Overview
For the past 5 years, WIN has been organizing under the Vote Neighborhoods First theme, challenging DC’s political leadership to harness the equity created from DC’s economic renaissance to rebuild long neglected neighborhoods. To date, WIN has won truly remarkable victories working with Mayor Adrian Fenty and the DC Council: $1 Billion+ to Revitalize DC Neighborhoods since 2004:
$ 1 BILLION FOR NEIGHBORHOODS
VOTE NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENTS
$100 Million Neighborhood Investment Fund (Jan. 2004)
$450 Million Baseball Community Benefits Fund (December 2004)
$104 Million New Neighborhood Investments in FY 2008 Budget
$468 Million Affordable Housing Funds Increase (FY 2009-FY 2012)
$1.12 BILLION TOTAL TO PUT NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST
WIN built its city-wide non-partisan political power to achieve these victories the old fashioned way:
- Organized non-partisan Vote Neighborhoods First Get-Out-The-Vote and Candidate Accountability Actions for the 2006 DC Mayoral and Council Elections as well as the DC Council 2007 Special Elections and the 2008 DC Council Elections to defend and expand WIN’s $1 billion Vote Neighborhoods First Campaign to invest in the District’s neglected neighborhoods.
- Raised Voter Turnout in 27 Target Precincts on average 15.15% in the 2006 Primary while city-wide turnout only increased 5.56% over 2002 levels. WIN deployed 200+ volunteers on election day and secured dramatic gains in many historically low-turnout precincts with high concentrations of low-income residents, including NW #1 in Ward # 6; Deanwood Heights, Benning Terrace, and Clay Terrace-all in Ward # 7; and Washington Highlands in Ward # 8.
VOTE NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST AGENDA
DC saw a wholesale change in its political leadership in 2007: a new Mayor, Council Chair and 6 new councilpersons. This “perfect storm” in DC politics offered opportunity and peril for WIN ‘s Neighborhood Investment Campaign. On May 22nd before 800 leaders and all 5 Mayoral candidates, WIN launched a city-wide, non-partisan Vote Neighborhoods First Get-Out-the Vote campaign in the 2006 DC Elections to keep and expand the $550 million for DC neighborhoods won over the last two years to $1 billion. WIN used the 2006 Elections to get the candidates for mayor and council to commit to implement WIN’s Vote Neighborhoods First Agenda, developed through two years of organizing with thousands of DC leaders in all wards of the city. Click here for more information.
$1 BILLION FOR NEIGHBORHOODS
- $500 Million in new revenue from Anacostia Waterfront Development.
- Implement the $450 Million Baseball Community Benefits Fund and the $100 Million Neighborhood Investment Fund, won by Washington Interfaith Network.
14,000 AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR DC RESIDENTS:
- Raise $197 Million in new revenue each year as called for by the DC Affordable Housing Task Force for the next four years to:
- Build 5,000 units of Nehemiah Homeownership Housing (affordable to families earning $20,000-$75,000) on undeveloped city property-- options: Anacostia Waterfront, DC General, DC Village, Walter Reed, St Elizabeth’s, Metro Stops;
- Build 4,000 units of transitional housing and long-term housing with support services for homeless men, families, and ex-offenders in all wards;
- Preserve 5,000 units of affordable rental housing through aggressive housing code enforcement, HUD Section 8 contract extensions, and owner preservation incentives;
- Collect Unpaid Condo Conversion Fees and Reform the Condo Conversion Law to protect tenants rights; require minimum 20% affordable housing set asides for all conversions as well as new condo construction; impose a 5% fee on all conversions, (affordable projects exempt);
$350 MILLION FOR YOUTH: LIBRARIES, REC. CENTERS, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES:
- $350 million in new dedicated revenue to rebuild and support neighborhood libraries and recreation centers as well as fund fully athletics and extracurricular activities in DC schools.
