Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

MURIEL BOWSER

    MAYOR

May 27, 2021

The Honorable Phil Mendelson, Chairman

Councilofthe District of Columbia

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

Dear Chairman Mendelson:

On behalfofthe residentsofthe District of Columbia, I am pleased to submit to you the proposed District

of Columbia Fiscal Year 2022 Proposed Budget and Financial Plan, A Fair Shot. Included in this

submission, you will find the Fiscal Year 2022 Local Budget Act of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2022

Federal Portion Budget Request Act of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Act of 2021, the

Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Local Budget Emergency Act of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Local

Budget Temporary Act of 2021, and the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Local Budget Emergency

Declaration Resolution of 2021. In addition, | am submitting the following accompanying emergency

measures for consideration: the Fiscal Year 2022 Local Budget Emergency Act of 2021, the Fiscal

Year 2022 Local Budget Temporary Act of2021, the Fiscal Year 2022 Local Budget Emergency

Declaration Resolution of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Federal Stimulus Local Budget

Emergency Act of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Federal Stimulus Local Budget Temporary Act

of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Federal Stimulus Local Budget Emergency Declaration

Resolution of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Local Budget Advance School Payment Emergency

Amendment Act of 2021, the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Local Budget Advance School Payment

Temporary Amendment Act of 2021, and the Fiscal Year 2021 Revised Local Budget Advance School

Payment Emergency Declaration Resolutionof 2021.

The Fiscal Year 2022 budget marks the turning ofacorner on a global public health crisis that has killed

millions of people worldwide and led to a swift and deep global recession. The Fair Shot Budget makes

significant investments to provide relief, recovery, and growth for residents and businesses across all

eight wards. In this budget, we focus on what we know to be the pillars of an equitable recovery: access

to safe and affordable housing, high-quality job training, healthy neighborhoods, academic acceleration,

increased access to quality child care, programs to reduce gun violence, safe and accessible transportation

options, and supports for businesses and residents hit hardest by the economic crisis over the past year.

During last years budget cycle, we were very focused on providing our community a sense of hope. At

the time, there was a significant amount of uncertainty, both in terms of the virus as well as our

community's financial future. With so much uncertainty, we controlled what we could and made big

investments in our DC Values and in keeping our community safe and healthy. Today, we have more

hope. Everyone 12 and older is now eligible for the vaccine; more than 50% of all DC residents are at

least partially vaccinated; and through the American Rescue Plan, DC received the CARES Act funding

we were shortchanged along with access to hundredsofmillionsofdollars in federal relief funds.

The Fair Shot Budget continues investing in DC HOPE  in health care and housing, opportunity,

prosperity, and equity. This budget also recognizes how the landscape has shifted over the past year and

seizes on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put our city on a trajectory toward amore equitabie future.

And this starts with recognizing that a strong recovery begins with ensuring everyone in our community

has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. To that end, I am investing a record-setting $400

million in the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF), bringing our total investment in the HPTF since

2015 to more than $1 billion. Furthermore, we paired this historic investment with Local Rent

Supplement Program (LRSP) voucher funding

                                       to better target funds to deeply affordable units at or below

30%ofthe median family income.

We will also continue investing in the programs and supportsthatset families up for success. This means

increased support for residents who do not qualify for unemployment insurance, families who face steep

public benefit cliffs as their income climbs, and those who are returning citizens. We are investing

$68 million to increase access to high-quality affordable childcare and provide incentives and

scholarships for early childhood education teachers. And after an extremely difficult school year, we are

investing $13 million for an evidence-based approach to learning accelerationhigh impact tutoring

which will provide quality supports and infrastructure for our DC Public Schools and DC public charter

schools.

This budget also recognizes that our response to the pandemic is not yet over. To ensure our response

remains strong and matches the ongoing needs of our community, we are investing $75 million to

continue the District's response to the COVID-19 pandemic through testing, vaccination, isolation and

quarantine sites, cleaning, PPE purchases, and other critical programs and services that helped see the

District through the pandemic,

Below are additional examplesof important investments in the proposed FY 2022 Budget and Financial

Plan that will allow us to recover and grow stronger together.

Health and Human Services

The FY 2022 budget supports the health and well-being ofDistrict residents, and helps provide

                                                                                         apathway

to the middle class, through the following investments:

    * $15 million to support small businesses and residents whose health insurance premiums are in

      arrears because ofjob losses and business slowdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;

    * $12 million to launch a new pilot, Career Map, which will support the desire and ability of parents

      to pursue a career by ensuring that participating households costs do not exceed income, even as

      important benefits phase out with income growth. This initiative will promote equity and

        meaningful access to the middle class;

    $8.4 million to continue our support for the five Centers of Excellence at Howard University

     Hospital, which will strengthen the hospital and improve the health outcomes ofWashingtonians;

   * $8.5 million to support affordable food access through increased senior meal delivery, assistance

     to the Capital Area Food Bank, Produce Rx, and the Nourish DC fund;

   * $23 million for new families that need support during the pandemic through the Temporary

     Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and another $14 million to support TANF

     families with cash assistance payments to smooth out the benefit cliff, establish

