Happy Thanksgiving from the District’s Dime!
Families and friends across the country will join together to appreciate their good fortune over the past year. We here at DCFPI have quite a few things to be grateful for as well. So tomorrow, while we’re all taking the time to eat, rest, and be thankful, here’s what DCFPI will be celebrating:
- DC’s Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP): This year, the District took action to allow 17 LRSP vouchers to be used instead of sitting on a shelf collecting dust. That’s 17 District families who will now have a place to call home.
- Steps Taken Toward Increased Transparency at DCPS: While there is more to be done on making the schools budget more accessible and transparent, the release of a new budget guide outlining the funding breakdown of the DCPS budget, including how the program is described in the CFO’s budget book, is a step in the right direction.
- Increased Funding for Affordable Housing Programs: Nearly $22 million of additional funds were added for critical affordable housing programs in the FY 2013 budget: $15 million to the Housing Production Trust Fund to largely help offset a $20 million proposed cut; $2.5 million to the Home Purchase Assistance Program; and $4 million for the Local Rent Supplement Program to help move families out of emergency shelter and into stable housing.
- Groundbreaking health care reform: DCFPI is happy that DC has aggressively pushed forward on federal health care reform, earning the District $73 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- New Federal Funds for Home Visiting Programs: The DC Department of Health partnered with the Home Visiting Council to successfully compete for federal funding to expand evidence-based home visiting programs in the city. The department will receive $2.25 million per year for the next two years to build up DC’s Home Visitation program, which will benefit at-risk families with young children across our community.
- Acceleration of TANF Redesign: The District reprogrammed funds to ensure that all families receiving TANF will receive an assessment in time to allow them time to access employment services before their benefits are cut.
- Innovative Approaches to Workforce Development: A newly reinvigorated Workforce Investment Council is developing a pilot workforce intermediary for the District, a job matching approach that has been successful in other cities.
- DC Following the Buffett Rule, Not Breaking It: The DC Council rejected the cut on capital gains taxes for tech investors, ensuring that they would not pay a lower tax rate on their returns than DC residents pay on their incomes.
- Timely Information: The CFO released the Current Services Funding Level nearly three months earlier than last year! We’re so excited!
So, that’s our list. What are you thankful for?
Happy Thanksgiving, and we will be back on Monday!