VOTE NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST CHRONOLOGY
2002 Neighborhood Investment Campaign Launched. WIN launched the Neighborhood Investment Campaign on July 29th, before 800 leaders. Mayor Anthony Williams and 9 City Council members pledged to establish a $200 million Neighborhood Investment Fund to revitalize 6 DC neighborhoods.
In December, WIN, Mayor Williams, City Council Chair Linda Cropp, and Tax and Revenue Committee Chair Jack Evens announced a partnership to capitalize the $200 million Neighborhood Investment Fund.
2003 WIN defeats new baseball stadium funding plan until $200 million Neighborhood Investment Fund is created. WIN leaders identified investment priorities in 9 neighborhoods, and worked with Council member Jack Evans to dedicate 15% of DC’s personal property tax paid by the city’s largest businesses to capitalize a $100 million Neighborhood Investment Fund. More than 100 WIN leaders wearing blue “Neighborhoods First” t-shirts packed the Council hearing room on three occasions.
WIN defeated Mayor Williams’ plan to spend $400 million to build a new baseball stadium to persuade the Montreal Expos to relocate to DC. Because of WIN organizing, the DC Council’s Finance and Revenue Committee rejected the Mayor’s $400 million subsidy proposal and embraced WIN’s plan to create a $200 million Neighborhood Investment Fund.
2004 WIN secured $550 million to rebuild DC neighborhoods: $100 Million Neighborhood Investment Fund and $450 Million Baseball Community Benefits Fund Created.
In January, the DC Council voted unanimously to create a $100 million Neighborhood Investment Fund, dedicated to the revitalization of 9 target neighborhoods where WIN had organized. DC Council amended the legislation, adding three neighborhoods (Bellevue and Congress Heights in Ward 8 and H Street, Ward 6), bringing the number of target neighborhoods to twelve. (Click here for NIF Map)
In March, 500 WIN leaders rallied at Paramount Baptist Church to celebrate the commitments of Council Chair Linda Cropp and Councilmember Jack Evans to seek $200 million for a Neighborhood Investment Fund and announced WIN’s intention to raise the bar to $1 billion dollars. WIN looked to secure $500 million through applying Tax Increment Financing on development related to DC’s Anacostia Waterfront Initiative.
In December, WIN pressured DC Mayor Anthony Williams and the the DC Council to create the $450 million Baseball Community Benefits Fund to finance library and infrastructure repairs in the city’s poorest neighborhoods using revenue from a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district in the area to be redeveloped around the new baseball stadium. WIN secured this fund by fighting for an equivalent investment in neighborhoods as a condition for the city funding a new baseball stadium.
2005 WIN hires nationally recognized community development financial institution to develop. WIN raised private funds to hire The Reinvestment Fund (TRF), a nationally recognized community development financial institution to assist WIN in developing comprehensive plans in WIN neighborhoods to implements the $100 Neighborhood Investment Fund.
2006 WIN Completes 4 Neighborhood Investment Plans and Secures first $20 million in NIF funding for revitalization projects. WIN and TRF prepared neighborhood plans for Columbia Heights, Brightwood, Washington Highlands, and Deanwood Heights. (Click here for plans)
WIN negotiated with the city for allocation of the first $20 million for NIF in in FY 2006. This appropriation included funds for a variety of school, recreation and other neighborhood improvements and funds to establish a $20 million Land Acquisition and Real Estate Development Fund to acquire property and start development in target neighborhoods, managed by The Reinvestment Fund. It also included $5 million to capitalize a NIF pre-development grant fund to provide early stage financing to assess the feasibility of neighborhood projects.
2007 WIN Secures $104 million to implement the Vote Neighborhoods First Agenda. WIN leaders secured an additional $104 million for New Neighborhood Investments in the FY 2008 budget, and $468 million Affordable Housing Fund for FY 2009 – FY 2012, bringing the city’s total neighborhoods first commitment to $1.22 billion.
VOTE NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST GET-OUT-THE-VOTE CHRONOLOGY
2006 WIN Raises Voter Turnout 15.5% in 27 target Precincts to support Vote Neighborhoods First.
WIN organized a non-partisan Vote Neighborhoods First Get-Out-the-Vote efforts for the Mayoral and Council elections.
