The Georgetowner by Peggy Sands
It was standing room only — outside and in — at the Ronald Reagan Building auditorium downtown on Friday, March 24, when D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser touted her economic development showcase, billed as March Madness.
Some twenty initiatives were presented at this “pre-solicitation event,” including apprenticeships, summer nature camp programs and workshops on fiscal management for small business owners and landlords, including a free one-on-one with a lawyer. There were programs to help veterans, green-energy projects and banking guidelines. Most of all, there was an emphasis on how to build public-private partnerships with guidelines on how to pursue and get government contracts and cooperative arrangements.
‘The D.C. government can’t do it alone,” Bowser proclaimed again and again during her remarks. “We know you want opportunities to be involved in some of our exciting projects and we want you to be involved. We want there to be transparency throughout the planning, procurement and development stages,” she said. “We want you to know what we are doing, where the projects are across all of the neighborhoods of the District.”
“We have three focus areas,” explained Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner: “affordable housing, increasing tax revenues and getting District residents jobs.” He lauded D.C.’s declining unemployment rate and growing property assessment values, which this year could top $1 billion taxable units, especially with the growing hotel occupancy and tourism in the District. “We want private sector growth to generate $100 billion by 2020,” said Kenner.
While seven District directors and department heads reviewed their achievements during the morning event, they all also admitted to challenges. Every agency had ideas, plans and initiatives to bring on partners.
“We still have much to do,” said Bowser, particularly naming roads and infrastructure. “To be a great city we need to work with local companies and we have a plan for that. And we need more ideas about affordable housing.”
Outside the auditorium, the lounge was lined with tables where representatives of District departments eagerly discussed projects, offerings and help needed. There was some fun swag from dark glasses to T-shirts. But some of the projects were already closed.
A District summer camp had maxed out on applications in January and the summer work opportunity program was fast nearing its deadline. Obviously the process of obtaining partnership agreements will be competitive.