The May 2024 edition of The Crest is now available below as a PDF.

AprilMay 2024 Issue of the Crest.pdf

The November 2023 edition of The Crest is now available below as a PDF.

November 2023 Issue of The Crest.pdf

The April/May 2023 edition of The Crest is now available below as a PDF.

AprilMay 2023 Issue of The Crest-2.pdf 

Crestwood Citizens Association

Minutes of Meeting

January 10, 2023

7:00 pm by Zoom and in-person at Grace Lutheran Church

At 7:00 pm, our President, Hala Harik Hayes opened the meeting. She asked the people online to put themselves on mute. This was our first hybrid meeting with some members meeting in person at Grace Lutheran Church and other members participating on Zoom.

Hala thanked Pastor Amy and Mesfin (the Office Administrator) of Grace Lutheran Church for hosting us, and Pastor Amy introduced herself and welcomed us to her church. She said they are working to plan several types of activities and workshops for to serve their Crestwood neighbors.

Hala Introduced members of the Board, Doug Barker, Kathleen Eder, Patricia Kennedy, Michael Earls, Victoria Earls, Carey DeMatteis, Dallas Salisbury, and our ANC Commissioner, Pavan Khoobchandani.

Hala shared the meeting goals, which included a discussion of the proposed playground at the Triangle, CCA updates, ANC4EO6 news and other neighborhood announcements and concerns. She shared the following ground rules for the discussions:

• Wait to be called before speaking and introduce yourself.

• Share your own perspective, remain respectful, listen carefully and non-judgmentally.

• Limit comments to 2 minutes.

• Understand there are a lot of different opinions and that’s OK.

• We want the conversation to be productive and comfortable.

Michael Earls stated that there are a lot of views regarding the future of the Triangle, both among the neighbors and the individuals serving on the CCA Board. Maintaining trust is crucial. He said that the board reflects the diverse views of the neighborhood.

Hala began the discussion of the Triangle saying that there has been a lot of change in Crestwood over the last few years, and we want to take a minute and remember how fortunate we are to live in this community. She asked the participants to find someone they don’t know and take two minutes to introduce themselves and share what they most love about living in Crestwood. Zoom participants could use the chat function to introduce themselves and share how they feel about the neighborhood and living here.

Hala gave a summary of what the CCA Board has done regarding the Triangle:

1. We reached out to DPR and NW Community Church to explore the option of constructing a playground on church property. Pastor Dan talked with DPR; he decided not to pursue the playground.

2. We reached out to DPR to ask DPR if they were making changes to the concept design for Triangle Park, and they replied that, “DPR is working to update the design [of] the park. We have received a wide variety of comments and feedback from the community and are working to integrate those comments into the revised design.”

3. We asked DPR if they would be willing to participate in a meeting held by the CCA in early 2023 after the release of a revised concept design for Triangle Park. DPR shared that they will hold a final community meeting in early 2023 to present the final design and construction timeline. DPR asked CCA to co-host. DPR shared that this meeting will not be to gather new input. The CCA Board has decided not to co-host the meeting with DPR.

4. Hala reiterated the CCA Board’s determination that CCA would not take a position on how the Triangle Park issue should be resolved, saying that members of the community disagree about the issues, and there is no clear agreement. She said CCA would continue to share information and stay on top of the developments.

She then opened the floor for comments from the members. Here is a summary of the remarks:

Stephanie Ross:

What will the maintenance situation be? Will the neighborhood be responsible for keeping it cleaned up. Pavan - there are a lot of complaints about DGS maintenance. It is 311 ticket based, so neighbors have to call in requests for anything that needs attention. Pat Kennedy – shared that on a visit to the lot on W Street off Foxhall, she had a conversation with two parents at the lot with their children. The parents said that the maintenance provided by the city was severely lacking, and that they had arranged for some neighborhood teenagers to get their community service credit by taking care of cleaning up after visitors and helping with trash removal.

