Neighborhood Tax Relief

The purpose the act is to require the Mayor to create a tax relief strategy for all D.C. neighborhood businesses within a commercial corridor that are economically impacted by the road infrastructure construction performed by the District Department of Transportation.

This summer, Councilmember Brown toured all nine business corridors to get a first-hand look at what’s happening. Business owners and ANC commissioners expressed to him that ongoing city construction projects, meant to enhance streetscapes, were in the short-term adversely affecting their businesses.

$95 Million Available for Neighborhood Revitalization

On July 10, 2007, the DC Council approved the “Great Streets Neighborhood Retail Priority Areas Approval Resolution of 2007” (R17-257), which Councilmember Brown voted for. The resolution authorized $95 million for mixed use and retail development projects within the Great Streets corridors. The Mayor recently announcement that key DC neighborhoods are now eligible to apply for the Great Streets funding including:

1. •$10 million for Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE/South Capital Street;
   

2. •$25 million for H Street NE;
   

3. •$25 million for 7th Street/Georgia Avenue NW;
   

4. •$10 million for Petworth;
   

5. •$15 million for Minnesota-Benning; and
   

6. •$10 million for Pennsylvania Avenue SE. (1)
   

According to the notice released by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, “Applications must be received at ODMPED on or before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Friday, April 18, 2008.” For more information, contact Derrick Lanardo Woody at derrick.woody@dc.gov or 202-727-6703.

(1) Source: Notice of Funding Availability: Great Street Neighborhood Retail Tax Increment Financing (TIF), January 29, 2008, District of Columbia Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

Micro-loans for Macro Results

Councilmember Brown is continuing his efforts to secure resources for a micro-loan fund that would provide timely relief to local businesses. He has already worked with the Mayor to secure $1 million for the micro-loan fund as part of the Mayor’s recent surplus spending proposal. He is now working to secure an additional $1 million for the fund for a total of $2 million.

Restoring Blighted Areas in Neighborhoods

That’s why Brown introduced a friendly amendment to Councilmember Cheh’s Nuisance Property Abatement Act of 2007 (B17-455) that would increase from $5 to $10 per $100 of assessed value, the tax the city charges for class 3 commercial properties.

The increased penalty would prod property owners to sell or develop the vacant property, while at the simultaneously increasing city tax revenues.

Other Legislation

1. •Commercial Real Property Tax Credit Act of 2007 (B17-20)
   

2. •Neighborhood Restaurant and Retail Tax Incentive Act of 2007 (B17-265)
   

3. •Excellence in Local Business Contract Grading Act of 2007 (B17-336)
   

4. •Minority and Women-Owned Business Assessment Act of 2007 (B17-337)
   

5. •Disposition of the Skyland Shopping Center Site Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2007 (A17-108/R17-365)
   

6. •Department of Small and Local Business Development Subcontracting Clarification and Technical Corrections Emergency Act of 2007 (A17-156/R17-381)
   

7. •Department of Small Local Business Development Grant Authority Act of 2007 (B17-440)
   

8. •Department of Small and Local Business Development Subcontracting Clarification and Technical Corrections Act of 2007 (B17-444)
   

9. •Film DC Economic Incentive Amendment Act of 2007 (B17-477)

Kwame R. Brown

Councilmember At-Large