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Mendelson and several other council members have hailed free bus rides as a transformative moment for public transportation… ‘In many ways, this returns the Metrobus to its height as the original rideshare option, and this one is going to be free!’ added At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson.

DCHA’s explanation of how it takes people off the list was also unclear. The confusion started when Councilmember Christina Henderson asked why DCHA was hosting “mass eligibility events” (fairs where listees are invited to verify current eligibility) when the number of invitees (thousands) is so much greater than the available units (hundreds). Donald cited two reasons: response rates are low and many eligible listees end up rejecting units the city offers them.

There’s been a push to require that all D.C. childcare workers have college degrees, and the first set of new regulations go into effect today. But, people who disagree with the law say it’s putting a lot of qualified people out of work. Today we're hearing from Robert McNamara from the Institute For Justice and Councilmember Christina Henderson as they try to make their case.

“Although Director [Brenda] Donald has said that none of this was quote-unquote ‘surprising,’ I think to members of the public, the extent and breadth of the issues at the authority were indeed surprising,” said D.C. Council member Christina Henderson (I-At Large). “The lack of progress on some of these issues, especially given the unprecedented investment of local dollars over the last three years — we totaled about 150 million in capital dollars alone — I think was also surprising.” Henderson said it is “especially shocking” that, as noted in the HUD report, 1 in 4 of the agency’s public housing units are vacant.

In the end, certain hallmarks of the Revised Criminal Code Act remained intact. With the ongoing dearth of District court judges however, some council members, including Henderson, recommended that the D.C. Council adjusts elements of the Revised Criminal Code Act as needed, especially as it relates to expanded jury trials. “It’s going to be important for this body to be nimble,” Henderson said.

Henderson said that after hearing community members’ frustrations about the conditions of their recreation facilities, she wanted to create a situation where they would no longer have to depend solely on their council member’s political savvy to secure upgrades to their facilities. “As we move toward the end of the pandemic, more people want to spend time outside, either by themselves or their children,” Henderson said.

Henderson emphasized the District RPP program’s sheer peculiarity in her opening statement. “We have eight residential permit parking zones and those are based on ward boundaries,” Henderson said. “Whereas Philadelphia has 39 RPP zones; San Francisco has 33; Boston has around 40; neighboring Arlington, VA has 23; and Montgomery County has 53. Adjusted for population, the District expects far more people to find parking in zones that are very different sizes from each other [in comparison] to other cities. Here, over 85,000 people must find parking in the 2.5 square miles of Ward One while just under 85,000 people compete for parking in the 10.4 square miles of Ward 3. The District is not the only jurisdiction in the United States or even in the world struggling with prioritizing parking for their residents near their homes, however, not many places are exploring alternatives, and I’d like the District to lead in that respect.”

In a letter to D.C. Public Schools, Council members Christina Henderson and Mary Cheh say it’s not enough to stop using the company that employed the person who drove children while intoxicated: 48-year-old Troy Reynolds of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Henderson and Cheh are requesting answers to their letter and other questions by Wednesday, Nov. 9.

D.C. Public Schools parted ways with the charter bus company, but Henderson and Cheh’s letter says that is not enough. “To simply discontinue use of the transportation company involved is not enough,” Christina Henderson said. “We acknowledge the difficulty that many firms across the country are having right now with recruiting drivers with commercial drivers’ licenses, but that is no excuse to continue to contract with companies with problematic performance records,” the letter said.

Ben Murch Elementary Parents also showed FOX 5 a letter sent from council members Mary Cheh and Christina Henderson asking DCPS to take even more action, including making sure Rome Charters LLC is added to the District’s "Excluded Parties List" to ensure no other city agency contracts with the business.

Henderson agreed that the bill would have to be tweaked, and likely leave the drawing of new boundaries to DDOT after an extensive community engagement process. “Anytime we talk about parking, or cars, it’s always controversial. It could be [speed cameras], it could be towing, it could be bike lanes. Parking will always bring an emotional response because changing that is the thing that changes people’s lifestyles the most,” she said.

In the meantime, lawmakers will review the requirement, which was passed in December. Council member Christina Henderson (I-At Large) indicated last month she would put forth emergency and temporary legislation to delay the plan, saying much has changed about the way health officials understand the virus since she introduced the legislation last year.