UPDATED 12:30 p.m. 2/3/21 with recording and related links.
This week’s “Community thru Covid” includes a segment from Serve Your City DC and People for Fairness Coalition on land use and housing affordability, historically and amid the pandemic and another focusing on “The Secret Garden” property behind We Act Radio and our commercial neighbors. Both segments look briefly at the legacy and future of Douglas Development, a huge real estate developer in DC and owner of property adjacent to We Act Radio.
Video recording of “Covid and Land Use”
DC 101
Thanks to Serve Your City DC and People for Fairness Coalition for sharing bits of their class, DC 101: Know How Your City Really Works, episode 1, “Housing and Development.” The January 25 class was the first of a planned year of study. It’s available on Facebook (here). Stay tuned to their social media for the next installments as they are aired.
Here are the developer campaign contribution amounts mentioned in Maurice Cook’s remarks: from Douglas and sons, Matthew and Norman, to Phil Mendelson, Chair of the DC City Council; Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5 Councilmember; and Charles Allen, Ward 6 Councilmember; among others. For direct link to the data from DC’s Office of Campaign Finance, visit the official website.
Here is the short video about the Secret Garden and the petition.
Other action links from DC 101:
Vacant to Virus Reduction — V2VR petition
Unhoused collective sign-on letter
Support Brookland Manor public housing
More on Douglas Development
“Inside an eccentric mogul’s quest to save DC’s most distinctive buildings,” Jonathan O’Connell, Washington Post Magazine, 2017
Washingtonian Magazine‘s story about DC’s billionaires and near billionaires in April 2019. Forbes update on Bezos, 2021.
Just one of many business stories on Douglas Development (this in 2017)
Secret Garden press conference
Press Conference, Monday, Feb 1, at “Bundy Secret Garden,” behind 1918-1920-1922 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, SE
Event recording on Make Go-Go Forever Facebook page.
Related press:
“Check it hopeful DC developer will allow continued use of ‘Secret Garden’” Washington Blade 1/27/21
“A DC developer received a presidential pardon…” Washington Post 1/22/21
WUSA9 “DC Developer gives ‘Secret Garden’ to Go-Go Museum”
“Community thru Covid” airs Wednesdays at 11 a.m., Eastern. Listen live on We Act Radio (audio) and live on Facebook (video and audio), or check back for recording.
Community Thru CRT: 