I just read this press release (https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-announces-art-all-night-2025-dates-and-dc-main-streets-awardees), and although I am happy for these new commercial corridors to kick start revitalization and commend the Councilmember’s who fight for funding to add new Main Street orgs to their tool box, I am beyond frustrated. Out of 24 existing Main Street programs and the four new ones mentioned in the presser, every ward in DC now has multiple Main Street organizations, except one. Ward 8.
Here’s the breakdown:
Ward 1:
Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant Main Streets
Lower Georgia Avenue Main Street
U Street Main Street
Ward 2:
- Dupont Circle Main Streets
- Georgetown Main Street
- Logan Circle Main Street
- Shaw Main Streets
Ward 3:
- Chevy Chase Main Street
- Cleveland Park Main Street
- Glover Park Main Street
- Tenleytown Main Street
- Van Ness Main Street
- Woodley Park Main Street
Ward 4:
- Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street
Ward 5:
- Bladensburg Road Main Street
- North Capitol Main Street
- Rhode Island Avenue Main Street
Ward 6:
- Barracks Row Main Street
- Eastern Market Main Street
- H Street NE Main Street
Ward 7:
- Minnesota Avenue Main Street
- Ward 7 Business Partnership
Ward 8:
- Destination Congress Heights
One. Just one.
This is not just an oversight. This is a pattern of inadequate leadership, disinvestment, disregard, inattention to the economic drivers available and delay when it comes to ensuring that the 70,000+ residents of Ward 8 receive the same resources and opportunities as the rest of the city.
While everyone is whispering about what the DC Council can do or will do on Feb 4th, let’s talk about what they should do now – their jobs – by jumping in to stabilize the ward while they play “hot potato”, not just with CM T White’s future but the immediate future of this ward.
Ward 8 deserves thriving business corridors. We deserve investment. We deserve Main Street programs in Bellevue, and along the Marion Barry Avenue commercial corridor where each sorely needs a coordinated strategy to support local entrepreneurs and build safe, strong, vibrant communities.
So here’s my advice to our current Councilmember and to all the folks who believe they can do a better job than he: Stop whispering. Start acting. Equity is not optional.
#Ward8DeservesMore #DoYourJob #EquitableDC #MainStreetForAll