Coronavirus Update: Program Clarifications & Updates

Dear Neighbors,

Following Mayor Bowser's announcement of stay-at-home order for District residents and workers, I wanted to provide some short updates and program clarifications based on some of the most frequently asked questions that my office has received. And, while those updates are listed further in this email, I wanted to take a moment in this letter to share some good news.

You may recall the effort earlier this year to protect several Ward 3 bus routes that WMATA proposed either eliminating or drastically reducing service in their FY21 Budget. These routes serve as vital public transportation resources for Ward 3 residents, particularly our seniors and those who don't commute by car. Yesterday, WMATA shared their revised budget proposal and almost every elimination/reduction in Ward 3 service was discarded, except for:

D6: The elimination of certain late-night trips on weekdays and Saturday
30N, 30S: The elimination of the last 30N trip in each direction on weekdays, Saturday, and Sunday and the elimination of the last 30S trip each direction on weekdays and Saturdays

I stress that nothing is final until the vote this Thursday, April 2nd, however; this proposal is much improved over what was originally presented to the public. At WMATA's February hearing on these cuts, I was proud to join numerous residents, ANCs, and community organizations in defending our Ward 3 bus routes. To everyone involved in this effort, thank you. There is no doubt that our success was due to your passion and tireless advocacy for strong public transit in Ward 3.

Regards,

Mary

Please see coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates & resources on COVID-19

The Mayor's Stay-At-Home Order

Mayor Bowser's stay-at-home order will go into effect tomorrow, April 1st. Please remember, this is an order to codify and enforce the Mayor's existing social distancing guidance. The order is not a requirement that residents remain completely homebound during the emergency, it permits outdoor recreation and all essential travel while also emphasizing the need for us to stay home whenever possible. Below are some commonly posed questions by residents:

Q: How should I report a violation of the Mayor's order?

A: Please call 311. Numerous agencies have already been at work to break up large gatherings and alert the public to safe social distancing standards. The Department of Public Works, for example, has removed the hoops on popular basketball courts and MPD has begun to use a speaker system to help disperse large crowds.

Q: Aside from essential travel such as grocery shopping and going to medical appointments, I'm permitted to leave my home for some recreation. What are the 'allowable recreational activities' as defined by the order?

A: 'Allowable Recreational Activities' are outdoor activities with your household members that comply with appropriate social distancing requirements. Examples of these outdoor activities include: walking, hiking, running, dog-walking, biking, rollerblading, playing tennis, golfing, gardening (this includes community and victory gardening), and other activities where there is no person-to-person contact.

Q: Will I still be permitted to use a ride-share when I leave for essential travel?

A: Yes, and there are new requirements for ride-share vehicle operators. In addition to the limit of no more than two passengers in the car at a time, drivers must now have disinfecting wipes in their vehicles and must wipe down all surfaces potentially touched by a passenger after each ride.

Q: Will I still be able to order takeout or delivery from neighborhood restaurants?

A: Yes. Restaurants were previously categorized as essential businesses and will still be able to conduct deliveries and pickup orders for neighbors. For the growing list of open restaurants in Ward 3, please see information by our local Main Streets: Cleveland Park, Glover Park, Van Ness, Tenleytown, and Woodley Park.

Q: What are the specific social distancing requirements'?

A: In the Mayor's order, “Social Distancing Requirements” include:

Maintaining at least a six (6)-foot distance from other individuals
Washing hands with soap and water for at least twenty (20) seconds or using hand sanitizer frequently, after contact with potentially-infected surfaces, to the greatest extent feasible
Covering coughs or sneezes, preferably with a tissue (please throw immediately away) or into your sleeve or elbow
Regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces
Not shaking hands

To review the order in its entirety, please see Mayor’s Order 2020-054.

A Note for Homeowners and Renters

Mortgage Payments - A number of homeowners have asked whether the District is currently working with any banks to provide grace periods on mortgage payments. The Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) is currently looking into options with national banks operating in the District for staying mortgage payments for the next 90 days. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have announced that they are providing payment forbearance to borrowers affected by the pandemic. Forbearance means your mortgage payments may be suspended for up to 12 months because of economic hardship caused by the coronavirus outbreak. These two agencies back about half of all mortgages in the United States.

Reminder: through emergency legislation previously passed by the Council, no mortgage may be foreclosed during the period of the emergency.

Rent Payments - A number of renters have asked whether the District would be able to institute a rent freeze or provide other rental assistance measures. As of now, no rent freeze has been put in place. Looking ahead, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is looking into a COVID-19 specific program similar to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to address rent arrears based on need.

The ERAP and any new COVID-19 rental assistance programs may be funded in part by COVID-19 related supplemental appropriations from the federal government and there may be additional relief for renters under the federal Rental Housing Act.

Reminder: the Mayor and Council have already provided that there can be no evictions for rent non payment during the period of the emergency.

Applying for Unemployment Insurance

User Difficulties with the Unemployment System - Through recent emergency legislation, the Council waived the previous work search requirement for claimants applying for unemployment insurance (UI) (this was done to respond to the immediate need of unemployment compensation amid COVID-19-related closures). However, many new users of the UI system report receiving notices of denied or delayed claims due to the previous mandatory work search requirements.

Claimants should disregard the delay message, as no claims will be delayed or denied based on work search requirements. The UI software system currently being updated and the Executive anticipates the system modifications to be complete by the week of April 6th and is working to increase the call center capacity.

Due to the higher than normal call volume to the Department of Employment Services (DOES), claimants are encouraged to apply for unemployment compensation online at dcnetworks.org. DOES recommends using Internet Explorer when accessing this page.

For a specific question related to a specific claimant, the claimant should email [email protected].

Small Business Recovery Grant Applications due Today!

Small Business Recovery Grants - The District's $25 million small business grant program is accepting applications through 6:00 pm tonight, March 31st. For more information on the grant program, please see: Small Business Recovery.

Vote By Mail with an Absentee Ballot

Avoid voting in-person - The DC Board of Elections (BOE) is working on ways to more safely hold elections amidst the COVID-19 public health emergency.

To do this, BOE is looking at ways to minimize crowding at voting precincts and encourages voters to vote by mail using an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots do not require a reason or explanation for their use and may be requested online or through BOE's app. BOE will soon also open a call center for requests by phone.

Absentee ballots will be distributed on May 1st
To request an absentee ballot online, please go to: https://www.vote4dc.com/ApplyInstructions/Absentee

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to email the office directly or reach us via phone through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services requests.