Julie Ewing:

If there is a reduced budget from a smaller footprint, can some of the savings be applied to maintenance. Pavan’s answer was no, it would not.

Dallas Salisbury:

He spoke to some of the people at the Adams Morgan playground and noted that the maintenance is not well done. The other three parks looked to be marginally well cared for, which makes it important for neighbors to keep making the 311 tickets as needed.

Pavan:

Trash removal and keeping the ground cover up are the two most important maintenance items. What they are planning with the Triangle won’t need equipment maintenance.

Stella Dawson:

We could ask not to install trash cans. Can the parents who lobbied for this form a committee and handle the maintenance? Carey mentioned the Adopt a Park program where communities get involved with keeping up their parks.

Charlie Myers:

Lived here over 30 years and he raised money for the 16th St Heights playground Friends groups. He said that DPR only creates these lots, and we should make plans for the community to maintain it.

Vince Pyle:

His family has lived here since 1958. What are we trying to target in the child population? Anna Nelson replied, she has been a part of the meet up of parents who are organizing playdates on the parents list serve.

Elise Storck:

Could we ask that the trash receptacles be added to the trash truck pickups that go by weekly (DPW). Pavan explained that DPW does not pick up trash from DGS/DPR receptacles.

Lanisa Kitchener:

She lives next to Triangle Park. Her house’s personal trash cans get filled during most of the activities that occur there now. There is a very small subset of people who use the park who will use the playground. An attendee asked how many young children live in Crestwood. Dallas Salisbury cited Census Bureau information showing there are 337 children in our Census tract (26 – Crestwood) between ages 0 and 9.

Mark Haskell:

Has been involved with designing “playscapes” for schools and asked about ground cover for the playground surface. Dallas Salisbury explained that they will be using engineered wood fiber (EFW) and wood carpeting (EWF) as loose fill, whereas wood carpeting is bonded fill for better ADA access.

Michael Hargreaves:

Suggested that NW Community Church still might be able to lease space to the DC Government. Dallas Salisbury shared that Pastor Dan was strongly discouraged from pursuing that by DPR and that they could not point to any examples of DPR leasing private land. He encouraged neighbors to use the playground they have which now includes a swing set, a basketball hoop and court, and climbing structures with slides. Pastor Dan is still exploring using the available land for community activities.

Rene Carter:

Does anyone know what happened at the Point and why picnic tables were removed? Pavan shared that about 5 years ago there were issues with drugs and other undesirable activities taking place at the Point, and the tables were removed because of that.

Peter Richman:

NW Community Church is a great resource, but it’s not a substitute for the Triangle.

Waveney Bryant:

This appears to be a done deal. Can it be reversed? What can CCA do? Hala - CCA is not taking a position.

Brianna McAdoo:

She shared that she grew up in Crestwood and loves the Triangle the way it is. Also noted how non-diverse the CCA Board is. A lot of young black people are treated like they are likely criminals. There are so many ways that the children growing up here have used the Park and the other neighborhood assets. Don’t need a tot lot. She said the process that has created the current situation has been a mess, and CCA’s position of not taking a stand is a cop out. Hala - thanked her and acknowledged that she had a point about the lack of diversity on the CCA Board.

Dallas Salisbury:

There are five general At-Large seats that could be filled on the Board of Directors. On March 15th there will be a call for nominations. He strongly encouraged Brianna and others to consider upping their participation in the Association and running for some of the Board and officer vacancies that will need to be filled. Hala shared that the CCA Board will hold a Board Interest meeting on February 28th for neighbors interested in learning more about running for a CCA Board position.

Yvonne Baskerville:

Two things -

Comments Brianna just made - she doesn’t think more people of color on the Board would make that much difference. It’s what’s in people’s hearts.

She participated in the surveys - what is the common force that is driving the lot. Children traditionally meet at each other’s homes and back yards. Used to be two neighborhood associations, one mostly black (the Rock Creek East Neighborhood League) and one mostly white (CCA). There is an underlying element of push pull based on age and color.

