CM Robert White Comment on DCHA Trash Collection Contract Malfeasance Allegations
Since taking over the Council’s Committee on Housing, I have sounded the alarm about a culture of unethical behavior and a systemic lack of accountability at the DC Housing Authority (DCHA). The recent media coverage of a DCHA trash collection contract allegedly steered to a particular vendor is one of many concerning allegations that have […]
Councilmember Robert White Statement on Appointment of Dorian Jenkins as Interim Director of DCHA
Today the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) Stabilization and Reform (STAR) Board voted to appoint Dorian Jenkins as DCHA’s Interim Executive Director as of August 1. I’m grateful to the STAR Board for working to ensure a smooth leadership transition as they continue to look for a permanent director. I asked the STAR Board to appoint […]
Letter From Councilmember White to the Bowser Administration Regarding HPAP Shortages
July 6, 2023 The Honorable Muriel BowserMayorJohn A. Wilson Building1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20004 Dear Mayor Bowser, City Administrator Donahue, and Director Green: As Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia Committee on Housing, I am writing in response to the recent announcement that the District has exhausted its Home Purchase Assistance […]
Statement: 12% Increase in Homelessness in DC Makes Clear the Need for More Funding for Emergency Housing
The 2023 Point in Time Homelessness Count, released last week, shows an increase in homelessness in DC for the first time in years. Even more concerning, nearly 50% of DC’s unhoused residents were experiencing homelessness for the first time, rather than being chronically homeless. This high number of residents experiencing homelessness likely points to economic […]
Councilmember Robert White Statement on DCHA Director Brenda Donald’s Resignation
For immediate release: I am grateful to Brenda Donald for her work at the DC Housing Authority. The selection of an interim director and permanent director is very critical to the future success of the agency. Given the numerous recent investigations and suspensions at DCHA, I encourage the Stabilization and Reform Board to select an […]
Statement: Councilmember Robert White Shares Update on Efforts to Introduce Emergency Rent Stabilization Bill
My goal was to use an emergency rent stabilization bill tomorrow to address a 40-year high rent increase in rent-stabilized units and help residents who are already drowning under staggering inflation. My plan was to balance this with making sure landlords could maintain their properties. However, emergency legislation in the Council cannot come with a cost. […]
Statement: Councilmember Robert White Shares Update on Emergency Rent Stabilization Bill
In May, District tenants in rent stabilized units face the highest rent increase in 40 years: a jump of almost 9%. For people with low incomes who are already struggling with the cost of inflation, this could be too much. I worry that it could further the displacement of people, which the District has already […]
Statement: Councilmember Robert White’s Press Conference Remarks on Unethical Behavior Within DCHA
Good morning, I’m At-Large Councilmember Robert White. I called this press conference because last week a whistleblower shared a new complaint with my office about DCHA, which, when taken with the seven other internal investigation reports the Committee on Housing has received from the agency, paints a picture of extensive unethical and illegal behavior occurring […]
Statement: With ERAP Funds Depleted, Councilmember Robert White Urges Boost in Safety Net for Renters and More Affordable Housing
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced that Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds are expected to run out in May, and applications will close today. There are still seven months left in this fiscal year, and residents’ need for rental support is not going away anytime soon. I am calling on Mayor Bowser […]
Statement: Councilmember Robert White Condemns Federal Infringement on District Home Rule
Yesterday, President Biden announced that he will not veto a disapproval resolution that would forbid the District from implementing criminal code reforms passed unanimously by the DC Council. This is a serious attack on DC’s right to home rule and self-governance–the first overturning of a local law in over 30 years. This is nothing more […]