Meet the ANC 3F candidates: Mitchell Baer, 3F03

This week, Forest Hills Connection is introducing you to the ANC 3F candidates you might see on your Nov. 3 General Election ballot, which will be arriving in the mail soon. As we explained here, the positions and names you see will be based on your home address.

ANC 3F03

Mitchell Baer is a two-term commissioner in the 3F03 single-member district, and he is running for a third term.

Here is his statement:

As the current ANC 3F03 Commissioner, I am seeking re-election this November.

I have lived in the ANC 3F03 district since 2019 when the family moved from Fairfax County. I began my involvement in this neighborhood by taking on the maintenance of Soapstone trail as a member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Then I worked on improving the trail in Linnean Park and became a founding member of Friends of Linnean Park under Department of Parks and Recreation. It was working with other members of the Forest Hills community during the early days of the DC Water Project in Soapstone that I felt I could be helpful by running for ANC Commissioner four years ago.

The 3F03 SMD includes both apartment buildings and single-family homes; businesses, schools, restaurants and office buildings along Connecticut Ave; and a large area of Rock Creek Park. The resources in the Park, as well as in the District parks, are important to my constituents; the community bikes, hikes, walks, plays, lounges and relaxes in them.

During my current term, my priorities have been overseeing the final Soapstone Valley Sewer Line Relining Project (now completed); pedestrian and resident safety (ongoing with new crosswalks, traffic lights and sidewalks and traffic control measures); the maintenance and capital improvements for the ANC district and Rock Creek Park, Forest Hills Park and Linnean Park (ongoing with regular maintenance by DC departments); and resident safety in the apartment buildings in the 3F area (another ongoing activity through Council member Frumin’s resident advisory group and active consultation with DC agencies).

All of these efforts have required me to engage the District departments, lobby the city council, work with Council member Matt Frumin, coordinate with Council staffs, meet with the Mayor’s office staff, author and help pass ANC resolutions, organize community efforts, and meet with community residents and leaders to ensure that community interests are addressed.

My top priorities for my next term continues to be resident safety, access to district services, and maintenance of community resources. Resident safety starts in the residences and apartment buildings and extends to the sidewalks and streets, regardless of the time of day or location. Many of our residents are not receiving appropriate services they need, or timely services they are entitled to.

Another priority is to protect our community resources. Forest Hills Park has entertained and
provided services to the community for a long time; it is now our shared responsibility to maintain this park, its playground, playing fields and courts. The completion of the Soapstone Valley project returned the thoroughfare along Albemarle St and the recreation values and serenity of the Soapstone Valley Trail and Rock Creek Park to the Forest Hills/Van Ness community. Creating a safe passage to and from this trail in connecting to other trails in Rock Creek Park and east of the park is important to the functioning of our city.

When not on the phone or email for ANC business, you can find me walking through the neighborhoods of ANC 3F and the District and occasionally retrieving a wayward shopping cart and rolling it back to the Giant at the Van Ness metro station.

You can contact Mitchell Baer at 3F03@anc.dc.gov.

The 2026 ANC 3F candidates

3F01 – Manolis Priniotakis
3F02 – No candidate on the ballot
3F03 – Mitchell Baer
3F04 – Tosha Skolnik
3F05 – Spenser H. Dettwyler, Adrian Jesus Iglesias
3F06 – No candidate on the ballot