Proposed Design for Shirley Chisholm ES (formerly Tyler) – First Look
by Larry Janezich
Posted Monday, February 9, 2026
Thursday night, ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee heard a presentation from STUDIOS Architecture of the concept design for the renovation of Shirley Chisholm Elementary School (formerly Tyler) at 10th and G Streets, SE.
The school is being modernized and enlarged to meet additional programming and projected enrollment requirements. The project will also maximize exterior programmable space and ensure the safety and security of students and staff. The modernization will entail removing all of the interiors, stripping it down to the structure and façade, and providing all new building systems and new finishes.
The school will vacate this summer into their swing space and demolition and new construction will start. Completion is projected for July of 2028.
Following the presentation, the committee voted unanimously to recommend that the full ANC6B support forwarding the designs to the Historic Preservation Committee for review.
Here’s an overview of the project:
The school’s existing footprint with dates of expansions.
The proposed modernization’s footprint.
The renovated main entrance at the corner of 10th and G Streets. The canopy will be replaced and the entrance will feature an accessible pathway.
Here’s the view of the existing building down G Street with a three story addition at the 11th Street end.
Here’s the view from 11th and G Streets looking southwest. The image on the building shows a public art space reflecting community feedback about providing a way for Rep. Shirley Chisholm’s legacy to be brought into the school design.
This is a rendering of the south end of the building looking at the play space, the canopy element for community and theater programming space, and another public art feature depicting a place holder.
A view of the 10th Street side of the school looking northeast. A secondary entrance at grade is in the middle at the bottom of the tower and will allow access to larger spaces that may be used more by the community for afterhours activities in the auditorium and gymnasium without giving access to the full building.
In 2025, members of the community, citing infrastructure issues with the school, voiced opposition to preserving the original 1949 building. The Historic Preservation Review Board advised preservation of the structure despite that opposition and despite the building’s not having met the historical status of having been constructed before 1945. Owing to HPRB’s unexplained decision to advise preservation of the 1949 building, the ANC’s letter to HPRB supporting review of the design concepts stated that the ANC expects transparency and clarity going forward.
Here’s a link to an article from last fall in The Hill Rag which provides more detail: https://bit.ly/3O0JJww
Update on Federalist Pig coming to Barracks Row at the former Joey’s of Barracks Row, 527 8th Street, SE. Judging from the demolition permit on the window and the sounds from within, it appears that the build out for restaurateur Steve Salis’s Federalist Pig – reported by Washington Business Journal last August to be coming to Barracks Row – is underway. Salis also owns Ted’s Bulletin on Barracks Row, Honeymoon Chicken, Kramers (formerly Kramerbooks & Afterwords), and Sidekick Bakery.
8th Street Bus Priority Project Update: Last Wednesday night, ANC6B’s Transportation Committee heard a presentation from Project Manager Andrew Grinberg – a briefing required after DDOT’s issued a Notice of Intent on the project’s proposed traffic and parking modifications. One of the results of the proposal will be the loss of 31 parking spaces between East Capitol and M Street, SE (4.5% of total available parking between East Capitol and M Street SE) – mostly on Barracks Row. Comments on the proposed changes will be accepted through February 27th at the NOI Portal, here: https://ddot.dc.gov/service/notice-intent And here’s a link to the website with the presentation DDOT gave to the Committee on Wednesday night. A link can be found under “Documents” about half way down the page. https://buspriority.ddot.dc.gov/pages/8thstse#documents The committee unanimously approved a motion to support the project. The letter of support now goes to the full ANC at its next meeting on Tuesday, February 10. Image DDOT
Neighbors are complaining that Albert’s Liquor at 328 Kentucky Avenue, kitty-corner from Safeway, is in violation of DC statutes regulating the signage and prohibitions on illuminated advertising after hours. Last Tuesday night, ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee voted unanimously to support a motion that the full ANC send a complaint to the DC Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration. Final action on that will come up in next Tuesday night’s meeting of the ANC. Photo: ANC6B
The owner of Capitol Square Bar & Grill at 1500 East Capitol Street has applied to transfer the license from Sahara Market at 1901 Michigan Avenue, NE, to an empty building at 1504 East Capitol next to Capitol Square. As reported by Eat DC, the owner will open a Sahara Market at that location. Capitol Square closed last year over issues involving an expired business license, unpaid taxes, and a series of lawsuits. Next Tuesday, ANC7D has scheduled a vote to Protest the transfers of a “Retailer’s Class C Restaurant” and “Retailers Class B Beer and Wine Store” license from 1901 Michigan Ave, NE, to the vacant, unimproved commercial property at 1504 East Capitol Street, NE, until settlement or agreement is reached with applicant.
