Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Since its inception three months ago, I, along with the help of others, have labored to post new content daily on this site for the benefit of the community. We have grown from focusing on robbery sprees to reporting on neighborhood events, the parking issue, and community service projects. We have incorporated postings from city resources, our friends at MPD, employees at the Mayor's office, and our local media teams. We update our poll to test the pulse of the community, and we have allowed commentary from various groups and individuals.
It's clear that the blog is in demand by the neighborhood it aims to serve. Since its creation, this blog receives hundreds of hits a day, and we continue to have a steady stream of faithful readers.
As we move into a new year, let me be clear on our goal: this blog has been and will continue to exist in order to bring about a stronger and more united Logan Circle Community.
While we have made great strides in reaching this goal, we still have far to go. And to speak frankly, I can't do it alone. In the new year, I will be working with the LCCA and their core of volunteers to develop this blog further. I hope to remain as an editor to the blog, working with a team of regular contributors. If you would like to sign up for this responsibility, please let me know.
Finally, a word on comments. It seems to me that, unfortunately, there are people who would rather be negative and attack their fellow neighbor rather than offer constructive solutions or helpful insight into current issues. While such behavior is beyond general netiquette and common courtesy, (observed by the majority of our readers) it doesn't need to be made easier with anonymous commenting.
Moving into 2006, should this trend continue, we will eliminate anonymous commenting and all will need to be a registered user in order to post comments. Remember that if we are to emerge as a stronger and more unified community, we'll need to identify our neighbors in order to work with each other.
In closing, I state sincere thanks to everyone who has given me support towards this blog. Thanks especially to Lt. Smith, Sgt. Emerman, Jennifer Trock, Frank Mobilio, Kevin Ivers, and Brian and Heather Vargas for their unwavering support.
To a better year for Logan Circle in 2006 - I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Chris Kohatsu
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Plymouth Apartments
A Logan resident has forwarded this to us. The ANC Crime and Public Safety Committee recently issued letters regarding safety matters surrounding this property.
The Plymouth is a 74 unit, non-subsidized building located at 1236-11th St., NW, at the southwestern tip of Logan/Shaw. It is populated mostly by Central Americans from El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
The Plymouth 2005 Tenant Association was formed in late April, when the landlord officially notified the tenants of his intent to sell the building. With Manna CDC organizing assistance, the tenants quickly responded with their intent to purchase the building, getting 68 of the 69 occupied units to join the tenant association!! They are currently in the process of evaluating the feasibility of a tenant-sponsored purchase.
The Tenant Association is, at the same time, trying to deal with twice-yearly rent increases in the midst of severe housing code violations and a serious security problem. Because the building is currently exempt from rent control, rents have skyrocketed to as much as $1500 per month.
Manna CDC began working with the Plymouth in April 2005, as part of our ongoing commitment to create racial and economic equity in the Shaw community. We are developing the in-house capacity and external relationships to truly bring together the various communities of color within Shaw to work together for changes that will benefit all of us.
UPDATE! The tenant association at the Plymouth continues to work on the purchase of their 74-unit building to keep it affordable and make security upgrades and repairs needed.
They voted on November 19 to partner with Manna CDC and the National Housing Trust to buy their building and operate it as affordable rental housing, owned jointly by the three groups. The steep purchase price of $7.8 million means a lot of subsidy is needed, and a critical loan application will be made to DHCD next month.
For more information on the Plymouth or our Latino Tenant Organizing, please contact Benito Diaz at: bdiaz@mannadc.org.
The Plymouth is a 74 unit, non-subsidized building located at 1236-11th St., NW, at the southwestern tip of Logan/Shaw. It is populated mostly by Central Americans from El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
The Plymouth 2005 Tenant Association was formed in late April, when the landlord officially notified the tenants of his intent to sell the building. With Manna CDC organizing assistance, the tenants quickly responded with their intent to purchase the building, getting 68 of the 69 occupied units to join the tenant association!! They are currently in the process of evaluating the feasibility of a tenant-sponsored purchase.
The Tenant Association is, at the same time, trying to deal with twice-yearly rent increases in the midst of severe housing code violations and a serious security problem. Because the building is currently exempt from rent control, rents have skyrocketed to as much as $1500 per month.
Manna CDC began working with the Plymouth in April 2005, as part of our ongoing commitment to create racial and economic equity in the Shaw community. We are developing the in-house capacity and external relationships to truly bring together the various communities of color within Shaw to work together for changes that will benefit all of us.
UPDATE! The tenant association at the Plymouth continues to work on the purchase of their 74-unit building to keep it affordable and make security upgrades and repairs needed.
They voted on November 19 to partner with Manna CDC and the National Housing Trust to buy their building and operate it as affordable rental housing, owned jointly by the three groups. The steep purchase price of $7.8 million means a lot of subsidy is needed, and a critical loan application will be made to DHCD next month.
For more information on the Plymouth or our Latino Tenant Organizing, please contact Benito Diaz at: bdiaz@mannadc.org.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Vehicles Blocking Entrances
From a resident at 13th & M Streets:
I am hoping that Sgt. Emerman or someone from the community can offer some suggestions here.
Our building has a three-car length no parking zone in the front that serves as the building entrance. This space is extremely important as we are currently completely surrounded by construction.
Unfortunately, some folks (very often the same cars) take it upon themselves to use the no parking zone as their personal free parking spots. This creates not only a serious inconvenience for building residents who need to bring up their groceries, but it also presents a hazard for any wheelchair-bound friends we may have.
I've requested that the parking enforcement folks respond to this serveral times, but the response is always along the lines of "no violations found at 4:50pm" and the service request is closed - well of course not, the parking happens overnight and on weekends, not during parking enforcement business hours.