Peter Richman:

There are old timers and new comers and we don’t often form relationships, and that is why he thinks the playground is the right idea as a gathering place for neighbors.

Alice Thomas:

She’s been in the neighborhood for 27 years, raised a child taking advantage of everything in Crestwood, and her son is an African American Male. She talked about limitations to the way we communicate. She raised her son in their yard and in Rock Creek Park. She does not believe the park should be changed.

Linda Henderson:

Powerful comments should have been heard months ago. But money has been allocated and DPR thinks they have to spend it. So DPR is moving forward, and how we got here is a very unfortunate. How could the Board not have taken a position against it? This has created issues in Crestwood. It’s creating a big division in Crestwood. It’s not good. It doesn’t have to happen – like if the Mayor says no it won’t happen.

Dr Cooper:

Has lived here since 1992 and chose it because it is a quiet community, a little suburban. People are pushing issues without taking all of us into account. You pick your neighborhood, house, the yard and the space for your family. If it turns out not to work for you, don’t interfere with the rest of the neighbors it does work for.

Melinda Levitt:

The money has been allocated. How did this happen? How can it be stopped?

Hala:

Presented a timeline of the process. This timeline is presented in a chart that is included at the end of the minutes.

Pavan:

Isn’t sure that once the money is allocated it has to be spent. He rejects that.

DPR tried to solicit input from the community. I feel comfortable with the amount of engagement that has been done with the community.

Charles Betsy:

Chronology shows it was instigated by a small group of people.

Pavan:

A small number of people got together with an idea, and they made it happen. He said he sees nothing wrong with that.

Lanisa Kitchener:

Some of Brianna’s comments may have been overshadowed. Lanisa shared her participating in the George Floyd memorial at the Triangle.

Then she volunteered to serve on the Board. The Board’s legacy would not have accepted someone who looks like her on the Board. And she said that by not taking a position on the Triangle, the CCA and its Board is, in fact, supporting the changes at the Triangle. We need to think of maintenance. As for the billboard that someone suggested, the least amount of structure on that space is preferable. During the pandemic when the other playgrounds were closed down, the Park was a place where small children could play.

Hala presented some CCA updates:

The Green Team is planning several upcoming events, including a seed swap, plant swap, garden tour, and they are launching a native [plant initiative. Anna Nelson shared information about the initiative and how neighbors can participate.

Aging in Place continues to organize. Hala shared details about the postcard that Dallas sponsored that was sent to 700-plus Crestwood mailing addresses. So far, he’s only had one response.

Upcoming Events:

• February 28: Board Interest Meeting (come to learn more about running for a CCA Board position).

• March 14: CCA Meeting

• April 8: Easter Egg Hunt

• May 16: CCA Annual Meeting

Past Events & Thanks: Hala acknowledged members who helped with recent events:

• October Halloween Parade – thank you Caitlin Clark

• November Turkey Trot: thanks to the 250 neighbors who joined us for the Turkey Trot. We raised $4000 for the Carter Barron Alliance (a project of the Rock Creek Conservancy).

• December Holiday Party: thanks to Mariann and Paul Budde for hosting

• December Christmas Eve Caroling: thanks to Jen, Mike and the Dabbs Family, Tom, Judith, and Nick Chused, and Susan Plaeger and Chuck O’Connor for organizing it.

ANC 4E04 Update: Pavan summarized some changes in the ANC boundaries and invited us to sign onto the Zoom meetings of the ANC.

Other Announcements:

• Donna Washington shared information about the Ward 4 Mutual Aid Unhoused Initiative, for which she and her adult child, Sam are volunteers. For more information, go to https://ward4mutualaid.org/unhoused-neighbor-support/

• Reminder that there is a ban on gas powered leaf blowers.