                                                                                    a TANF diversion

     program, and provide small one-time payments to families dealing with the impacts of the

     pandemic;

   * $18 million to advance health equity, including the creation of a new sobering center, the

     expansion of telehealth services for Department of Behavioral Health and Department of

     Disability Services clients, and doula services for women enrolled in Medicaid;

   * $13 million to increase the local budget of the Department of Behavioral Health to provide

     increased supports and services to residents experiencing mental health crisis or substance abuse

       issues;

       $3 million for neighborhood-based Senior Socialization Hubs and expansion of Senior Villages;

       $1 million to expand transportation access for seniors through ConnectorCard; and

       $500,000 to launch a coordinated citywide virtual wellness model that will expand satellite virtual

       wellness programs to cover all citywide virtual programming needs for seniors.

Affordable Housi

Producing, preserving, and protecting affordable housing remains a top priority. The FY 2022 budget

makes the following investments in affordable housing:

       A historic contributionof $400 million to the Housing Production Trust Fund and $42 million of

       investment in project-sponsor based vouchers to make housing deeply affordable to low-income

       residents;

        $352 million in rent and utility assistance to prevent evictions through the DC STAY program;

        $35 million in Homeward DC to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring, including 758

        new permanent supportive housing units for singles, 347 new permanent supportive housing units

        for families, and expansion of Project Reconnect, shallow subsidies, and rapid re-housing for

        singles;

        $17 million for the Housing Preservation Fund, including $5 million to support limited equity

        cooperatives to purchase their buildings. This investment is matched 3:1 by the private sector for

        a total investment of $68 million in housing preservation;

        $67 million to acquire additional emergency and transitional shelter for victims of domestic

        violence and expand domestic violence services, and to acquire properties to convert to deeply

        affordable and/or permanent supportive housing;

        $2 million to the Douglass Community Land Trust to acquire affordable commercial and

        residential properties;

        $113 million in capital funding to rehabilitate and modernize public housing units;

        $102 million to expand and renovate the Districts permanent and temporary supportive housing

        and shelter services;

        $23.5 million to help low-income first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost

        assistance;

        $1.2 million to expand emergency shelter service for LGBTQ residents who are victims of

        domestic violence and create low-barrier shelter access for transgender residents;

        $335,000 for the Office of the Tenant Advocate to help tenants navigate housing issues after the

        eviction moratorium is lifted;

        $1.035 million to complete future small area plans across the District;

        $5 million to restore vibrancy to previously disused properties in neighborhoods most affected

        by violence; and

         $1.5 million for a pilot program to incentivize the construction ofaccessory dwelling units on

        properties owned by low- and moderate-income homeowners.

High-Quality Education

Our community continues to recognize the important role public schools play in creating opportunity and

helping us build a more equitable city. During the pandemic, many students experienced learning loss,

which can have long-term consequences for their future. We know that investments in our public schools

were the driving force behind the renaissance of our city, and our steadfast commitment to our students,

families, and educators remains strong. In this Fair Shot Budget, we continue to make education a top

priority, and introduce several new programs to advance learning acceleration, through a range of

investments, including:

       3.6 percent increase to the base amount of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula and

       increased weights for English language earners and at-risk students;

       $8 million to reimagine high schools and create work-based learning opportunities;

       $8 million to expand school-based mental health services to all remaining DC Publie Schools and

       DC public charter schools;

       $10 million to provide additional facility grants to the DC public charter schools to help them

       re-open fully for in-person learning in school year 2021-2022;

       $13 millionforan evidence-based approach to learning acceleration, high impact tutoring, which

       will provide quality supports and infrastructure for our DC Public Schools and DC public charter

       schools;

       $12.8 million to provide more students access to affordable bachelor and associate degrees;

       $5.6 million to provide increased access to summer programming with academic enrichment;

       $68 million to increase access to high-quality affordable childcare and provide incentives and

       scholarships for early childhood education teachers;

       More than $1.37 billion over six years for DC Public Schools to fund school modenizations,

       small capital projects, and school expansions to address overcrowding and to support the

       acceleration of modemizations of the Truesdell and Whittier Education Campuses;

        $420 million over six years for the District's parks, recreation, and library projects, including the

        addition of four new library renovations or replacements, at Shepherd Park, Deanwood,

       Northwest, and Rosedale. This investment also adds new renovations at Duke Ellington Field,

        Emery Heights Recreation Center, Rumsey Aquatic Center, Randall Recreation Center, Harry

        Thomas Recreation Center, and a brand-new community center at the former Crummel! School

        site, It also includes new additional funding to renovate the pool at Upshur Recreation Center,

        address site issues at Douglas Recreation Center, and bring all DPR facilities into ADA

        compliance; and

        $114 million over six years for the University of the District of Columbia for university

       improvements.