The folks who do this have found a very obvious and easy loophole in the parking enforcement system, and we do not know how to get a better response out of the City. We don't think it would be appropriate to call 311 for after-hours enforcement, unless anyone disagrees?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I am hoping that Sgt. Emerman or someone from the community can offer some suggestions here.
Our building has a three-car length no parking zone in the front that serves as the building entrance. This space is extremely important as we are currently completely surrounded by construction.
Unfortunately, some folks (very often the same cars) take it upon themselves to use the no parking zone as their personal free parking spots. This creates not only a serious inconvenience for building residents who need to bring up their groceries, but it also presents a hazard for any wheelchair-bound friends we may have.
I've requested that the parking enforcement folks respond to this serveral times, but the response is always along the lines of "no violations found at 4:50pm" and the service request is closed - well of course not, the parking happens overnight and on weekends, not during parking enforcement business hours.
The folks who do this have found a very obvious and easy loophole in the parking enforcement system, and we do not know how to get a better response out of the City. We don't think it would be appropriate to call 311 for after-hours enforcement, unless anyone disagrees?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Teenagers Arrested
An update from Sgt. Stuart Emerman:
On Friday, December 23, 2005 at approximately 9:00 pm, officers responded to a call for a robbery in the 1000 block of P Street NW.
Upon investigation, it was determined that 5 juveniles, ages 14-18 approached 2 citizens in the block and ordered them to give up their money. Taken from the victims was $10, a wallet, credit cards and a set of keys.
The juveniles then fled the area eastbound on foot. Responding officers arrived on scene and additional officers canvassed the area and located 2 of the 5 subjects at 7th and P Streets NW. A positive identification was made by the complainants, and they were placed into custody and charged with Robbery.
One of the arrestees is 15 and the other is 16. One resides in the area, and the other in southeast.
At this time, I do not know of the status of the charges with the office of the Attorney General, but will advise when I find out.
Enjoy the holidays.
Sgt. Emerman
On Friday, December 23, 2005 at approximately 9:00 pm, officers responded to a call for a robbery in the 1000 block of P Street NW.
Upon investigation, it was determined that 5 juveniles, ages 14-18 approached 2 citizens in the block and ordered them to give up their money. Taken from the victims was $10, a wallet, credit cards and a set of keys.
The juveniles then fled the area eastbound on foot. Responding officers arrived on scene and additional officers canvassed the area and located 2 of the 5 subjects at 7th and P Streets NW. A positive identification was made by the complainants, and they were placed into custody and charged with Robbery.
One of the arrestees is 15 and the other is 16. One resides in the area, and the other in southeast.
At this time, I do not know of the status of the charges with the office of the Attorney General, but will advise when I find out.
Enjoy the holidays.
Sgt. Emerman
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Racism, Taxicabs, and Logan Commuters
Our thanks to fellow resident David Berger who alerted us to this:
One recent Saturday, I sat on my front stoop in Logan Circle and watched a Hispanic man attempt to hail a cab.
In the course of 15 minutes, no less than four cabs slowed, looked at him and drove on. These blatant acts of racial discrimination outraged me, yet didn't surprise me given the above-the-law hubris that I, a white male, have encountered from D.C. cab drivers.
Racial and ethnic discrimination by cab drivers, while perhaps the most outrageous of their practices, is not the entirety of the problem with cabs in this city. Continue reading David's letter here.
One recent Saturday, I sat on my front stoop in Logan Circle and watched a Hispanic man attempt to hail a cab.
In the course of 15 minutes, no less than four cabs slowed, looked at him and drove on. These blatant acts of racial discrimination outraged me, yet didn't surprise me given the above-the-law hubris that I, a white male, have encountered from D.C. cab drivers.
Racial and ethnic discrimination by cab drivers, while perhaps the most outrageous of their practices, is not the entirety of the problem with cabs in this city. Continue reading David's letter here.
Fewer People in DC - How is it Possible?
From today's Washington Post:
Forget the swank loft condos rising everywhere, the rehabbed row houses, the abandoned public-housing complexes bulldozed and rebuilt. Forget the suburbanites and former urban refugees who are flocking to the city for its nightlife, easy commute and neighborhoods suddenly reborn.
The number of people living in the District has shrunk by nearly 4,000 in the past year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 3,718 fewer people, to be exact. Read the full article here.
Forget the swank loft condos rising everywhere, the rehabbed row houses, the abandoned public-housing complexes bulldozed and rebuilt. Forget the suburbanites and former urban refugees who are flocking to the city for its nightlife, easy commute and neighborhoods suddenly reborn.
The number of people living in the District has shrunk by nearly 4,000 in the past year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 3,718 fewer people, to be exact. Read the full article here.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Dupont Loses Its Luster
From The Washington Business Journal:
Dupont Circle is what some call a mature market. This, I think, translates as "washed up."
The area remains attractive because of the tourists. However, tourists think of it as a desirable place to go because it's supposed to be kind of local, kind of wild and crazy.
Then they get there and have nowhere to go but Starbucks, Subway and Johnny Rockets. About as crazy as it gets is a few people not using sunblock in the circle itself, a ratty little park with a fountain smack in the middle of a lot of traffic.
This may please some, but not someone looking for wild and crazy, a taste of something different from home. Read the full article here.
Dupont Circle is what some call a mature market. This, I think, translates as "washed up."
The area remains attractive because of the tourists. However, tourists think of it as a desirable place to go because it's supposed to be kind of local, kind of wild and crazy.
Then they get there and have nowhere to go but Starbucks, Subway and Johnny Rockets. About as crazy as it gets is a few people not using sunblock in the circle itself, a ratty little park with a fountain smack in the middle of a lot of traffic.
This may please some, but not someone looking for wild and crazy, a taste of something different from home. Read the full article here.
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