• DC Water is hosting a public scoping meeting Wednesday, January 18th at 7:30PM regarding the proposed construction of the Piney Branch Combined Sewer Overflow (SCO) 049 Storage Project within Rock Creek Park. A proposed 4.2-million-gallon underground storage tunnel just south of Crestwood is being considered.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:10 pm.

Link to the meeting presentation slide deck

Link to timeline shared during meeting

Link to Zoom chat transcript

CRESTWOOD CITIZENS ASSOCIATION & ANC 4E06MEETING

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

7:00 PM by Zoom

Minutes of the Meeting

CCA President, Hala Harik Hayes, opened. She introduced the Board Members, and our ANC Commissioner, Pavan Khoobchandani.

Guest Speaker:

Hala introduced tonight’s guest, Captain Bellavance from 4D to discuss police-related issues in Crestwood and to share ways that the neighborhood can support the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. He has been with 4D for about 4 years and brought us up to date on the latest information on crime in the neighborhood. 

The majority of complaints are related to theft from autos. There is a web site that gives crime stats.  In the last 4 months there have been 15 thefts from autos, time of day is usually overnight. The recent uptick in thefts of catalytic converters has dropped way off. Tires and rings thefts are becoming common throughout the area.  Usually, thefts are from inside the car – backpacks, computer cases, etc. are pretty typical. A lot of contractors working in the area seem to be having their trucks targeted, but a lot of those are not reported. It is important for all of us to make sure anyone working in our homes knows to lock their vehicles and not to leave attractive items where they can be seen and grabbed.  Most of these crimes have no video or witnesses, and the police reports are handled over the phone. 

Here are some of the questions that CCA members asked him:

• If there is a crime reported and the victims don’t have video, will the police check with the neighbors who have surveillance camera that were paid for by the recent city program that supplied free cameras to homeowners.  Captain Bellavance said that when the officers report to the scene, they knock on doors or leave cards with neighboring homes asking if they have footage of the incident.  
• Are some car models more common theft bait than others? Hundai and Kias that are key operated seem to be targeted. They are easy to steal. 2018-2021 model years. Toyotas have not come to his attention as being particularly vulnerable.
• Is there anything we can do to make the neighborhood less friendly for criminals?  Keep doors locked. Theft from auto is a major crime of opportunity, and a lot of people carelessly leave cars and even houses are unlocked. The thieves often work in pairs, and if they see something attractive and grabbable, or they’ll break in then. Have good lighting around your house. Remind visitors to bring in valuables. 
• Have the police reduced ordinary patrols in neighborhoods like Crestwood?  Yes. We are down 240 officers, which stretches recourses.

Captain Bellavance  said that on October 27,  the City Council is changing crime protocols in DC, decriminalizing what some people might consider to be more of a nuisance than a crime. These include things that many of us might consider to be arrest worthy, like urinating and defecating in public, even if you’re not a dog. (Hmmm.  Will people have to scoop their poop?). It also decriminalizes drinking in public, illegal vending and noise-related public disturbances. It also downgrades carjacking to robbery.  If we don’t like it, let our Counsel member know. [The code changes, if approved by the DC Council, go into effect in 2025]

Captain Bellavance’s phone number is 202-815-4505.

Acknowledgments:

Hala acknowledged some of our neighbors who have gone above and beyond to serve our community:

• Alan and Adam McDonald for several years of e-cycling and hazardous waste services. They organized the events and lent their truck to haul all of our old electronic devices to be recycled.
• George Chaconas has been managing the dog bag stations, and without being asked, he painted the Crestwood benches at the Point.
• Yvonne Baskerville stepped down as co-chair of the Aging in Place group in Crestwood after many years of service.   

CCA Updates:

• CCA Membership Management Software/Membership Directory – we switched to an online directory last year, and there are directions on how to opt in to the directory. We are using a software system, Wild Apricot. If we decide to change our member management software, we’ll have to redo the directory input.
• Dallas Salisbury will become the new Aging in Place cochair, and they are setting up a meeting for November for 7 pm on November 3, 2022.   (dallassalisburycca@gmail.com for more information)
• Green Team:  Garden tour? If anyone is interested, let us know. You don’t need a really fancy garden. The idea is to share what we’ve learned, especially about using native plants and growing food.

