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DC Mayor Bowser walks through Ward 8
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hit the pavement as she began a swing through each of the District's eight wards in her final year of office. On Monday, she was in Ward 8, and while some welcomed the mayor's visit, others were demanding more action from her office to improve the area.
WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hit the pavement as she began a swing through each of the District's eight wards in her final year of office.
On Monday, she was in Ward 8, and while some welcomed the mayor's visit, others were demanding more action from her office to improve the area.
On the move:
The mayor spent just over an hour walking the streets through the Fairlawn community, starting near Minnesota Avenue and Boone Elementary. She spoke to community leaders and residents to identify what the needs are in Ward 8.
Many expressed major concerns, from excessive drug use to prostitution. Other issues residents mentioned were a lack of street lighting, negligent landlords, loads of trash on many streets, squatting, and safety concerns for kids around Boone Elementary when it comes to drugs and break-ins.
"These walks help to let people know what we’re going through every day — what our children are facing, the drugs and prostitution," said Ward 8 resident Laura White, who said students are exposed to those conditions on their way to school.
But not everyone was convinced the walk would lead to meaningful change.
"It’s never enough," said Julie Cameron, another Ward 8 resident. "I’ve seen these walks before, and nothing comes of it."
Big picture view:
As the mayor met face-to-face with residents and business owners, she was joined by the Interim Police Chief Jeffrey Carrol and leaders of many departments, including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of the D.C. Department of Transportation.
The mayor said the goal of the walks is to hear directly from residents about safety, small businesses, and overall quality of life — particularly in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River, where people have long asked for more resources and visibility from the city.
Bowser acknowledged that some of the issues raised involve complicated policy questions, but emphasized that residents, business owners, and property owners also have a role to play in improving conditions.
"Some of the persistence issues it is a matter of implementation. When I see a lot of trash on the ground, I can almost promise you that there’s certain other activities that go along with it, so we need community property owners, business owners, to also be dealing with what they’re supposed to do and cleaning up around their businesses, around their homes. Our agencies need to be out there doing it," Bowser said.
What's next:
Several residents said they want to see real follow-through and tangible changes, not just conversations after the mayor leaves the neighborhood.
This is one of eight community walks Bowser plans to hold — one in each ward — as she heads into her final year as mayor, saying she wants to "run through the tape" and stay close to neighborhood concerns right up until the end of her term.