In December 2012 D.C. City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson shook up the DC City Council by assigning members to new committees, including the appointment of Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) to chair the health committee, which has jurisdiction over a myriad of issues affecting skilled nursing and other licensed care communities that impact LeadingAge DC members and their clients. David A. Catania (I-At Large), previously chaired this committee and spearheaded the Health Care Facilities Improvement Amendment Act of 2010 which made significant changes to skilled nursing operations. Councilmember Catania will now chair the resurrected education committee.

Mendelson also selected Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) to chair the economic development committee. According to Washington Post article Bowser said she planned to use her new position to focus on affordable housing and creating “responsible neighborhood development” throughout D.C. She has already introduced a series of bills to benefit residents, including one to prevent property tax increases on long time DC residents and a bill to allow homeowners eligible for the homestead (senior, disabled, or regular) to take the deduction for the full year even if they did not apply for it until the second half of the year. Bowser has also introduced legislation to create an affordable housing strategy at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which owns a significant amount of underdeveloped land around its Metrorail stations.

As for the rest of the committee, Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) will chair the judiciary and public safety committee; Vincent B. Orange (D-At Large) will chair business-oriented and regulatory agencies; and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) will have oversight of employment and community affairs agencies. Other Council Members have kept their previous assignments. For more information please contact Alayna Waldrum.