ANC 3F is hosting an Oct. 28 special meeting on recent child deaths and apartments safety

Connecticut House, at 4500 Connecticut Avenue (Google Street View image)

Following recent child deaths connected to the Connecticut House and Sedgwick Gardens apartments, ANCs 3F, 3C and 3/4G will be requesting a joint hearing by the three DC Council committees with oversight over housing, health and family services agencies. This proposed hearing will be the topic of an October 28th special meeting hosted by ANC 3F. The Zoom meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

The meeting notice is published in full, below:

ANC 3F invites members of the community and the Commissioners and communities of ANC 3/4 G, and ANC 3C to a follow-up meeting on issues impacting many of apartment buildings along Connecticut Avenue. This virtual meeting will be held on Monday, October 28 at 7 PM. Join the meeting at this link.

Because the Mayor’s Administration ignored requests for representation at ANC 3F’s scheduled October Public meeting (video), this Special Meeting on October 28th will focus on a formal letter signed by neighboring Connecticut Avenue ANCs 3C, 3F, and 3/4G requesting that the DC City Council committees on Housing, Health, and Facilities and Family Services hold a joint roundtable oversight hearing to discuss the tenant safety issues in apartment buildings along Connecticut Avenue.

The Committee on Housing is chaired by Robert White, the Committee on Health is chaired by Christina Henderson, and the Committee on Facilities and Family Services is chaired by Janeese Lewis George. The Council is responsible for oversight of agencies that provide care and services to those in need.

ANC3C, ANC3F, and ANC3/4G are requesting that the committees that oversee the relevant agencies to call an oversight hearing. This is the productive and official route to addressing any issues with these agencies. Oversight hearings allow public witnesses and government witnesses to testify, and a record and report is produced.

The October 28 Special Meeting will discuss the focus of such a hearing and begin to generate a list of who would be willing to testify.

If you are not able to attend, please send us your thoughts. You can contact ANC 3F Chair Courtney Carlson at [email protected].