On Sunday, October 6th, five-year-old DeAndre Pettus died at Connecticut House. His father is charged with cruelty to children. The prior weekend, one-year-old Journee Moore died after medics were called to Sedgwick Gardens Apartments. Her death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma. No one, as of this writing, has been charged in that case.
“[T]wo children have died in our neighborhood in as many weeks, so we should all be screaming from the rooftops,” ANC 3F Chair Courtney Carlson wrote in an email to Forest Hills Connection.
Commissioners are doing more than that.
A representative for the DC Department of Buildings had already been scheduled to speak at ANC 3F’s October 15th meeting, to follow up on the commission’s work over the summer on rodent issues. Carlson and Commissioner Teri Huet, who chairs the ANC’s Housing and Neighborhoods Committee, acted quickly to add more DC agencies with apartment safety oversight to the agenda (below). And they’ve had conversations already with DC officials, ahead of what they hope will be a constructive and productive community Q&A.
“The agencies aren’t going to speak to the specifics of this case (though MPD will report on it),” Carlson wrote. However: “The city needs to speak to how they are protecting children. Tenants have told the ANC and city agencies repeatedly about the conditions in these buildings and minimal if any action has been taken.”
Ward 3 Council member Matt Frumin has also confirmed he will attend the virtual meeting.
Here’s the full agenda, and the Zoom link:
ANC 3F Public Meeting Agenda
October 15, 2024
7:00 until 9:00 PM
Zoom Meeting Link: bit.ly/anc3fmeet
▪ Welcome Call to Order and Roll Call [7:00 pm]
o Adoption of the October Agenda and approval of September meeting minutes
▪ Commissioner Updates
▪ Committee Report- Housing and Neighborhoods: Community Q&A on tenant safety [7:05pm]
o Department of Buildings
o DHS, Family Services Division
o MPD: Lieutenant Forrest
o Councilmember Matt Frumin
o MOCR Hope Cousins
Other related agencies have been invited but are not confirmed.
▪ Other Committee Reports [7:40 pm]
o Streets & Sidewalks
o Parks & Watersheds
o Schools & Universities
▪ Special Projects [7:50PM]
o DC Water/DDOT: Albemarle Closure Community Q&A
Regular Agenda-Community Forum [8:10]
o Meet the 2024 ANC 3F Candidates
o UDC: Juanita Gray
o Van Ness Main Street: Gloria Garcia
o Community Announcements
▪ Regular Agenda – Votes [8:35pm]
o Days Inn Parking Garage Zoning Adjustment-Shane Dettman
o Mom’s Organic Market Stipulated ABCA License (tentative)
o Consideration of 2 ANC 3/4G Resolutions:
▪ Resolution Recommending DC Council Increase WMATA Funding Through NewRevenue for Improved Bus Service
▪ Resolution Advising Increased Daylighting and Intersection Visibility for Safety in ANC 3/4G
▪ Commission Business [8:50pm]
o Treasurer’s Report: Mitchell Baer
o Vote on approval of Q4 QFR
▪ Adjournment [9:00pm]
The next ANC 3F meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 19 at 7PM