Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association (PBCCA) Blog: $2.8 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create green jobs in the District and improve the health of

Friday, September 18, 2009

$2.8 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create green jobs in the District and improve the health of

DDOT Green Jobs Programs

Awarded Federal Stimulus Funding

Projects Could Create Close to 400 Full and Part-time Jobs

(Washington, D.C.) The District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) has been awarded nearly $2.8 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create green jobs in the District and improve the health of the city’s urban tree canopy.

“This is what the stimulus money was intended to do – to put people to work,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein, “and in this case there’s a significant environmental as well as an economic benefit for the District.”

DDOT, in partnership with Washington Parks & People, will receive $2.692 million to create the DC Green Corps. The DC Green Corps will provide a city-wide gateway to 50 different green career tracks in urban and community forestry, forest-based ecosystems and watershed restoration. Washington Parks & People is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and enhancing public parks, and the DC Green Corps will be based at the new Marvin Gaye Community Greening Center in the Watts Branch sub-watershed of the Anacostia River.

This is one of two significant grant awards for DDOT from the United States Forest Service. DDOT, along with the District Department of the Environment, was also awarded $90,000 for the Mayor’s Green Summer Job Corps, a program that offers approximately 100 District teenagers the opportunity for real green-collar work experience. Working on UFA’s tree teams, the youth will be engaged in data collection and maintenance (mulching, watering, and pruning) of public-space trees.

The DC Green Corps and Mayor’s Green Summer Job Corps are among 78 forest health protection projects to receive ARRA funding from the Forest Service. DDOT has also received ARRA funding for a number of other green initiatives through DDOE. For more detail on all of the District’s ARRA projects, visit the District’s stimulus web site at recovery.dc.gov.

The mission of DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration is to establish a full population of street trees within the District and to ensure that those street trees are maintained in a healthy and safe condition. UFA has 16 certified arborists on staff that care for approximately 140,000 trees throughout the city.

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Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association: From the Beginning

The Penn-Branch Citizens / Civic Association was formed over 40 years ago by members in the community. The need for an association stemmed from specific neighborhood concerns such as water and sewer problems; the lack of sidewalks and curbs on some blocks; no posted traffic signs; and issues arising from the many District and Federal Parks that surround or are located within Penn-Branch.

The boundaries of the community served by the association extend from 38^th Street East to Branch Avenue West, and from Pennsylvania Avenue South to Pope Branch Park North. Within these boundaries are approximately 550 houses on tree lined streets covering rolling hills with easy access to the many wonderful features of the greater Washington metropolitan area. The Penn-Branch community is a touch of the suburbs in an urban setting providing the best of both worlds.

The Penn-Branch Citizens Association, as it was called until 1989, began through the formation of a number of committees, the responsibilities included working with the District and Federal Governments on varying problems. The most active committees over the years have been the Legislative and Public Works Committees, and the Neighborhood Security Patrol. Security Patrol members have contributed countless hours to assuring the security of the Penn-Branch residents. The work of the residents who have served on the PBC/CA’s many other committees have brought about many desirable improvements, and protected the community from unwanted change. The association maintains a pocket park at the corner of Carpenter and O streets, the gateway to Penn-Branch. A major project in recent year was the petitioning of the city to rebuild the crumbling O Street retaining wall. The association working with Dupont Park neighbors, defeated a proposal to erect a cellular monopole at the Penn-Branch shopping center that would have defeated our vistas. We host two major social events during the year, a Christmas Potluck and Carols on the second Tuesday in December (free – just bring a dish to serve at least four or more) and a Spring Dinner Dance, a proven fund-raiser and a reliable good time.

The Annual Membership drive runs from September to December. Through the year, the association welcomes the volunteer efforts of all Penn-Branch residents in carrying out its programs. While its leadership has changed hands many times over the years, the association continues as a stable, cohesive force owing to the time and services freely given by residents.

The PBC/CA is incorporated as a non-profit organization, and is a member of the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations. The By-laws of the association have changed from time-to-time; one significant change allows two votes per household if a two-member household exists.

In 1989, the membership voted unanimously to change the name from the Penn Branch Citizens Association to the Penn Branch Citizens/Civic Association to acknowledge a more diverse tradition of community organization.

The Penn-Branch Citizens / Civic Association, Inc. is “A Community Committed to Excellence” with the goal to create a safe and desirable community in which to live.

Officers- a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer- are elected to one-year terms. A nominating committee appointed by the president solicits a slate of candidates during April, which is presented to the membership and voted on at the May meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor. Newly elected officers are sworn in at the June meeting, and begin serving in September. The president appoints committee chairs. A grass-root network of block captains serves as conduit through which concerns and information are shared between the association and its members. The association also publishes a monthly newsletter.

Our success in accomplishing the association’s goals can only be achieved to the extent that all the neighbors in Penn-Branch participate to ensure that the community we chose to live in remains a community we want to live in.

Friday, September 18, 2009

$2.8 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create green jobs in the District and improve the health of

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