How can we make the District of Columbia truly “One City?”
Making genuine progress toward creating “One City” is the Mayor’s highest priority. Mayor Gray has said that One City “is the recognition that all District residents, no matter their differences, are bound together by a common destiny and a shared desire to make the city even better for the people who live here. Regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ward or neighborhood, we all want a vibrant, sustainable city, where all residents have an opportunity to provide for themselves and their families, where every neighborhood is safe, where every student goes to a good school, where every tax dollar is spent wisely on a government that works, and where citizens’ voices really count.” Yet the District government cannot achieve this goal alone.
We’d like your thinking on some of the specific questions that we’ll be wresting with at the summit:
- How do we grow and diversify the economy?
- What do DC government, businesses, and non-profits need to do to help people who aren’t currently job-ready get the skills they need to find work, especially in growing sectors of the economy?
- In order to have healthy, thriving infants and toddlers, what District government services and resources will be most important for our families and communities?
198 results found
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Organized senior programs with seniors as the overseeer of the programs
I feel that if you put an senior in charge of a senior program , they can inter act with seniors better than a twenty or thirty year old individual. Twenty or thirty year old person doesn't know how it feel to grow old and have some twenty year old person telling them how they should feel about coming back in a working environment ,making them feel worthless. Thank You
15 votes -
Give more DC residenst district jobs and provide them training; stop giving waivers to people that don't live in the district.
Allow more DC residents to obtain jobs in the district. Don't make the ranking factors so extreme that people with little college experience can't reach the goal. Provide them training if necessary and stop and/or reduce hiring citizens that don't leave in the district. Just because people may not have a college degree doesn't mean they can't do the job.
77 votes -
Co-create Asian American destination in Chinatown DC...
Help students, seniors, local residents, community builders, mentors and others plan the next steps for the fulfillment of the vision of Mayor Gray and the Chinese/Asian community for Chinatown DC as a unique Asian American destination. Make available funding to provide resources for this worthwhile project.
23 votes -
Ideas to improve services and housing for the homeless
Hello, my name is Vickie Ryan. I am interested in presenting ideas regarding services and housing for the homeless. I would like to present a developed proposal that would address homeless single women and single fathers with children i.e. Homeless Day Program and Homeless Shelter with wrap around services, partnership with hospitals and university internship programs. In addtion utilizing volunteers from the senior citizens community to help implement the program
88 votes -
RECREATION CENTERS THAT KEPT OUR YOUTH AND OUR YOUNGSTERS OFF OF THE STREETS
MY IDEA IS THECONCERN FOR OUR YOUTH AND YOUNGSTERS. WHEN THERE WERE REC CENTERS, OUR KIDS WERE KEPT BUSY,CREATING,COMPETING,LEARNING LIFE SKILLS, AND SOCIALIZATION SKILLS. WHAT A DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY.
NO IDLE TIME ON THEIR HANDS, INSTEAD USING THEIR BRAIN.18 votes -
Bridging the divide among tenants, small housing providers, DHCD, other Government agencies and stakeholders…
Bridging the divide to fulfill the vision of One City among tenants, small housing providers, DHCD, other Government agencies and stakeholders, by facilitating problem solving conversations and meetings that will result in creative solutions and accomplishments for One City.
The first step could be for DC Department of Housing and Community Development establish an email list for all people interested in moving this idea forward.
A second step could be to come to the Meetup For One City, held on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 12-2:30 at the Burma restaurant, @ 740 6th street NW second floor, DC…5 votes -
Help middle income dc residents get affordable housing
If you were born and raised in the district all your life. Why can't that be a benefit for affordable housing? You know history of the city and have supported it for generations. Just because you are considered middle income doesn't mean you can afford a house in the district if you are a single parent.
48 votes -
Create program allowing DC residents to acquire distressed and foreclosure properties
The DC foreclosure process should be modified to allow residents to prequalify to purhase properties through an auction or lottery before developers and corporate investors come in. Current system is rigged in favor of businesses and the DC OTR has mismanaged the current tax foreclosure process for many years now. Change is needed.
64 votes -
1 vote
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establish a training program for ex-affenders and we all could live safer
a training program for ex-affenders would give them the skills they need that will help them to seek gainful emplyment.establish a fund for professional vounteers of every career type .
they are human beings needing to be trated as such would give them the self dignity and the lively hood to help them focus positively and not be repeat affenders to the institution.putting them to work would show our city residents that their is hope for our city and the crime rate would also drop .better security training programs would be a excellent idea also .also establish a fund for…6 votes -
Bring our incarcerated loved ones back from rural america BOP that are more than 50 miles away from their family!