Past events:

• Crestwood Traffic Safety Walkthrough (May)
• Spring Picnic (June)
• 4th of July Parade (July)
• Ice Cream Social (July)
• Jazz in the Park (Sept)

There are photos of many of these events on the web site, and we are all welcome to send in photos we have taken.

Upcoming Events: These are the opportunities we took to get together and have some fun.

• October 30 at 4:00 PM Halloween Parade at The Point.  Caitlin Clark is the Kid’s Team lead and is organizing  it.
• Nov 24 at 9:00 AM Turkey Trot at The Triangle. Money that is raised will go to reopen Carter Baron by 2026 (Carter Baron Alliance, a project of Rock Creek Conservancy)
• Dec 10 from 5:00-7:00 PM, Holiday Party at the Budde Home on Matthewson – this will be our first holiday party since the onset of the Covid pandemic!
• Dec 24 at 6:00 PM Christmas Caroling at the Dabbs Home – this is a tradition that dates back to the 1950’s!

Pavan Khoobchandani  - ANC 4E06 Update

• DDOT traffic safety improvements have come mostly from the recent safety walkthrough last May.  All requests begin with 311 submission.  You can also Tweet your request.  You can go to the DDOT Website and do a search by ANC district for improvements that has been installed and are scheduled to be done.
• Adopt a Block – commit to doing 4 cleanups per year.
• Blagden Ave traffic has eased up. There will be a 3-way stop installed at Blagden and Beach very soon now.
• Capital Bikeshare station – it narrows the road and people honk. Stop honking! It does seem to get used a lot, and we want to work together to minimize the impact on its immediate neighbors.

Other announcements

• Reminder: A ban on gas powered leaf blowers is now in effect – they are very noisy!  We need to remind anyone we hire to do yard work that they can’t be used in DC
• Aging in Place getting organized - anyone interested contact Jackie Jackson or Dallas Salisbury

Neighbor concerns and questions

• Can you do anything to keep people from parking on your block who don’t live there?  You can get 2-hour parking restrictions for your block. Crestwood Drive has a lot of extra vehicles and a lot of them don’t move. 
• Are the power lines in the neighborhood going to be buried because we have so many trees that can knock them out? Some of them may be, at least the main arteries.  It sounds like it won’t happen in the immediate future.
• Information on Traffic Safety Investigations can be found at https://dcgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=6ad1d55bdcb2460c9afb3b6e79ee061c&folderid=453ee9fa70854c898c9f5095096c702c
• And Notices of Intent on road construction, new bike lanes, etc. can be found at https://ddotwiki.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NI/overview

At 8:05 PM, Hala adjourned the meeting

The Fall 2022 Edition of The Crest is now available under the "News" tab above.

The Summer 2022 Edition of The Crest is now available under the "News" tab above.

Step by Step Instructions to Join the CCA

1. Visit www.Crestwooddc.org

2. If you’re not a current member, click the “Join the CCA” button in the top left black menu bar and follow the instructions. It may take 24-48 hours to process your application.

Step by Step Instructions to opt-in to the directory, edit your profile, and set your privacy settings

1. Visit www.Crestwooddc.org

2. If you are a member, log in by clicking on the blue person icon in the top right-hand corner and entering your email and password.

a. If you don’t remember your password, click on “Forgot password” and you will receive an email to reset your password.

3. Once you’re logged in, click on the person icon again and select “View Profile.”

4. From here click “Edit Profile.” In the top left corner you’ll see three options:

a. Profile - You can edit any of your profile details here.

b. Privacy – first, check the box in the top left corner marked “Show profile to others.” Then select what you want to share with others. (NOTE - we suggest you select “Members” for any information you’d like to share with CCA members. If you select "No access" this information will not appear in the Membership Directory.)

c. Email Subscriptions – select what type of emails you want to receive from the CCA

d. Once you’ve adjusted your profile, privacy and email preferences, click “Save” in the top left corner.

