a Trauma Clinician. This position is responsible for implementing trauma-focused clinical services by providing individual and weekly group therapy specific to those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or increased levels of trauma exposure. All details regarding this vacancy, including qualifications, can be found by visiting the job announcement.
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