DC needs to stop being the funding source for BOP prisons being built to stimulate "Rural America". Our loved ones deserve to be within close proximity to their homes as all other incarcerated persons who reside in USA major cities and states.
Our neighbors, loved ones and family members have too long been imprisoned and subject to BOP incarceration for LOCAL criminal offenses, most of which are non-violent in nature, simply because we are denied "Our Federal Tax Payer Voting Rights". They even send our most vulnerable Learning Disabled and Mentally Challenged loved ones that distance as well and families…
11 votes -
Incorporate cognitive development in the workforce/job-readiness/ training programs.
I believe that soft skills training will help people become job-ready and get the hard skills needed to find and retain work. Creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking all rely on basic cognitive skills. These skills can be developed with the appropriate training, rehearsal and mediation. Soft skills also called people skills and are typically hard to observe, quantify and measure. Hard skills are typically easy to observe, quantify and measure. They are also easy to train, because most of the time the skill sets are brand new to the learner and no unlearning is involved. People skills/interpersonal skills are…
12 votes -
Green up the district with clean electricity and encourage energy efficiency and home weatherization.
First, DC should work with Pepco to start a solar rebate program like the City of Fort Collins, CO to help install more solar panels on DC homes and businesses. Second, there should be free home energy audits and a comprehensive list of pre-approved providers for home weather weatherization projects. Third, the city could also host do-it-yourself weatherization classes. Fourth, the city should offer strong rebates on energy efficient applicances and energy efficient windows.
42 votes -
Let's put an end to taxation without representation
Let's show the federal government we as a city are serious about putting and end to taxation without representation by starting right here in our own system and opening up the mayoral primaries to all registered voters. I'm a registered independent and in this last mayoral election I felt like my vote didn't matter. After all can we really claim to be "One City" if everyone doesn't get a chance to get their voice heard.
57 votes -
Levy a partial income tax on people who work in DC but do not live here. If NYC can do it, why can't we?
Of course, I know the reason why is Congress, but the problem with one proposed alternative -- a toll -- is that it will catch tourists as well, while an income tax for people who work in the city but don't live here will give us a better chance of recovering some additional income for the maintenance of services, streets, etc., that these people use on a regular basis.
12 votes -
Increase incentives and infrastructure for people to live and work in the city.
Foster sustainable neighborhoods which focus on the pedestrian rather than autos. Increase public transport which favor residents, public spaces, playgrounds, mini-parks, traffic calming, dedicated bicycle lanes, diagonal crosswalks where all traffic is stopped so pedestrians can cross at an intersection in all directions even diagonally. Increase mixed use condo and apartment living and increase the availability of 3 bedroom condo/apartments. Similar to parking requirements for large commercial buildings, shower facilities should also be encouraged.
68 votes -
Create a publicly owned DC Partnership Bank for DC government accounts and to invest capital in our economy
A publicly owned, publicly accountable bank in D.C. would, in partnership with local financial institutions, delivers quality, sound financial services to promote jobs, sustainable local businesses and affordable housing in Washington, DC; enhances the financial health of the city’s general fund; and establishes the District of Columbia's sovereignty over its fiscal and monetary policies.
It is modeled after the Bank of North Dakota, with a 92-year history of safe, secure and highly profitable banking. North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the country; and in 2009, when other states were floundering, it had the largest budget surplus it had…
20 votes -
25% of Washington, DC adults cannot read. We need a citywide literacy effort and it has been done in another city, we can do it here.
Create an parent's institute in an effort to improve public education right inside of the school's building.
5 votes -
EIGHT GREEN ISSUES
EIGHT GREEN ISSUES REQUIRING ONE-CITY ACTION
Submitted for Discussion at Mayor Gray’s February 11, 2012 One-City Summit
by Gene Solon (gsolon@verizon.net)Do smarter, more coordinated development and transportation planning! Strengthen and enforce engine idling regulations for buses, boats and other vehicles -- and do everything else necessary to dramatically increase the number of “code green” Air Quality Index days in our nation’s capital! Our health is at stake!
Upgrade D.C.’s current vehicle fuel consumption and emissions regulations so that they match or exceed all California state regulations, including its state government fleet requirements – and including its recently…
6 votes -
Create vibrant public park by tearing down the fence surrounding grounds for Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH)
2 years ago I moved into Park View in Ward 1. Its a wonderful community, but unfortunately the view of the park is blocked by huge fences protecting the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH). How magical would it be for the community to have a green space to enjoy? Surely there is a path to respect our veterans but still serve our community? Green space is at a premium, lets bring the quality of life up for the whole community. I imagine that the retirees may even enjoy the site and opportunity to interact with children, families and couples enjoying…
7 votes