Step by Step Instructions to Access the CCA Member Directory

1. Visit www.Crestwooddc.org

2. Log in using your email and password

3. Hover over “Members” on the top left black menu bar, “Members Only Content” will appear, hover over it and select “Membership Directory”

NOTES: CRESTWOOD ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT (SMD) AND CRESTWOOD CITIZENS ASSOCIATION JOINT MEETING (annual meeting)

Tuesday, May 17, 2022; 7:00 PM by Zoom 

1. Welcome and Introductions (Board Members)

•  Thank yous!
• o   Aging in Place (Jackie Jackson, Yvonne Baskerville)
• o   Green Team (Danielle Reyes & Doug Barker)
• o   Kids team (Caitlin Clark)
• o   Issues Team (Peter Richman) (???)
• o   Dog station volunteers 
• §  George  Chaconas (takes care of benches as well)

2. 2022-2023 CCA Board Candidates (position and years/terms in office)

·         President - Hala Harik Hayes

·         First Vice President - Doug Barker

·         Second Vice President - John Favazzo

·         Secretary - Pat Kennedy

·         Communications Director(s) - Victoria and Michael Earls 

·         Treasurer - Carey DeMatteis

·         Additional Member - Dallas Salisbury (Working on mailing to folks in CW to determine who need aging in place and are not electronically plugged-in)

o   Members in good standing will receive an email this evening with a link to vote. Vote will remain open for 48 hours. 

3. CCA Updates

o    Treasurer’s Report

§  Surplus, b/c no holiday party – will use for Spring events.

o    CCA Membership Directory update - online directory. Will distribute postcard to all Crestwood homes with info about opting in to new directory.

o    Upcoming Events

§  May 20: Crestwood Traffic Safety Walkthrough (begins at 16th & Blagden) – W/councilmember Lewis George – child hit by car on Blagden (work with DDOT to see what we can do) – Friday at 3:30 (also arranged DDOT director and his staff) – meet at 16^th and Blagden. Request for traffic events ahead of time.

§  May 22: Spring Picnic (Triangle Park) - potluck. Dessert provided by John Mahshie & Jay Fazio. Also a bounce house! – Bring things to grill

§  Rock Creek Conservancy Summer in the Parks Events at Carter Barron 

·         5 - 7 pm on Weds June 1, 8, 15, and 22

·         Carter Barron Box Office Circle

·         Next e-cycle event at The Triangle, Saturday, June 11th from 9-10 am (fills up very early)

·         July 4: 4th of July Parade

o    May-August: 3rd Saturday/Sunday of the month events 

o    Summer Programming - looking for sponsors for Summer events & mobile paper shredding event in Fall (note re. noise of paper shredder trucks)

·         Ice cream social?!?!

·         Jazz in park - highlight local bands?

·         Late-August – outdoor movie night, possibly on Colorado

·         Other updates: 

o    successful first ever seed exchange and second ever plant exchange;

o    guided tour of RCP; 

o    looking for weed warriors (3 people – registered with NPS and able to remove invasives)

4. CCA Communications

·         80% approval of moving to online directory.  

·         Don’t want to be printing things twice if possible

·         Advance notice of ANC and reporting out

·         Posting notices on Website, emails, and newsletter

·         Physical community board.