Public Safety and Justice

Our work to build safer, stronger neighborhoods across all eight wards continues, and the FY 2022 Fair

Shot Budget includes critical investments that support our collective commitment to public safety and

justice, including:

        $5.7 million to divert some 911 calls for residents experiencing mental health distress to the

        Department of Behavioral Healths Community Response Team;

        $1.1 million to divert some 91| calls for minor traffic crashes (no injuries) and parking complaints

        to the District Department of Transportation and Department of Public Works, respectively;

        $11.4 million for cash assistance for returning citizens, financial coaching, and the hiring of peer

        navigators to help returning citizens with the transition back into the community and on the path

        to economic opportunity;

        $7.8 million for additional violence interrupters and $400,000 for additional credible messengers;

        $4.5 million to expand the DC Pathways program serving 100 more at-risk individuals per year;

        $1.9 million to expand access to trauma-informed mental health services;

        $1.1 million for intensive case coordination to assist those most at-riskofgun violence;

        $450,000 for a violence interruption certificate program at UDC and $200,000 for restorative

       justice training;

        $5.6 million to create 278 dedicated employment opportunities through the Department of Public

        Works for residents most at-risk of gun violence;

        $4.1 million to expand Project Empowerment with new wrap-around services for residents most

        at-risk of gun violence and the creation of new Pathways Champions positions at the Office of

       Neighborhood Safety and Engagement;

       $2.2 million for temporary safe housing for residents involved in gun violence;

       $2 million for expanded offerings from the Department of Parks and Recreation to communities

       hardest hit by gun violence;

       $1.5 million for community grants to carry out neighborhood action plans in communities hardest,

       hit by gun violence;

       $7 million for a new Ready Center facility, which will serve as a one-stop shop where returning

       citizens can access consolidated resources from community based organizations and District

       agencies, including the Department of Corrections, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department

       of Employment Services, Department ofHuman Services, Department of Behavioral Health, and

       the Mayor's Office on Returning Citizen Affairs, to ensure successful reintegration into the

       community;

       $7.2 million for youth safety initiatives, including an expansion of Safe Passage, out-of-school-

       time activities for youth, and enhanced training for school resource officers;

       $3.4 million to add 100 new slots for the Metropolitan Police Department's cadet program; and

        $57 million for the renovation and relocation of fire and police stations, including MPDs 7th

        District headquarters, Engine Company 26, and Engine Company 7.

Transportation and the Environment

The FY 2022 budget accelerates and expands numerous investments in transportation and infrastructure

that will make moving throughout our city without a car safer and more convenient. The budget also

includes investments that over time will make the District greener and more sustainable. Key investments

in the Districts transportation and environment budgets include:

         $72 million to support healthy schools and affordable homes through weatherization

        improvements, solar installations, lead paint and mold remediation, lead pipe removal, and lead

       remediation in drinking water;

       $375 million for streetscapes, trails, and Vision Zero safety improvements. This includes

       doubling the planned buildout of protected bike lanes to 10 new miles per year, a new bicycle

       and pedestrian bridge connecting the Barry Farm Community to the Anacostia Metro Station,

       implementation of numerous livability study recommendations, a deckover of Connecticut Ave

       NW to create Dupont Crown Park, a new South Capitol Street Trail that will create a full trail

       connection to Maryland's National Harbor, the completionofthe Metropolitan Branch Trail, and

       the creation of the Shepherd Branch Trail in Ward 8;

       $9 million to reclaim streets for public use through the creation of recurring monthly street

       closures in the downtown area, including on Black Lives Matter Plaza, Pennsylvania Ave, NW,

        18th St. NW, 7th St. NW, and F St. NW plus one Open Streets event in each ward, and one

       signature Open Streets event on 7th Street from Florida Avenue to The Wharf;

       $63 million for a transformative investment in over 50 priority bus lanes citywide, which will

       make bus transit easier and faster for thousands of riders throughout the District;

       $19 million for the expansion of Capital Bikeshare, which will ensure that any District resident

       has access to a docking station within 4 mile oftheir home, creation ofa new Adaptive Bikeshare

       hub at Union Station, and the launch of over 1,000 more e-bikes as part of the fleet;

        $100 million to accelerate the Benning Road Transfer Station modernization to begin in FY22,

        including fully remediating environmental and safety issues at the site, replacing the current

        facility, and creating new citywide composting capabilities;

        $439 million invested in the Districts local roadways, alleys, and sidewalks across all eight wards

        to ensure they are safe, reliable, and functional;

        $1.7 billion to support capital infrastructure upgrades for the Washington Metropolitan Area

        Transit Authority;

        $116 million to build the K Street Transitway by 2023, providing protected bus and bike lanes

       through the Districts downtown core;

       $215 million for a full replacement of the H Street Bridge, a key piece in the overall

       redevelopmentofUnion Station. This replacement will eliminate safety concems with the bridge,

       as well as facilitate the use of high-speed rail in and out of the train station; and

       $1 million to conduct a feasibility study for a potential deckover project on North Capitol Street.

Jobs and Economic Opportunity

The FY 2022 Fair Shot Budget provides relief, recovery, and growth for all residents and businesses,

especially those most impacted by the pandemic. This Budget builds on efforts to spread prosperity and

support residents, local businesses, and entrepreneurs with:

       $168.2 million returned