If you live in ANC1A (see boundaries above, roughly northern Columbia Heights above Irving and Park View) there’s a meeting tomorrow to discuss public safety issues. Dan Kornfield, who’s the head of the ANC1A public safety committee, has more details. He’s danielkornfield@yahoo.com
Dear neighbors,
The meeting date selected is this coming Tuesday Jan 31 from 7:00-8:00pm.
Location: ANC 1A office at 3400 11th St NW Suite 200 (above Meridian Pint, across the street from The Coupe).
The theme of the meeting will be local block-level community-building.
Crime tends to go down in the winter, and this leads me to two thoughts:
1. First, this makes the winter a perfect time to reflect and plan, rather than just react. How can we make a difference in how safe people are and feel in our neighborhoods? How can we build community (which is itself safety-inducing!)?
2. Second, public safety is about more than just crime and criminal violence. It is also about tripping hazards, sufficient lighting, helping less-able neighbors shovel their sidewalks, making sure no one freezes on a cold night, etc.
Also, reflecting on the year that has passed, I want to make the monthly public safety meetings more action-oriented and effective. In particular, I am proposing the following:
Monthly meetings will rotate in their purpose between our three themes:
1. Organizing for block-level community building — (VERY local neighborhood potlucks, clean-ups, etc.)
2. Public information (what do we know and want to know about public safety in our area — and who will volunteer to do research and post on our blog? — 1APublicSafety – https://1apublicsafety.wordpress.com/
3. Improving Youth Spaces and Activities — what options do our young people have in our community for fun, safe activities, what are the gaps in those options, and how can we improve them?
As such, our February meeting will be focused on #1 — organizing at the block level. Our March meeting will be focused on #2 — public information, etc. I will aim to build some coalitions with people dedicated to each of these issues, and everyone is welcome to come to the meetings you are most interested in.