ABCA Shuts Down unlicensed weed shop on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. Potomac Tobacco at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE was padlocked and one employee arrested on January 30th when ABCA and MPD shut the site down for illegal cannabis sales. The operation was part of the city’s ongoing enforcement efforts following the enactment of the Medical Cannabis Conditional License and Unlicensed Establishment Closure statute which granted ABCA new civil enforcement powers. Since the bill took effect on July 15, 2024, joint agency efforts have resulted in the padlocking of 102 illegal cannabis businesses.
The Week Ahead…
Monday, February 9
(POSTPONED UNTIL FEBRUARY 23)ANC6B Parks & Public Spaces Taskforce will hold and (In Person Only) Meeting at 7:00pm
This meeting will be held 700 Pennsylvania Avenel, SE; Second Floor (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s).
Letisha Vinson, Office of Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder
Amber Wright, Mayor’s Office of Community Relations & Services (MOCRS)
Eboni-Rose Thompson, State Board of Education (SBOE), Ward 7 Representative
Kisha Anderson, District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Ward 7 Community Engagement Specialist
Randi Thorpe, Department of Public Works (DPW), Community Relations Specialist (invited)
Community Matters
ANC 7D FY 2027 District Budget Priorities – Opportunity for Commissioners to establish priorities for FY 2027 budget cycle
RFK Roundup – Opportunity for Commission to raise awareness around RFK development issues
Other Commission Business
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D vote to Protest transfers of a “Retailer’s Class C Restaurant” and “Retailers Class B Beer and Wine Store” license from 1901 Michigan Ave, NE to a vacant, unimproved commercial property at 1504 East Capitol St, NE until settlement or agreement is reached with applicant.
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D vote to support transfers of jurisdiction on various Parcels and a part of a Reservation to result in District Government control of Bridge 78.
Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee.
511 Third Street NE. Application for a special exception from lot occupancy requirements to demolish an existing one-story rear addition and construct a two-story rear addition on an existing semi-detached two-story + cellar principal dwelling unit
654 L Street NE. Application for special exceptions from rear addition requirements and lot occupancy requirements to construct a three-story + roof deck rear addition to an existing attached two-story + cellar principal dwelling unit
626 A Street NE. Application for concept approval to construct a second-floor addition to an existing one-story garage
Transportation and Public Space Committee
Capitol Hill Classic request for support—Jayme Johnson
Sidewalk Palooza, project to report and reduce sidewalk hazards—Scott Price
Alcohol and Cannabis Licensing Committee
Tango Pastry, 408 H Street NE, Application for retailer’s Class “D” restaurant, including stipulated license
DC Water’s Lead Free DC Initiative – Sean Moore, Communications Manager, Lead
Free DC (Contractor), DC Water, Capital Water and Lead Free DC
Officer Reports
Transportation and Public Space
Presentation: DDOT NOI. Proposed changes to bus stop locations on 8th Street NE at C and D Streets NE – Andrew Grinberg, Transportation Planner, Capital Planning Division,
District Department of Transportation (NOTE: DDOT is taking comments through February 27, 2026.)
Recommendation: ANC6A send a comment letter in response to DDOT NOI 26-06-CPD: Proposed changes to bus stop locations on 8th Street NE at C and D Streets NE
Plenary Session:
Suggested Motion: ANC A formally approve for submission to the DC Council’s
Committee on Transportation and the Environment regarding DDOT oversight, the
testimony delivered by Commissioner Shapiro on January 28, 2026. It is further noted
that this Testimony should be submitted by the ANC no later than February 13, 2026.
Suggested Motion: ANC A approve oral and expanded written testimony to the DC
Council’s Committee on Public Works and Operations regarding ABCA oversight.
Suggested Motion: ANC6A approve the appointment of Gail Sullivan to the Community
Outreach Committee (COC).
