District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0106 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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7	7	January 31, 2025
8	8	Nyasha Smith, Secretary
9	9	Council of the District of Columbia
10	10	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
11	11	Washington, DC 20004
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13	13	Dear Secretary Smith,
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15	15	Today, I am introducing the Ivy City Resilience Hub Eminent Domain Authority Act of 2025.
16	16	This legislation would authorize the Mayor to exercise eminent domain at 1950 Capitol Avenue,
17	17	N.E. for use as a climate resilience hub in Ivy City, a Ward 5 neighborhood that bears the brunt
18	18	of environmental injustices and the harmful effects of climate change. Please find enclosed a
19	19	signed copy of the legislation.
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21	21	In 2022, the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency issued its
22	22	second report as required by the Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency Establishment
23	23	Act 0f 2016. One of 11 core recommendations advanced by the commission was for the District
24	24	to establish resilience hubs across the District to “support District residents by coordinating
25	25	communication, distributing resources, and reducing carbon pollution while enhancing the
26	26	community’s quality of life.”
27	27	1
28	28	As the report explains,
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30	30	Resilience Hubs serve communities in three operating states: Steady, Disruption, and
31	31	Recovery. During their steady states, resilience hubs serve communities year-round by
32	32	promoting health, providing meeting spaces, educating the community about emergency
33	33	preparedness, reducing risks, and supporting workforce development.
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37	37	When disasters and stressors occur, Resilience Hubs can shift to a Disruption state, using their
38	38	onsite power generation, communications technology, and community relationships to
39	39	complement District and federal emergency response services. During a Disruption state,
40	40	resilience hubs can serve as a known staging area and partner to distribute supplies and
41	41	information to affected communities. Following a disaster, resilience hubs can support recovery
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43	43	1
44	44	Second Report of the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency,
45	45	2022, available at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/51693/Introduction/RC24-0237-
46	46	Introduction.pdf?Id=150315.
47	47	2
48	48	Id. 2
49	49	by providing space for casework, educating the community about recovery resources, and
50	50	conducting long term assessments of disaster recovery.
51	51	3
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54	54	The administration of Mayor Muriel Bower has also twice endorsed the concept of community
55	55	resilience hubs—first in the 2016 Climate Ready DC Report and again in the 2019 Resilient DC
56	56	Report. Among the goals established in Resilient DC was the “Launch the Resilience Hubs and
57	57	Resilience Corps programs by 2023.”
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61	61	While the District has taken strides toward constructing a pilot community resilience center in
62	62	Ward 7, the District has taken no concrete steps towards establishing a community resilience hub
63	63	in Ward 5. For instance, the Office of Planning’s draft Small Area Plan for Ivy City, N.E.
64	64	recommends launching a resilience hub within the new Crummell School Community Center,
65	65	neither the Department of Recreation nor the Department of General Services have identified
66	66	that as a priority for the facility in ongoing capital planning processes.
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68	68	This legislation advances movement towards establishing a climate resilience hub in Ivy City by
69	69	authorizing the Mayor to exercise eminent domain to obtain a suitable location for such a
70	70	facility.
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72	72	I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Council and in the executive to advance
73	73	climate resilience in Ivy City. Please contact my Deputy Chief of Staff, Conor Shaw, at
74	74	cshaw@dccouncil.gov if you have any questions about this legislation.
75	75
76	76	Sincerely,
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81	81	Zachary Parker
82	82	Ward 5 Councilmember
83	83	Chair, Committee on Youth Affairs
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89	89	3
90	90	Id.
91	91	4
92	92	Resilient DC: A Strategy to Thrive in the Face of Change, 2019, available at
93	93	https://app.box.com/s/8w2eqpt0yczj7ldga74m7gcpf1ts79y7.
