07/27/2022
Dear neighbors,
For the past 8 years, I’ve been privileged to represent our community as the Commissioner for ANC6A02. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Mayors, Councilmembers, and dedicated Commissioners as well as numerous other ANC6A residents to help tackle issues big and small in our community. I’m tremendously proud to have played a small part in many large changes in our area. Looking back, we’ve renovated schools and we’ve added a few new playgrounds at our community schools and parks. We’ve implemented important traffic calming including road diets, added bike lanes, all-way stop signs, speed humps, and curb extensions to help make our streets safer for all users and to take steps to get closer to the Vision Zero goal of truly safe streets. We’ve repaired and replaced vacant and blighted buildings, added affordable housing, and improved H Street and all while building community through our ANC, our schools, our parks, and our great local businesses. Our ANC has continued a fine tradition of excellent service and engagement and I’m proud to say it remains one of the very best ANCs in DC. It’s been wonderful working with so many of you who share the commitment to this community to help make it an even better place to live for all who call it home.
The time has come for me to return my refocus my attention on my family and my other responsibilities and to make room for others with the energy and call to serve here. Thus, I will not be seeking re-eleciton to ANC6A this year.
I am thrilled to share that two outstanding current constituents of mine have stepped forward to run to represent our community as commissioners for the new ANC6A02 and ANC6A03 districts. Mike Velasquez and Roberta Shapiro are both longtime residents in our community with demonstrated records of serving their neighbors, working on our ANC’s volunteer communities and both will make us proud as Commissioners going forward.
Roberta Shapiro is a longtime F Street NE resident who currently serves on our ANC’s Economic Development and Zoning Committee. She has an extensive record of volunteer work in our community and is a fixture on F Street NE where she works to bring neighbors together to address matters big and small. She’s worked with me on various matters of import in her corner of the district and has regularly brought new and old residents to the attention of the ANC, Council and other district agencies. Roberta has helped address street safety, pedestrian and cyclist concerns, residential parking, construction and housing affordability. She's previously been a leader with the Capitol Hill Village where she helped coordinate services and assist our seniors with aging in place. I am thrilled she is willing to serve as our elected Commissioner for the new 6A03 (largely 7th to 12th, D to G Street NE) going forward and I very much look forward to voting for her in November. Roberta is copied here and can be reached at [email protected]. Please let me know if I can help you get to know Roberta better or if you have any questions about why I support her to be our next representive.
Mike Velasquez is also very well-equipped to be our new 6A02 Commissioner and will be a terrific representative for residents along G Street NE and to the north, Mike and his family are longtime G Street NE fixtures where they are already well-known community leaders. For years, Mike has helped bring his neighbors together for block parties and front porch gatherings and works closely with neighbors new and and old to build community, discuss challenges, and engage the District agencies, the ANC, and the Council to help bring attention to maters for importance. I have regularly relied on Mike to help connect me with residents along 12th, 13th, G, Linden and other nearby streets who he knows well from his unofficial leadership role in that part of our neighborhood. Mike has been engaged on H Street, street safety, traffic calming, housing, development, and more. He’s been a parent leader at local schools Ludlow-Taylor and Stuart Hobson and has been a volunteer stalwart in Capitol Hill Little League as well. Mike already serves on on the ANC’s Alcohol and Beverage Licensing Committee where he helps support local businesses and helps navigate good relationships between the businesses and neighborhood residents. I am grateful that Mike stepped up to continue his service to our community by running to serve as the Commissioner for the new 6A02 district, which includes the northern part of the district I have represented as well as parts of H Street and areas just to its north. But for redistricting placing MIke’s house and mine in different single member districts, I would be thrilled to vote for Mike this fall and I look forward to supporting him going forward. Mike can be reached at [email protected]. Please let me know if I can help share more information about Mike’s background and service in our community, both of which well-qualify him to represent us going forward.
I also want to echo Chair Gove’s request for residents to join one of our ANC committees. Non-commissioner volunteers lead our Transportation and Public Space, Economic Development and Zoning, Community Outreach, and Alcohol licensing committees and we are always seeking more volunteers to get involved there. If you wish to be more involved in our community, these are great opportunities to get to know neighbors and serve and the best way to get more involved in our ANC. Many current and past commissioners, including myself, were previously members of the ANC6A committees. The requirements for participation are not burdensome and the value residents add to the Commission’s work is great. Please feel free to reach out to me, your commissioner, or the chair of any of the ANC6A committees to learn more.
Thanks again for the opportunity to serve as your Commissioner. I look forward to completing my current term and to remaining involved as an engaged neighbor going forward. Please join me in supporting Roberta and Mike as they step up their service to our community.
Best,
Phil Toomajian
Commissioner, ANC6A02
