July 11, 2024
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Smith,
Today, I am introducing the Ivy City Climate Resilience Hub Eminent Domain Authority Act of
2024. This legislation would authorize the Mayor to exercise eminent domain at 1950 Capitol
Avenue, N.E. for use as a climate resilience hub in Ivy City, a Ward 5 neighborhood that bears
the brunt of environmental injustices and the harmful effects of climate change. Please find
enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.
In 2022, the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency issued its
second report as required by the Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency Establishment
Act 0f 2016. One of 11 core recommendations advanced by the commission was for the District
to establish resilience hubs across the District to “support District residents by coordinating
communication, distributing resources, and reducing carbon pollution while enhancing the
community’s quality of life.” 1 As the report explains,
Resilience Hubs serve communities in three operating states: Steady, Disruption, and
Recovery. During their steady states, resilience hubs serve communities year-round by
promoting health, providing meeting spaces, educating the community about emergency
preparedness, reducing risks, and supporting workforce development. 2
When disasters and stressors occur, Resilience Hubs can shift to a Disruption state, using their
onsite power generation, communications technology, and community relationships to
complement District and federal emergency response services. During a Disruption state,
resilience hubs can serve as a known staging area and partner to distribute supplies and
information to affected communities. Following a disaster, resilience hubs can support recovery
1 Second Report of the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency,
2022, available at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/51693/Introduction/RC24-0237-
Introduction.pdf?Id=150315.
2 Id.
by providing space for casework, educating the community about recovery resources, and
conducting long term assessments of disaster recovery.3
The administration of Mayor Muriel Bower has also twice endorsed the concept of community
resilience hubs—first in the 2016 Climate Ready DC Report and again in the 2019 Resilient DC
Report. Among the goals established in Resilient DC was the “Launch the Resilience Hubs and
Resilience Corps programs by 2023.”4
While the District has taken strides toward constructing a pilot community resilience center in
Ward 7, the District has taken no concrete steps towards establishing a community resilience hub
in Ward 5. For instance, the Office of Planning’s draft Small Area Plan for Ivy City, N.E.
recommends launching a resilience hub within the new Crummell School Community Center,
neither the Department of Recreation nor the Department of General Services have identified
that as a priority for the facility in ongoing capital planning processes.
This legislation advances movement towards establishing a climate resilience hub in Ivy City by
authorizing the Mayor to exercise eminent domain to obtain a suitable location for such a
facility.
I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Council and in the executive to advance
climate resilience in Ivy City. Please contact my Deputy Chief of Staff, Conor Shaw, at
cshaw@dccouncil.gov if you have any questions about this legislation.
Sincerely,
Zachary Parker
Ward 5 Councilmember
3 Id.
4Resilient DC: A Strategy to Thrive in the Face of Change, 2019, available at
https://app.box.com/s/8w2eqpt0yczj7ldga74m7gcpf1ts79y7.
2
 1
2 _____________________________
3 Councilmember Zachary Parker
4
5
6 A BILL
7
8 _________________________
9
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12 _________________________
13
14
15 To authorize the exercise of eminent domain by the Mayor to secure space for a climate
16 resilience hub in Ivy City.
17
18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may
19 be cited as the “Ivy City Climate Resilience Hub Eminent Domain Authority Act of
20 2024”.
21 Sec. 2. Findings.
22 The Council finds that:
23 (1) In 2022, the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency
24 issued its second report as required by the Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency
25 Establishment Act 0f 2016. One of 11 core recommendations advanced by the commission was
26 for the District to establish resilience hubs across the District to “support District residents by
27 coordinating communication, distributing resources, and reducing carbon pollution while
28 enhancing the community’s quality of life.” 1 As the report explains,
29 Resilience Hubs serve communities in three operating states: Steady, Disruption, and
30 Recovery. During their steady states, resilience hubs serve communities year-round by
1 Second Report of the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency,
2022, available at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/51693/Introduction/RC24-0237-
Introduction.pdf?Id=150315.
1
31 promoting health, providing meeting spaces, educating the community about emergency
32 preparedness, reducing risks, and supporting workforce development.
33
34 When disasters and stressors occur, Resilience Hubs can shift to a Disruption state, using
35 their onsite power generation, communications technology, and community relationships
36 to complement District and federal emergency response services. During a Disruption
37 state, resilience hubs can serve as a known staging area and partner to distribute supplies
38 and information to affected communities. Following a disaster, resilience hubs can
39 support recovery by providing space for casework, educating the community about
40 recovery resources, and conducting long term assessments of disaster recovery. 2
41
42 (2) The administration of Mayor Muriel Bower has also twice endorsed the concept of
43 community resilience hubs—first in the 2016 Climate Ready DC Report and again in the 2019
44 Resilient DC Report. Among the goals established in Resilient DC was the “Launch the
45 Resilience Hubs and Resilience Corps programs by 2023.”3
46 (3) While the District has taken strides toward constructing a pilot community resilience
47 center in Ward 7, the District has taken no concrete steps towards establishing a community
48 resilience hub in Ward 5. While the Office of Planning’s draft Small Area Plan for Ivy City, N.E.
49 recommends launching “a Resilience Hub within the new Crummell School Community Center,”
50 neither the Department of Recreation nor the Department of General Services have identified
51 that as a priority for the facility in ongoing capital planning processes.
52 (4) The District has identified a site located at 1950 Capitol Avenue, N.E., south of
53 Fenwick Street, N.E., Square 4043, Lot 0806, (the “Capitol Street Site”) as a strong site for a
54 community resilience hub because it is located in Ivy City, a neighborhood where residents
55 suffer significant heat island effects, urban flooding, and air pollution; is well-situated to serve as
56 a recruitment center for green jobs because it is proximate to existing neighborhood housing; and
2 Id.
3Resilient DC: A Strategy to Thrive in the Face of Change, 2019, available at
https://app.box.com/s/8w2eqpt0yczj7ldga74m7gcpf1ts79y7.
2
57 is also well situated to serve as a staging area during a disruption because of the site’s access to
58 the community and to major arterial roads and infrastructure.
59 (5) The Capitol Street Site is currently occupied by a seal manufacturing facility.
60 (6) Acquisition of the Capitol Street Site will allow the District to construct a community
61 resilience hub in Ivy City.
62 Sec. 3 Exercise of Eminent Domain
63 The Mayor may exercise eminent domain in accordance with the procedures set forth in
64 subchapter II of Chapter 13 of Title 16 of the District of Columbia Official Code to acquire Lot
65 806 Square 4043 for a community resilience hub.
66 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
67 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
68 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
69 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
70 Sec. 4. Effective date.
71 This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
72 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
73 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
74 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
75 Columbia Register.
3