Single Member District reports (2 minutes each)
Community Comment
Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You to Know About:
Go here to see a list of upcoming events for this week and to sign up to join FreeDC: https://freedcproject.org/
Wednesday, February 11
8:00pm
Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation’s 11th Anniversary of the Capitol Hill Jazz Jam
Wednesday, February 11th at 8:00pm at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
7:00pm: Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s Dick Wolf Memorial Lecture at the Hill Center.
The event is free and open to the public
James Darius Ball, the director of Future Cities at the National Building Museum, will lecture on future cities and how the power of public imagination and collective vision is shaping the future of urban life. The presentation will spotlight Coming Together, the National Building Museum’s first major exhibition, which examines how American cities are reimagining and reshaping their downtown districts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ball has a background in sustainable development, building science and community engagement. He brings a rich experience and passion to questions of urban identity and opportunity.
The Dick Wolf Memorial Lecture is named for former CHRS president Dick Wolf, a city planner and activist who was a Hill resident who championed the cause of historic preservation. The lecture series features themes of historic preservation and urban planning in Washington, DC.
A reception will follow the presentation. Reservations are not required, and the public is encouraged to attend.
Friday through Sunday, February 13 – 15
Folger Theater Valentine Day Events Love Songs of the 15th Century
Folger Consort’s February concert will be an affair to remember. Join us for a glass of wine and light bite at Quill & Crumb before enjoying romantic ballads based on poet Christine de Pisan’s The Book of the City of Ladies. Enhance your experience by arriving early for one of our pre-concert discussions, led by Folger Consort Artistic Director Robert Eisenstein.
First Look at Congressional Cemetery’s Gate House Renovation
by Larry Janezich
Posted Saturday, February 7, 2026
At ANC6B’s Thursday night meeting of the Planning and Zoning Committee, Mark Hudson, Executive Director of Congressional Cemetery, (bottom, center) introduced Hartman-Cox Architects to present concept designs for the renovation of the cemetery’s gatehouse, garage, kiosk and pergola. The cemetery’s current vision is to be more community focused with more space for education and community engagement facilities.
Here’s a view of the proposal from the west side of the building. The existing porch and garage will be removed. A new structure on the garage footprint will have restrooms, an interpretive display, a kitchen, and multipurpose space. The entrance to the new structure will be in the middle. A terrace in front will will be a launchpad for groups visiting the cemetery.
Here’s a view looking at the south end of the building showing the terrace.
And the proposed first floor plan. The second story of the main building will be extended over the one story south end of the original building to create more administrative space on the main building’s second floor. The current E Street entrance to the building will remain funeral-focused to separate that function of the gatehouse from the more public event space.
Here’s a view of the new kiosk which will be an orientation point for the cemetery and have a fulltime staff member to take check-ins for the local canine group and possibly a gift shop and pamphlets for self-guided tours. There will also be lockers for docents who do volunteer tours at the site. The pergola will be a shade structure for the golf cart used to navigate the site and help people with limited mobility.
Regarding a timeline, Hudson says, “We’re looking at this calendar year for design work and we’re still raising funds which to some extent is driving the process – and then completing construction in 3 to 4 years.” Hartman-Cox is looking to get concept approval from Historic Preservation this year, but does not anticipate ground breaking in 2026.
Saturday: CHAW’s “Life In The City” Exhibit and Reception
Posted February 5, 2026
The Capitol Hill Art League will open its 15th annual open call exhibit with a reception on Saturday, February 7th, from 5:30-7:00 pm, at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop located at 545 7th Street, SE. The Capitol Hill Art League is a visual arts program of The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop: https://chaw.org/
Juror, Barbara Januszkiewicz will discuss the selected pieces and present awards to those artists winning the monetary prizes. Barbara Januszkiewicz is a dynamic artist whose work moves between vibrant colorfield paintings and striking plexiglass sculptures, transforming abstract brushstrokes into immersive environments that engage and uplift audiences. For more, go here: www.barbaraj.info
In addition to viewing the art in person at the Arts Workshop, the art will be availableonline after February 7, on the Capitol Hill Art League website at: www.caphillartleague.org/citylife2026
Last week, CHC interviewed ANC6B Chair Sam Pastore. Here’s a condensed version edited for clarity.
Sam Pastore was elected as ANC6B after running as a write in candidate for the ANC6B05 seat left vacant by the retirement of Commissioner Kasie Durkit. One year after being elected, he finds himself Chair of ANC6B – more on that later.
