Dave Cooke for ANC 4B01
What I Care About
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners are the most local form of governance. ANCs hold the City Council, the Mayor, and the bureaucracies under the Mayor accountable. They also work to support our neighborhoods thrive by working with local institutions and businesses. As ANCs we put in this time and energy to support our neighbors, but we all do so for different reasons. This is what drives me.
Safe Streets & Better Transit
I walk these streets every day. I know which intersections feel dangerous, which crosswalks are invisible at night, and which sidewalks have been broken for years. As your ANC commissioner, I'll use every tool available to make 4B01 safer for people on foot.
Fix dangerous intersections
I'll work directly with DDOT to audit the highest-risk crossings in 4B01 — especially along 14th Street, Georgia Avenue, and Park Road — and push for concrete improvements: better signage, raised crosswalks, and protected pedestrian phases.
Repair broken sidewalks
Cracked and uneven sidewalks aren't just inconvenient — they're a safety hazard, especially for seniors and people with disabilities. I'll track outstanding repair requests and hold the city accountable to completing them.
Slow traffic on residential streets
Cut-through traffic on our neighborhood streets puts pedestrians and cyclists at risk. I'll advocate for traffic calming measures — speed humps, chicanes, and turn restrictions — on the residential blocks that need them most.
Improve street lighting
Dark streets are dangerous streets. I'll push for better lighting at crosswalks and along pedestrian corridors so neighbors feel safe walking at night.
Affordable Housing & Tenant Rights
Long-time residents are being pushed out of the neighborhood they built. Rents are rising faster than incomes. Landlords are ignoring their legal obligations. The ANC has a real platform to fight displacement — and I intend to use it.
Support tenant organizing
Tenants have rights under DC law — but exercising them takes knowledge and support. I'll connect renters in 4B01 with tenant advocacy organizations, host know-your-rights sessions, and make sure the ANC is a resource for people facing eviction or harassment.
Hold developers accountable
When developers seek ANC support for new projects, I'll insist on meaningful affordable unit commitments — not token gestures. I'll vote against projects that displace existing residents without genuine community benefit.
Protect existing affordable housing
The District has tools to preserve affordable housing — including the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). I'll make sure tenants in 4B01 know about these tools and have the ANC's support when they need it.
Demand transparency from landlords
Neglected maintenance, illegal rent increases, and retaliatory behavior are too common in our neighborhood. I'll use the ANC's voice to shine a light on bad actors and push the city to enforce existing tenant protections.
This platform belongs to the neighborhood.
These aren't just my priorities — they came from conversations with neighbors on stoops, at community meetings, and on the sidewalk. If there's something I missed, I want to hear about it.