Mayor Bowser Highlights Key Investments in FY2025 Fair Shot Budget

(Washington, DC) - Today, ahead of the new fiscal year starting on October 1, Mayor Muriel Bowser highlighted the investments included in her Fiscal Year 2025 Fair Shot budget. The FY25 budget represents strategic investments to drive economic growth, with a focus on catalytic investments, public safety, education and Downtown.

Education

• $554 million to renovate and modernize DC Public Schools, including $10 million for information technology refreshes and upgrades
• $349 million in additional funding for DC Public Schools and public charter schools through a 12.4% increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula
• $188 million to build and modernize recreation and community centers across the District
• $87 million to modernize and renovate the District's public libraries
• $44 million to modernize and construct pools and aquatic centers across the District
• $25 million in grants to schools & community-based organizations to provide the District's students with out-of-school enrichment activities
• $23 million to reimagine the high school experience by expanding the Advanced Technical Center in Ward 5, supporting the opening of a new Advanced Technical Center at Whitman Walker Health in Ward 8, and continuing dual enrollment & advanced internship programs
• $12 million for targeted repairs to playgrounds, fields, courts, and fencing at 46 Department of Parks and Recreation facilities
• $6 million to continue key attendance and truancy reduction initiatives, including the Show Up, Stand Out program and a new truancy referral pilot in partnership with the Department of Human Services
• $5 million to continue high impact tutoring programs to help the District's most vulnerable learners make academic gains
• $5 million to continue the DC SchoolConnect program, which provides students a safer alternative to get to and from schools for elementary, middle, and high students enrolled in public schools in Wards 7 and 8 via dedicated buses for students in grades K-12
• $3 million to support evidence-based literacy interventions in the District's elementary schools
• $2 million to support students at the University of the District of Columbia pursuing the behavioral health and human services professions
• $1.1 million to expand advising and support services to increase retention and degree completion through the University of the District of Columbia Student Success Center
• $700,000 to continue DC's Special Education Hub providing families with continued tools, information, and one-on-one support
• $550,000 to support 50 school paraprofessionals to enter the teaching profession through the Apprenticeship in Teaching program

Public Safety & Justice

• $7 million to support 100 new civilian positions in MPD to free up police officers for crime-fighting tasks
• $3.4 million to procure and maintain crime-fighting technology, including tasers and upgraded software for license plate readers
• $3.8 million to serve 460 youth through PASS and ACE
• $2.3 million additional staff capacity at DYRS facilities
• $1.8 million to implement Secure DC changes to pre-trial detention
• $4.7 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for Pathways and violence interrupters
• $2.6 million to expand Safe Commercial Corridors and Private Security Camera Incentives
• $4.8 million for life-saving equipment for Fire and EMS personnel
• $3.2 million for latent fingerprint, drug, and DNA sample testing
• $841,000 to continue the development of DC's own paramedic school
• $637,000 to support Peer Navigators for returning citizens
• $358,000 for staffing and retention incentives to cover crime scene responses
• $2.7 million investment in community-based programs for DYRS to strengthen and meet the diverse needs of community and committed youth through educational and workforce development programming and community-based services to equip them with the skills necessary for success
• $250,000 to support the enhancement of the RAVE Panic Button application for DCPS and DC Charter Schools which enables school personnel to receive rapid notifications during emergencies and to communicate directly with 911 and first responders in the field

Health and Human Services

• $64 million to create additional PSH and congregate shelter spaces on the site with the existing Federal City Shelter
• $30 million to support rental assistance through FRSP
• $27 million for ERAP, providing funding for residents who are facing housing emergencies and evictions
• $23 million for renovations to DHS's Naylor Road, V Street, Emery, and Madison shelters, as well as small-scale improvements at other shelters in the system
• $20 million to fund required COLA adjustments for TANF recipients
• $13 million to continue providing long-term housing and intensive care management to individuals and families who are chronically homeless/at imminent risk of homelessness
• $18.9 million to continue the Career MAP pilot program
• $13 million for operating costs for two new non-congregate homeless shelter facilities, the Aston and 25 E St
• $7 million to continue ARPA-era 24/7 operations at six shelters
• $22.5 million for a new animal shelter in SW DC
• $300,000 for a pilot program for emergency childcare needs for birthing parents

Economic Development and Housing

• $80 million contribution to the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF), providing financing for affordable housing units in the District
• $101 million to rehabilitate and modernize public housing units managed by the DC Housing Authority
• $30 million for Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) to help first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance
• $7 million to continue Great Streets, transforming emerging commercial corridors into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers
• $32 million in tourism grants and marketing
• $5.25 million to support DC's hosting of World Pride in 2025
• $10 million to support planning and initial development of the Poplar Point site
• $4.2 million to help low-income homeowners make critical upgrades to their homes
• $4 million to help DC government employees become first time homeowners
• $2.5 million to continue the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund, providing down payment, closing cost, and other assistance to help equity impact enterprises buy commercial property
• $1 million to continue Heirs Property Legal Services, to assist multi-generational families in maintaining their family property after the death of the original homeowner
• $61 million to complete Bruce Monroe, providing 90 public housing replacements units
• $5 million to complete Park Morton, providing 17 public housing replacement units
• $89.6 million to continue work on Barry Farm
• $89.5 million for St. Elizabeths for infrastructure upgrades supporting redevelopment of the St. Elizabeths East campus
• $62.8 million to continue supporting the Hill East redevelopment
• $22 million to continue ongoing redevelopment of the Fletcher Johnson school site in Ward 7
• $1 million to maintain funding for the Strong Families, Strong Futures pilot, providing cash assistance to low-income mothers in Wards 5, 7, and 8

