July 16, 2021
Dear Washingtonians,
On Thursday, we celebrated "Ward 8 Day" with a groundbreaking for the new Whitman-Walker at St. Elizabeths East and, right after, a groundbreaking for Reunion Square, the first-ever Tax Increment Financing (TIF) project in Ward 8.
In 2015, when we announced our plans to bring the Entertainment & Sports Arena to Congress Heights, we came together set a bigger, bolder vision for Ward 8 – one that would bring jobs, opportunity, housing, and prosperity to the community. And when I got to St. Elizabeths yesterday, I was thrilled to see the level of activity on the campus. I saw people working. I saw housing going up. For the first time, I could really see what the completed St. Elizabeths East campus is going to look and feel like.
There's a lot to look forward to in Ward 8. We are on track to deliver a new full-service hospital in 2024. Before we broke ground on Whitman-Walker, I also announced that the St. Elizabeths East campus will be the future home of the new Congress Heights Library. New townhomes are going up at St. Elizabeths. When the new Whitman-Walker health care center opens, they will be able to expand from seeing 5,000 patients and clients per year at the Max Robinson Center, to seeing approximately 15,000 patients per year at the new facility. And Reunion Square is the future site of 134 units of senior affordable housing, a hotel, and the DC Health headquarters.
We are one step closer to delivering the amenities and opportunity that Ward 8 deserves, and I want to thank everyone in the community who helped us get here.
Sincerely,
 Today, Mayor Bowser announced that while the vaccine sites at the RISE Demonstration Center and Ron Brown High School will close after Saturday, July 17 as previously announced, the vaccine site at Anacostia High School will remain open for walk-up vaccinations. The Anacostia HS site will also continue to distribute the $51 VISA gift cards to residents 12 and older who get vaccinated as well as to vaccine buddies who support their unvaccinated friends, family, and neighbors in getting vaccinated.
Residents 18 and older who want to enter the giveaway to win a Jeep Wrangler, a year of free groceries, or a year of free Metro should get vaccinated at Anacostia High School, the RISE Demonstration Center at St. Elizabeths East, or Ron Brown High School on Saturday, July 17.
Effective Tuesday, July 20, the new days and hours for the vaccine site at Anacostia High School are Tuesday-Thursday, 11 am -7 pm and Saturday, 12 pm - 5 pm.
Learn more HERE.
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 This week, Mayor Bowser welcomed DC Government employees back to the workplace. With the full return of DC government employees, DC Government is now able to expand in-person services that were either paused or only available by appointment, over the phone, or online. Additionally, some online processes and programs that were created during the pandemic will stay in place even with the return of in-person options.
Learn more about the expansion of in-person services HERE.
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 Earlier this year, Mayor Bowser launched a program to provide financial assistance to DC residents struggling to make rent and utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Stronger Together by Assisting You (STAY DC) program, renters and housing providers can apply for funding to cover past and future rental payments as well as water, gas, and electricity bills.
Renters and housing providers are urged to submit applications for rental and utility assistance at stay.dc.gov. Applicants can also call 1-833-478-2932 to schedule an appointment.
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 The Department of Public Works is hiring for the 2021-2022 Leaf Season. Those interested in applying can do so online from July 19 through July 30 at careers.dc.gov.
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