After nearly one year of planning, WIN announces its VOTE Neighborhoods First Campaign before 850 leaders at Asbury United Methodist Church in May. This campaign focused on the question, “Who Will This City Be For?” More than 800 WIN leaders met with all of the mayoral candidates in May, asking them to commit to WIN’s $1 billion VOTE Neighborhoods First Campaign agenda, while at the same time introducing the candidates to WIN’s 400 leader blue army that would walk precincts across the city informing residents of the mayoral candidates’ commitments and encouraging them to “VOTE Neighborhoods First.”
In June on the hottest day of the year, WIN’s 400 leader blue army embarked on the first of several city-wide precinct walk actions to educate voters and encourage them to “VOTE Neighborhoods First.”
In July at Mt Lebanon Baptist Church, next to Dunbar High School, 300 WIN leaders met with At-large DC Council candidates, successfully seeking their public commitment to WIN’s “VOTE Neighborhoods First Campaign” agenda. With Dunbar students and coaches present, WIN demanded an initial investment in DC Public High Schools, starting with fixing the condemned track and dilapidated athletic facilities at Dunbar and several other high schools.
In August, after WIN’s 400 leaders walked neighborhoods around their churches, WIN completed its second city-wide precinct walk.
During the week prior to the September primary election, WIN leaders conducted a phone bank, calling registered voters whom they visited during precinct walks, reminding them to go to the polls and “VOTE Neighborhoods First.” On election day, WIN’s blue army was out in force again, calling, meeting voters at polling places and assisting voters to get to the polls. The result of WIN’s VOTE Neighborhoods First Campaign - Raised voter turnout in 27 target precincts an average of 15.15%, while citywide turnout only increased 5.56% over 2002.
2007 WIN Meets Monthly with new DC Mayor Fenty to draw up plans to implement WIN’s Vote Neighborhoods First Agenda and Secures $21.5 million to renovate six DC high school athletic fields.
As a result of WIN’s political victories, Mayor Adrian Fenty and his Deputy Mayor for Planning and economic Development Neil Albert meet with WIN leaders monthly to develop short- and long-term plans to fulfill the mayor’s commitments to WIN and implement WIN Vote Neighborhoods First Agenda.
In March, Mayor Fenty meets with 850 WIN leaders at Asbury United Methodist Church, his first public meeting with WIN since winning the election and publicly restates his commitment to the people’s agenda, WIN’s $1 billion VOTE Neighborhoods First Campaign agenda and submitted a written report to the assembly on how he would keep the commitment (click here to download).
In June, Mayor Fenty comes to Dunbar with Superintendent Janey and Allen Lew to announce his first action toward fulfilling the $350 million investment in youth part of WIN’s VOTE Neighborhoods First agenda, $21.5 million to renovate athletic facilities at six DC high schools before the start of the 2007 – 2008 school year.
In July, before 600 leaders at Covenant Baptist Church and Councilmember Barry, Mayor Fenty submitted his second accountability report, outlining his plan to identify $117 million per year during his administration to fulfill the housing requirements of WIN’s VOTE Neighborhoods First agenda (click here to view).
In November before 600 leaders at First Rock Baptist Church, Mayor Fenty submits his third accountability report (click here to view), outlining improvements to housing code violation enforcement, identifying Nehemiah affordable housing sites and outlining funds for Neighborhood Investment Fund projects in three target neighborhoods.
2008 WIN continues to work with Mayor Fenty and DC Councilmembers to implement WIN’s $1 billion VOTE Neighborhoods First agenda.
Mayor Fenty submits his fourth accountability report (click here to view) to 300 WIN leaders and Councilmember Bowser at the Emory United Methodist Church, stating his commitment to preserve affordable housing at Parkway Overlook, providing additional details on Nehemiah affordable housing sites around the city and outlining his commitment to deliver 2500 units of permanent supportive housing over the next 7 years to eliminate homelessness in DC.
