New Housing Bill Takes Quick, Proactive Approach to Affordable Housing
Today, Councilmember Robert White introduced a bill to make housing in the District more affordable across the entire city. The Generating Affordability in Neighborhoods (GAIN) Act of 2021 allows the District to pay housing providers to convert existing rental units into affordable units using covenants on the property. “By purchasing housing that already exists and lowering […]
Councilmember Robert White Introduces Legislation to Study Bias in how Law Enforcement Assess Threats for Protests
With the growing threat of homegrown domestic terrorism in the United States—often white supremacist affiliated— Councilmember Robert White introduced legislation today that would mandate the Office of the Attorney General to conduct a study to examine bias—conscious or unconscious—in the Metropolitan Police Department’s threat assessments. Citing the differences in the preparation for and responses to […]
Race-Based Threat Assessments Enabled a Terrorist Attack on the US Capitol. Now Can We Do Something About It?
A long-standing double-standard of justice turned into a homeland security threat last week when the president of the United States incited a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol building. The U.S. Capitol Police planned for minimal resistance for a predominately white mob – armed with guns and homemade bombs – that intended to kill […]
Returning Citizens Lead the Way for Historic Progress
On Tuesday, the DC Council voted to make DC the first US jurisdiction to restore voting rights to residents incarcerated with felony convictions. The Restore the Vote Act, which undoes the Jim Crow era disenfranchisement of Black Americans, was approved as part of a larger policing and justice reform bill. DC now joins Maine and […]
Statement From Councilmember Robert White on Advancing Metro Police Civilian Police Complaint Board
Today, the DC Council voted to create a civilian police complaint board for the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD). Creating an MTPD civilian police complaint board to allow residents to have complaints about the use of force and other concerns heard by independent reviewers has been a priority for me over the past year. Creating the civilian review […]
Councilmember Robert White Begins Formal Push for Metro Transit Civilian Police Complaint Board
Today, Councilmember Robert White recommended provisions to include in the Budget Support Act to create an all civilian police complaint board for the Metro Transit Police. White said, “Every police department should have a civilian review board to examine police complaints. It makes police departments better and builds trust with the people they serve.” In […]
Statement From Councilmember Robert White Requesting Local Action Protecting Protestors
As a government, we must demand justice and protect the rights and safety of our residents engaging in constitutional protest. To this end, I ask that Mayor Muriel Bower immediately: Call off the curfew to allow people to exercise their right to protest. Pursue justice for the assaults on peaceful protesters by law enforcement, especially […]
ANC Provisions in Today’s Emergency Bill
I have been keeping you apprised of the steps that the Council has taken to support Advisory Neighborhood Commissions during this public health emergency, and have continued to listen to you and advocate for you. As a result, every coronavirus response bill, including today’s, has included additional flexibility and support for Commissions. The Coronavirus Omnibus […]
Councilmember Robert White Introduces Bill Requiring DC Schools to Inform Parents About Instances of Sexual Misconduct
Today, Councilmember Robert White, along with Councilmembers Brianne Nadeau, Mary Cheh and Elissa Silverman, introduced a bill requiring schools to inform parents when there is a criminal investigation into a school staff member for sexual misconduct, and to require an annual report of cases of sexual misconduct by school staff against a student. Currently, schools […]
Robert White’s Statement on the DC Jail and Returning Citizens
“I am very concerned about the serious reports coming from DC Jail residents and employees, which include the lack of shower access, residents not being able to make calls to family members or attorneys, and an alarming spread of the coronavirus within the jail. This follows weeks of previous reports that the DC Jail was […]