·         Michael provided an overview of CCA communications vision:

o    Acknowledgement re. inclusive communications for both those online and less/not online per Dallas stated concerns

o    Three goals for CCA communications: (1) CCA events/updates; (2) Relevant DC neighborhood news beyond the CCA; (3) Encourage & facilitate neighbor engagement 

o    Goal for content = Match electronic outreach, social media and other forms of communication to be reinforcing

o    Newsletter - consistent schedule, recapping events, sections devoted to the various teams, featured neighbors, other ways t

o    Website & social media - reinforce info in newsletter, engage people online on a team - source of ongoing conversation, sharing DC info more broadly

·         George

o    Fan of Crestwood book – get another printing of book (100 years 100 acres).  Bill Bently is local neighborhood publisher (though note that we do have extra copies of book and available for purchase for $25 on CCA website)

o    Also suggestion to keep an angie’s list of helpers (sitters, carpenters)  

o    Be sure to thank 12 names of helpers who monitor dog stations. 

o    Idea to ask people to contribute information to newsletters.  

·         Dallas – WaPo distributor used to distribute the CW newsletter. Recommends again exploring to help w/hard copy distribution.  

·         Gale Black:

o    suggests posting hard copy signs up ahead of any meeting (6 different places – in 3 days ahead).  Block contacts would distribute in past and could again.  

o    Kiosk was an idea for physical locations for relevant info (locations at Colorado, Triangle, Point)

5. ANC 4A08 Update (Pavan)

·         Traffic Safety - 311 request# required for DDOT to do anything including speed humps

·         Traffic Safety Walk Through at 3:30 pm on Friday May 20, starting 16th/Blagden … Walk through this Friday afternoon with Councilwoman George

·         -need 311 request to have info on specific incidents re traffic safety

·         Dallas – Only way to get detail is FOIA request.

·         Q from Patricia re speed camera at Blagden/Allison and whether 311 requests filed … Pavan unsure.

6. Other announcements

·         Carter Barron Reconstruction Update (Pavan)

o    NPS working on rehabilitation on stage and amphitheater in general and has started design phase, ultimate construction and related funding (federal) = still TBD re. next steps …

o     Carter Barron cleanup happening this Saturday … chance to see inside as well (socially distant) from 9 am - 12 PM, register in advance via rockcreekconservancy.org 

o    Reminder: Ban on gas powered leaf blowers

7. Neighbor concerns and questions

·         Standing water reminders from Doug re. mosquitos

·         Aging in Place update - discussion/updates; email on website = olderadults@crestwooddc.org

·         Beach Drive - no specific update re. re-opening (likely another 6 months)

·         Traffic on Blagden concerns to NPS

The Crestwood Citizens Association Annual Meeting will take place virtually on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 via Zoom. Please click here to access the meeting. If you do not want to use Zoom, you may dial in by telephone by calling (301) 715-8592 and entering the meeting ID 813 6028 0999. This will be a joint meeting of the CCA and ANC SMD 4A08 (Commissioner Pavan Khoobchandani). If there are particular issues that you would like us to address, please email info@crestwooddc.org or respond to this email.  We will not be voting on Board officers at the meeting. Rather, paid CCA members will receive information on how to vote by email immediately following the meeting. The following current Board members will be running for re-election: Hala Harik Hayes for President, Doug Barker and John Favazzo for Vice President, Carey DeMatteis for Treasurer, and Pat Kennedy for Secretary.

