Today is Halloween, and yes, kids do trick or treat in the hood. I know of at least three houses on my block giving away candy. I don’t know or think kids bother with condo buildings, but they will go to houses. Also be aware that the lame non-costumed losers will beg you for candy (if you are giving it out), accept it as part of the day. But there is no reason you have to give them the good stuff.
Month: October 2007
Mugging ’round Mt Vernon Sq
This morning I got this email from a guy:
Last night I was mugged at the corner of 10th and M–literally within sight of my apartment at Mt. Vernon Plaza across the street. A young male jumped me, grabbed me by the throat and tried to choke me, pushed something hard into my stomach, and demanded my cash. Out of shock (or stupidity), I said no, kicked him in the shin and jumped into the street. In the process, the guy tried to steal my ipod but got away only with my new (and fab-o) earbuds.
I was making all the wrong moves before it happened–listing to loud music on my ipod, not paying attention, and doing my little ipod walk/dance thing. Keep your eyes open ladies and gentlemen. And why would it be so difficult for this city to light its streets? The corner of 10th and M is a busy street yet it’s pitch dark there after the sun goes down.
One thing, though, that the city did do right was the police response. After dialing 911, it took the police about 45 seconds to arrive. Two squad cars scoured the alleys and streets to no avail. A fantastic female cop and her partner even drove me around looking for the jerk that jumped me.
I’ve lived in the city now for more than ten years and have been a part of this neighborhood for six of them. Word from the (now) streetwise, your blog readers should their eyes peeled and their legs taking you down lit streets after dark.
Even when it is not dark be aware of your surroundings. M Street has been having some problems with choking/muggings as been reported on the Mt. Vernon Sq listserv. In broad daylight I’ve been hyper-aware of my surroundings when walking down M lately, accounting for every single person on the street. But this has been east of 7th.
Green Roof Subsidy
For those of you who own roofs larger than 3500 square feet, there is a grant available for a Green Roof.
============ ========= =
The Steering Committee of the 2007-2008 Green Roof Demonstration
Subsidy Program is happy to announce the release of the green roof
subsidy application on Thursday October 25th. DC Greenworks, a nonprofit
organization in Washington, DC works to support the growth of
green roofs throughout the metropolitan area, through education,
demonstration and green collar job training.
In July 2007, DC Greenworks received a grant from the District
Department of the Environment, Watershed Protection Program, to
provide subsidies of up to $ 3.00 a square foot to groups wishing to build
green roofs. The subsidy is available to owners or builders of institutional,
industrial, residential, or commercial property, as well as, affordable
housing.
Subsidies are available for:
• extensive and intensive green roof projects
• new roofs and retrofits
• buildings with a footprint of under 5000 square feet, and
• buildings with a footprint of over 5000 square feet and built prior to 1988.
Applications will be ranked on the following factors:
• adequacy of basic green roof design 15%
• educational value of the demonstration 20%
• storm water retention 15%
• location of property within the Combined Sewer Overflow Zone 20%
• geographic and building use diversity 15%
• size of projects with priority given to spaces larger then 3500 square feet
10%
• retrofits 5%
For more information on green roofs and to download the application
please go to www.dcgreenworks. org or call (202) 518-6195. Help us
spread the green in DC.
Green Roof Subsidy
For those of you who own roofs larger than 3500 square feet, there is a grant available for a Green Roof.
============ ========= =
The Steering Committee of the 2007-2008 Green Roof Demonstration
Subsidy Program is happy to announce the release of the green roof
subsidy application on Thursday October 25th. DC Greenworks, a nonprofit
organization in Washington, DC works to support the growth of
green roofs throughout the metropolitan area, through education,
demonstration and green collar job training.
In July 2007, DC Greenworks received a grant from the District
Department of the Environment, Watershed Protection Program, to
provide subsidies of up to $ 3.00 a square foot to groups wishing to build
green roofs. The subsidy is available to owners or builders of institutional,
industrial, residential, or commercial property, as well as, affordable
housing.
Subsidies are available for:
• extensive and intensive green roof projects
• new roofs and retrofits
• buildings with a footprint of under 5000 square feet, and
• buildings with a footprint of over 5000 square feet and built prior to 1988.
Applications will be ranked on the following factors:
• adequacy of basic green roof design 15%
• educational value of the demonstration 20%
• storm water retention 15%
• location of property within the Combined Sewer Overflow Zone 20%
• geographic and building use diversity 15%
• size of projects with priority given to spaces larger then 3500 square feet
10%
• retrofits 5%
For more information on green roofs and to download the application
please go to www.dcgreenworks. org or call (202) 518-6195. Help us
spread the green in DC.
Thinking tax write off
Okay I had my contractor save the unused pine flooring, extra insulation and some other stuff, that in some wonderful fantasy world I was going to use in a project. Screw it, I wound up donating some of it to Community Forklift. This weekend I dumped off for a receipt saying I gave them 100 sq ft of heart pine flooring, that they will in turn sell at $3 a sq ft. Earlier I donated some unopened cans of paint, extra tile, and a bunch of face plates. A friend of mine donated a chandelier she hated.
So before the craziness of the end of the year donation blitz starts in December, if you have some extra boxes of tile or other flooring, cabinets, full cans of paint, light fixtures, kitchen sinks, think about calling up the folks up CF (they seem to like a heads up) and dropping off your stuff. You’ll clear up some space and get a tax write off.
Urban living
I can tell when people are not ready for true urban living. They’ve never seen people selling drugs out of the car in front of the house. Or people running down the street with guns in their hands. You will see that here. You will see grown men pull down their pants and take a poop in front of you. You will see that here. I hate to see people move in and get terrified. Maybe it is best you don’t move here.
— Scott Roberts, as quoted in October 3, 2007 Washington Post article
This reminded me of something said amongst a gathering of TC residents, that some folks (and at one time they themselves) are a little naive about living over here. Some folks are cut out for it, some aren’t and it is a pity when you’ve bought the house or sign the lease to find out that the handful of urban things you thought you could deal with, you can’t. Maybe you came from a place where the police come quickly when you call. Here, they might come, but you call anyway, ’cause you never know.
There are also assumptions, points of view regarding how to live and expectations that aren’t met. The police thing is one. Litter is another, kids and adults will toss trash on the ground like it’s nothing. I’d like it if the elementary kids would keep their language PG, I know I need to lower my expectations, but I just can’t.
But it all isn’t that bad. I and some of my neighbors have some kick a$$ commutes, with no bumper to bumper anything. Within a two mile radius there are about a hundred arts/ cultural events going on. And in this neighborhood, like the neighborhood I grew up in, I know my neighbors, I know people in my neighborhood and there is a genuine joy I feel when I bump into them on the street or elsewhere in the city.