Downtown

• $515 million in capital funds for a Chinatown Revitalization Fund to support sports arena renovations, streetscape improvements, public space activations, and/or expanded green space
• $50 million in incentives to convert office spaces into residential units and $13 million to convert to other uses
• $6 million for DMPED's Vitality Fund, which provides grants to businesses in high-growth sectors like technology and life sciences to encourage them to locate in or remain Downtown.
• $11.3 million to acquire and make improvements to the National Theatre
• $2 million to support pop-up and short-term retail in vacant commercial spaces
• $1.9 million to activate the Gallery Place Festival Plaza, Dupont Crown Park, and I Street Greenway
• $1 million to establish a comprehensive transportation vision for Downtown
• $500,000 for new planning initiatives to identify public space improvements to the Penn West and Downtown West/Golden Triangle neighborhoods in Downtown
• $564,000 to host more cultural events and programs at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and serve more residents and tourists in Downtown DC
• $500,000 over four years to support businesses to lease space in Chinatown
• $300,000 to support the installation of murals that celebrate the history and culture of the Gallery Place/Chinatown neighborhood
• $250,000 to market Penn Quarter as an arts, culture and entertainment district

Operations and Infrastructure

• $406 million to keep District streets, sidewalks and alleys in a state of good repair
• $217 million increase in the District's contribution to help bridge WMATA's budget gap, maintain investments in the Kids Ride Free program, and support overnight bus
• $217 million for the redesign of roads to improve safety, focusing on segments with the highest rates of crashes and injuries
• $109 million for the Bus Priority Program, deploying strategies to improve bus speeds and on-time reliability, including bus-only lanes, priority traffic signal installations, bus bulb-outs, and more
• $77 million to build or rehabilitate seven multi-use walking and biking trails, including new connecting segments on the Anacostia River Trail, another portion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and rehabilitation of the Suitland Parkway Trail
• $56 million for construction, maintenance, and hardening of quick-build traffic calming and safety interventions
• $47 million for clean-up efforts to make the Anacostia River safe for swimming, fishing, and recreation
• $44 million for design and construction of traffic safety interventions near 75 schools
• $32 million to expand the network of protected bike lanes
• $16 million in federal funds to conduct stream restoration and stormwater management projects
• $10 million to expand Capital Bikeshare, including building new stations and refreshing or expanding the bicycle fleet
• $3 million to continue curbside composting, providing at-home organic waste pickup for 9,000 households
• $900,000 to continue providing floodproofing upgrades for homes in floodplains, especially in Wards 7 and 8
• $750,000 to help restaurants comply with forthcoming Streatery design regulations
• $620,000 to explore new "microtransit" services in select areas affected by proposed changes in Circulator service

In addition to highlighting key investments in the FY2025 Fair Shot Budget, Mayor Bowser also noted the following legislative changes that will go into effect in the new fiscal year.
BEST Act
On October 1, the Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive Amendment Act of 2022 (BEST Act) will reduce the number of business license categories from over 100 to 11. The legislation lowers barriers to entrepreneurship in the District by streamlining the business license categories, making it easier for persons seeking to operate a business in the city to find the appropriate license category. The law also makes it more affordable for small businesses and low-income District residents to obtain a business license and further stimulate the District's economy.
Central Washington Activation Program Amendment Act (Office-to-Anything Program)
The Central Washington Activation Conversion Program, also known as Office-to-Anything Program, is a new program that will further catalyze Downtown recovery in the District. It will encourage the repositioning of office space into new, activated commercial, entertainment or retail spaces via a 15-year temporary tax freeze. The Activation Program is designed to complement the District's Housing in Downtown program, and therefore is not available for properties converting to residential use.

Open Movie Captioning Requirement Amendment Act of 2024
Beginning October 1, under the Open Movie Captioning Requirement Amendment Act of 2024, movie theaters within the District must provide a minimum number of open captioned movie showings, particularly during peak hours. Open captioning ensures seamless and equitable access to movie content for individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing by displaying captions directly on the movie screen, eliminating the need for additional equipment or adjustments. The DC Office of Human Rights will enforce the Act by conducting compliance checks and addressing consumer complaints to ensure that theaters adhere to the legal requirements.
The Migratory Local Wildlife Protection Act of 2022
Beginning October 1, this act requires new construction and major exterior glazing renovations in commercial, multi-unit residential, and institutional buildings to use bird-friendly materials to reduce bird collisions with buildings. This does not include historic landmarks and single-family homes. The Department of Buildings and the Department of Energy and Environment will issue regulations to guide its implementation.
STEER Act
Under the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility Amendment Act, or, the STEER Act, new positions have been created within the Office of the Attorney General to go after dangerous drivers or their vehicles, allowing OAG to bring civil suits against drivers or vehicles, including out-of-state drivers. Additionally, a phase in period will begin for two other provisions of the STEER Act: installing speed governors in the vehicles of reckless drivers and preventing owners of stolen vehicles from getting tickets while their vehicles are stolen.

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