We have one new candidate, Dallas Salisbury, who is running as an Additional Member of the Crestwood Citizens Association Board of Directors. Dallas' candidate statement is as follows:  I am running to be on the Crestwood Citizens Association (CCA) Board of Directors to assist with membership recruitment and focus on the inclusion of all Crestwood residents. (Bylaws provide for up to five at-large Board members in addition to the officers.) In this new, fast-moving world, some segments of society feel a greater sense of disenfranchisement than ever before. Despite the advantages of modern technology, not everyone lives a “high tech life”, particularly seniors, yet all our neighbors deserve the opportunity to join the CCA, receive their materials, and enjoy the benefits. As a senior myself, I am painfully aware of how many in my age cohort do not regularly use the internet or list serves and thus feel excluded from news and neighborhood debates around public issues, not to speak of the enjoyable community events available. I believe many could benefit from membership in the CCA if we provided them with hard copy of materials and notices, i.e., direct communication with mailings and flyers. In 1978 when I moved into a home in the 1700 block of 17th Street - what the real estate agent called Crestwood - I applied for membership in the Crestwood Citizens Association. Interestingly, I was told that I was not eligible as I did not live in "official" Crestwood - historically defined as a small area within which its developer (Paul Stone) established lots and built houses beginning in 1938. Instead, I was told that I should join the Rock Creek East Association (now defunct), which was open to the entire area. Working together with some other young new residents who did reside in "official" Crestwood, we undertook a campaign to expand CCA's membership boundaries. We were successful in pushing the boundaries east to 17th Street and north to Upshur Street. And now, decades later, the CCA covers the entire geographic area west of 16th Street and bordered on all sides by Rock Creek Park as far north as Carter Barron. Given the neighborhood's turnover, I expect that many residents are unaware of this history. Recent societal developments - some accelerated by Covid - have included a movement toward internet-based meetings and communication. This trend effectively excludes from participation in many organizations and our governmental processes anyone who is not an easy and frequent user of computers or other internet devices such as tablets and smart phones. Thus, many older citizens find themselves eliminated from the public discourse as more and more notifications required by Bylaws or public laws and regulations eliminate USPS delivery. And now, even push electronic emails are being replaced by "Twitter only" communications from DC Government agencies, thereby excluding those residents who use email but choose not to utilize social media. When information becomes available only via web browser and social media skills and time-consuming website searches, democracy suffers as it becomes the domain of fewer residents. If elected to the CCA Board I would focus on building a broader membership, with special effort targeted toward inclusion of our "unconnected" or "less connected" neighbors, i.e., those who are less likely to be aware of or feel an affinity with the CCA due to lack of information about it and its activities. To accomplish this, I would help to rebuild the block captain network, and reintroduce at least some distribution of print materials (such as the newsletter, event announcements, and the membership directory) to those who request paper due to the absence of, or difficulty with, electronic access to these resources. The importance and effectiveness of print and mailed material (as opposed to electronic) is best illustrated by its continued use by serious candidates for public office such as the DC Council, Mayor, and DC Attorney General, not to speak of federal offices inclusive of President and our DC Delegate to Congress. Political candidates hand distribute or mail material to every mailbox/house. Also, tax bills, traffic tickets, utility and credit card bills, and any other attempt to collect money from residents offer a USPS mail option. Yet some governmental entities have ceased using USPS mail to inform us of proposed governmental actions, our right as citizens to participate in the process, and deadlines for submission of comments or testimony on issues that directly affect our lives. As time passed and the CCA evolved to rely almost solely on electronic communication, we have lost touch with some of our neighbors (and some members?) who no longer have a means to stay current with or participate in its activities. Every resident in Crestwood is important to our collective well being. We all are fortunate to live in this lovely community and can celebrate it together. And it is as important today as it once was that all generations feel included and up to date with local happenings. It is my understanding that mailings are possible to every home in Crestwood through various lists, and that contact information, including phone numbers, are part of publicly available voter registration lists; others may well know of other sources. As a first step I would endorse the USPS mailing of an oversize post card to all homes to submit information for the Crestwood directory - in addition to a web option for those who prefer that mode - and invite residents to drop their completed post card through my home mail slot or call me to pick it up from their home. (The amount of information they choose to submit will be their choice.) Technological progress is inexorable, but I can volunteer time to my neighborhood to help facilitate citizen participation. If elected, I will use DallasSalisburyCCA@gmail.com as a dedicated email address, and dedicate a cell phone number (202-209-9797) to CCA communications. I view my initiatives as complimentary to what the CCA Board is currently doing to maintain Crestwood as a wonderful place to live. I have loved it for my 44 years as a resident. I respectfully ask for your vote for the CCA Board of Directors. Feel free to contact me at the above email or phone number with any questions or concerns. I thank you for your consideration. Dallas Salisbury Argyle Terrace NW