Pastore was born in the house he and his wife Saleela now live in at 8th and North Carolina Avenue, SE. One of his first jobs was working for Dan Donahue of Agora Farms on Eastern Market’s Farmers Line. He graduated from DC’s Field School then attended DePaul University in Chicago where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in political science and theory.
He became a real estate professional in Chicago right out of college. Three years later, he was back in DC as a real estate agent, working for several agencies before landing at Coldwell Bankers on Capitol Hill in June of 2023.
Why did you run for the ANC?
Pastore said, “Really because no one else ran and I couldn’t imagine having an empty seat in my own district in a time when parts of our democracy are under stress.” He said, that Coldwell Banker realtor Chuck Burger “could probably tell I had an interest in doing community service work” and Burger – who is Chair of Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) – asked him to help EMCAC stand up a new public safety committee. He credits ANC6B04 Commissioner Jerry Sroufe (who is the ANC’s representative to EMCAC) for encouraging him to run as a write-in candidate for the seat.
Other Community Service
Pastore engages in other community activities as well. He cofounded The Purpose Party which was active during the pandemic until recently as a mutual aid civic engagement organization distributing free food, free clothing and free hygiene for people of DC who were in need.
He serves on the board of The Hill Center. He says, “That happened because a close family friend of mine who was a supporter of The Purpose Party had been on the board … and when she left, she introduced me to Board Member Barbara Cartland” and that led to an invitation to join the board.
Pastore is also a volunteer for Capitol Hill Village (CHV), most recently shoveling snow for CHV members. In the spring, he volunteers for Garden Palooza which he says is a really good program where CHV goes out and helps folks get their garden together.
What motivates you to perform community service?
Asked what motivates him, Pastore says he is inspired by people like “Dan Donahue and others who get involved, spend the time, and show up – if we all did that we’d have a better community. We’re in this very wealthy powerful community and there are so many barriers but there’s also so many ways people can get involved.”
What surprised you after being elected to the ANC?
Pastore said, “It was just how hard everyone works whether it’s the city council or the ANC commissioners – and how limited the resources are – from website assistance to communications to infrastructure…. I mean our whole ANC gets a $25,000 annual budget and we have one staff person and we try to piece together a legal team for dealings with developers or some restaurant group or a cannabis company that is well funded and organized…. We have to relearn this every time as commissioners turn over. We are outgunned in so many ways. What I wish is that there were more people who showed up at meetings….”
What do you think makes a good ANC Commissioner?
“It’s really hard showing up authentically and being able to listen and stretch a little bit. What I learned this year is there’s kind of multiple roles for anybody who serves as a commissioner where it’s a conversation between being able to be to be convinced of things and talk about things and not be too stuck in our ways and make things personal and also believe in something. It’s being able to show up as themselves rather than with some kind of negative or self-serving agenda.”
Conflict of Interest
Being a real estate broker, or an attorney, or a city or federal employee while serving as an ANC commissioner presents issues commissioners in other professions don’t face. CHC asked Pastore how he would handle potential conflicts of interest. Pastore said that “any property or case that I have a direct financial interest in – I haven’t ran into one yet – obviously I’d have to recuse myself.” On other questions regarding a zoning or alcohol beverage/cannabis issue on a property next to or in close proximity to a property – say being listed for sale or lease by Pastore or his agency – are less clear cut. Pastore says, “I’d have to check with myself because in the end of the day I also do have my own opinions on those things. I understand that if my name is on a property on Barracks Row and there’s a cannabis shop or a restaurant that wants to open up across the way, I do have to check with myself and see I feel about this: ‘Does it have to do with some financial gain?’ But I haven’t run into one of those yet.”
Major Issues for ANC6B
Here’s a list of major issues for ANC6B that Pastore sees for the coming year:
Zoning and usage issues related to our neighborhood becoming less of a neighborhood in certain ways. Especially about big companies wanting to buy houses.
Rumsey – this year is going to be the year that the design for that public space happens
Redesign of the Potomac Avenue/Pennsylvania Avenue traffic circle.
Issues concerning the on-going expansion of bike lanes and priority bus lanes
Economic variety on Barracks Row and how do we get smart as a community about development? How much of that is in the hands of the community, how much of it is in the hands of the city, how much is it in just in the hands of the people actually own the property?
Managing the tensions regarding the push for more affordable housing. Dealing with concerns of people who say how can you tell me what I can to do with my house?