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95	95	1
96	96	1
97	97	_____________________________ 2
98	98	Councilmember Zachary Parker 3
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101	101	A BILL 6
102	102	7
103	103	_________________________ 8
104	104	9
105	105	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 10
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107	107	_________________________ 12
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110	110	To authorize the exercise of eminent domain by the Mayor to secure space for a resilience hub in 15
111	111	Ivy City. 16
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113	113	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may 18
114	114	be cited as the “Ivy City Resilience Hub Eminent Domain Authority Act of 2025”. 19
115	115	Sec. 2. Findings. 20
116	116	The Council finds that: 21
117	117	(1) In 2022, the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency 22
118	118	issued its second report as required by the Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency 23
119	119	Establishment Act 0f 2016. One of 11 core recommendations advanced by the commission was 24
120	120	for the District to establish resilience hubs across the District to “support District residents by 25
121	121	coordinating communication, distributing resources, and reducing carbon pollution while 26
122	122	enhancing the community’s quality of life.”
123	123	1
124	124	As the report explains, 27
125	125	Resilience Hubs serve communities in three operating states: Steady, Disruption, and 28
126	126	Recovery. During their steady states, resilience hubs serve communities year-round by 29
127	127	promoting health, providing meeting spaces, educating the community about emergency 30
128	128	preparedness, reducing risks, and supporting workforce development. 31
129	129
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131	131	Second Report of the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency,
132	132	2022, available at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/51693/Introduction/RC24-0237-
133	133	Introduction.pdf?Id=150315.
134	134
135	135	2
136	136	32
137	137	When disasters and stressors occur, Resilience Hubs can shift to a Disruption state, using 33
138	138	their onsite power generation, communications technology, and community relationships 34
139	139	to complement District and federal emergency response services. During a Disruption 35
140	140	state, resilience hubs can serve as a known staging area and partner to distribute supplies 36
141	141	and information to affected communities. Following a disaster, resilience hubs can 37
142	142	support recovery by providing space for casework, educating the community about 38
143	143	recovery resources, and conducting long term assessments of disaster recovery.
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147	147	(2) The administration of Mayor Muriel Bower has also twice endorsed the concept of 41
148	148	community resilience hubs—first in the 2016 Climate Ready DC Report and again in the 2019 42
149	149	Resilient DC Report. Among the goals established in Resilient DC was the “Launch the 43
150	150	Resilience Hubs and Resilience Corps programs by 2023.”
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153	153	(3) While the District has taken strides toward constructing a pilot community resilience 45
154	154	center in Ward 7, the District has taken no concrete steps towards establishing a community 46
155	155	resilience hub in Ward 5. While the Office of Planning’s draft Small Area Plan for Ivy City, N.E. 47
156	156	recommends launching “a Resilience Hub within the new Crummell School Community Center,” 48
157	157	neither the Department of Recreation nor the Department of General Services have identified 49
158	158	that as a priority for the facility in ongoing capital planning processes. 50
159	159	(4) The District has identified a site located at 1950 Capitol Avenue, N.E., south of 51
160	160	Fenwick Street, N.E., Square 4043, Lot 0806, (the “Capitol Street Site”) as a strong site for a 52
161	161	community resilience hub because it is located in Ivy City, a neighborhood where residents 53
162	162	suffer significant heat island effects, urban flooding, and air pollution; is well-situated to serve as 54
163	163	a recruitment center for green jobs because it is proximate to existing neighborhood housing; and 55
164	164	is also well situated to serve as a staging area during a disruption because of the site’s access to 56
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167	167	Id.
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169	169	Resilient DC: A Strategy to Thrive in the Face of Change, 2019, available at
170	170	https://app.box.com/s/8w2eqpt0yczj7ldga74m7gcpf1ts79y7.
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173	173	the community and to major arterial roads and infrastructure. 57
174	174	(5) The Capitol Street Site is currently occupied by a seal manufacturing facility. 58
175	175	(6) Acquisition of the Capitol Street Site will allow the District to construct a community 59
176	176	resilience hub in Ivy City. 60
177	177	Sec. 3 Exercise of Eminent Domain 61
178	178	The Mayor may exercise eminent domain in accordance with the procedures set forth in 62
179	179	subchapter II of Chapter 13 of Title 16 of the District of Columbia Official Code to acquire Lot 63
180	180	806 Square 4043 for a community resilience hub. 64
181	181	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 65
182	182	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 66
183	183	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 67
184	184	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 68
185	185	Sec. 4. Effective date. 69
186	186	This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 70
187	187	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 71
188	188	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 72
189	189	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 73
190	190	Columbia Register. 74