Streamlining ANC Meetings
There have been discussions over the past year about how to streamline ANC6B meetings which sometimes run so long that unfinished business gets pushed to the next Executive Committee meeting. Pastore says “It’s embarrassing to me when we get to the end of the meeting and we we’ve got to rush through people’s issues especially if they’ve waited through the whole meeting and then we say you’ve got three minutes and then, no one else. But I don’t have a solution yet.”
Elected ANC Chair
CHC asked Pastore about the process by which the Commission selects its officers. Pastore says, “What I find is that I don’t see is a lot of people very hungry to do more because taking on these positions is a lot of work and a lot of responsibility. I think it’s essentially a conversation between the commissioners to see who is willing to say they’ll do it. That’s how I saw it this time in terms of a process. Honestly I can’t say that there’s a set process other than at the end of the day somebody puts your name up and you vote on it.”
CIVIC on Barracks Row Is Open Tomorrow – Tuesday – at 8:00am
by Larry Janezich
Posted Monday, January 2, 2026
After a soft open last Thursday “CIVIC on 8th” at 501 8th Street, SE, Rhonda Foxx’s new concept for a day time coffee bar/evening cocktail bar opens Tuesday, February 3.
Barracks Row MainStreet’s Brian Ready bids for elected office. Ready, former chair of ANC6B and current Executive Director of Barracks Row MainStreet, has launched a bid for DC’s US Shadow Representative. Here he is outside of the Capitol Hill Trader Joe’s on Sunday afternoon collecting some of the 2,000 signatures he needs to get on the ballot for the primary election on June 16, 2026.
Here’s a photo of two Bobcats clearing snow from an alley off 10th Street SE, just after midnight early Saturday morning. It took about 25 minutes to clear a path for trash removal from the alley for pickup which will start on Monday, February 2.
The Up N’ Smoke weed dispensary buildingon Barracks Row is up for sale. The property is being marketed at a $2.3 million price tag by Greysteel Real Estate. According to the description, “The property is anchored by a nationally recognized tenant alongside established local businesses. This balanced mix provides a stable income stream while benefiting from the unique character associated with neighborhood retailers. Investors have the opportunity to enhance long-term value through additional development.”
Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Show: First Place. Vugar Guliyev “Astral Drift” 2025, Oil on canvas. Photo: Hill Center
Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Show. Second Place. Lakshmikant Gupta “Three Sisters” 2023, Color pencil on black paper. Photo: Hill Center.
Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Show. Third Place. Roderick Turner “The New Ferebee/Hope Recreation Center in SE” 2024, Oil on wooden panel. Photo: Hill Center
The Week Ahead:
Tuesday, February 3
ANC6B Alcohol Beverage & Cannabis Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Mayor Muriel Bowser Trash Update – Sunday, Feb 1 – circa 2:45pm
@MayorBowser
Mayor Bowser:
“We’ve made good progress on trash and recycling collection this weekend. We will resume the normal collection days for frontside and alleys.
What to expect this week:
• Households who get frontside collection: Put trash and recycling cans out front on regular pickup days.
• Households who get alley collection: we’re using Bobcats to clear pathways to your bins. Put cans out on regular pickup days and keep them out until it is collected.
CM Charles Allen with meeting organizers ANC6A Chair Amber Gove and East Capitol Resident Suneel Kudaravalli at last Saturday’s Community Meeting on Hill East Power Surges. The couple in the front row suffered $10,000 in damages from power surges on the 1300 block of East Capitol.
Pepco Dodges and Disappoints … Part II
CM Charles Allen with meeting organizers ANC6A Chair Amber Gove and East Capitol Resident Suneel Kudaravalli at last Saturday’s Community Meeting on Power Surges.
Pepco Dodges and Disappoints on Hill East Power Surges – Part I covered Pepco’s presentation at the January 24 community meeting on electric power surges in Hill East. The surges damaged numerous homes on the 1300 block of East Capitol over the last nine months and Pepco claimed that it is unlikely the company was liable.
Part II is about the rest of the meeting with presentations from the Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) – advocates for DC residents with claims against DC utilities – and the Public Service Commission (PSC) which regulates those utilities.
In addition, Part II covers the struggle of a resident to find an explanation from Pepco and the PSC for numerous power outages in another Capitol Hill neighborhood 8 blocks closer to the Capitol.
Adam Carlesco, Utility Attorney, (OPC)
After Pepco left the meeting as related in Part I, Adam Carlesco, Utility Attorney, (OPC), explained that the OPC is DC’s utility advocate for utility rate payers across all 8 wards of the District. He told attendees: “You guys are not the only people we’ve heard from – there was a similar incident in Wards 3 and 4 back in August.”
In that case, a power surge seemed to be the result of a re-closure issue associated with Pepco’s restoration of electricity following an outage. OPC has filed a complaint (case #1185) with the PSC related to that event and subsequently added a complaint in Ward 6. Carlesco told attendees they were welcome to provide comment in that case and that “OPC has requested the Commission open a formal investigation into outages like this to make sure “Pepco is engaging in restoration practices that don’t result in a power surge…we want to make sure that protocols are being observed and that they are in order.” To date, the PSC has not granted a hearing in the case.
He added, “We’re also asking for … an audit of Pepco’s claims process – we’re getting these auto denials across the board under the guise of this being an act of God. In addition to getting the audit and the claims process looked at we want to see when they’re applying these act of God considerations and when customers are actually being compensated.” Carlesco said that OPC was asking that the complaints of the residents of the 1300 block be included in the case pending before PSC.
Carlesco was followed by Maurice Smith, Director of the Office of Consumer Services, PSC, and the office immediately responsible for handling consumer complaints. He told attendees that “just because you get a denial of a complaint from Pepco that’s not the end of the road for you. You can contact PSC and we can go into the resident claims process and have a legal determination which is appealable to the courts.”
Maurice Smith, Director of the Office of Consumer Services, PSC, Margaret Moscowitz, head of PSC Complaint Division, and Steve Martin, PSC attorney.
Margaret Moscowitz, who leads PSC Complaint Division, told attendees there are additional remedies available to them, and referring to an earlier mention of a possible lawsuit said, “you do have to exhaust the administrative remedies available through the PSC before you can go to a court of law with a company that is under our jurisdiction.” She listed the steps in the process:
(Filing a claim against the company)
If Pepco denies your claim you can come to the PSC and file a complaint against Pepco
PSC will do an investigation and file a complaint
Pepco will have 14 business days to respond
PSC will contact the complainant with Pepco’s response
PSC can offer mediation
If you’re not satisfied with the results of mediation you can progress through the administrative process to a formal PSC hearing
(If the decision there is not in your favor) You can appeal that decision
If the appeal is unsuccessful, you can go to court which can award damages
Capitol Hill resident Valerie Jablow attended the meeting. She is not a resident of the 1300 block of East Capitol, but lives in a neighborhood 8 blocks closer to the Capitol Building which has experienced outages and surges. She cited her difficulty in getting an explanation from PSC and Pepco for several outages that happened last year.
Subsequently, in accordance with Carlesco’s suggestion, she joined the comments on case #1185 pending before the PSC. Parts of those comments follow:
“I experienced 4 power outages in 2025: two in February (2/11 and 2/20) and two in October (10/9 and 10/14), affecting more than 1,000 customers on Capitol Hill, starting in the 400 block of A NE and going east…”
After petitioning Pepco for an explanation, and receiving no response, Jablow asked the PSC to intervene with Pepco on her behalf. The PSC did and told Jablow Pepco had 14 days to respond. Six weeks later, after additional prodding, Pepco’s attributed two February outages to an equipment failure and an unknown cause and offered no explanation for the October outages.
On 10/23/25, the DC council held a hearing on Pepco problems in 2025. Then, on 1/24/26, there was a public meeting at the NE Library about Pepco problems in the 1300 block of East Capitol.
Jablow says most of the issues raised at both public hearings, spanning half of DC’s wards, are similar to what she experienced in her outages, including:
No warning, no storm, no wind before the outages.
Personal damages incurred (sometimes amounting to thousands of dollars per household).
Problems with Pepco infrastructure leading to repeated power failures and surges
Public safety compromised and damage incurred by Pepco’s poor responsiveness to incidents
Poor/nonexistent public notification and tracking of problems by Pepco.
In her comments, Jablow asked the Commission for a formal hearing on all matters petitioned by the OPC, an explanation for Pepco for all outages experienced by residents in 2025, clarity about reimbursement, and responses to happen before June 2026.
In addition, Jablow has reached out to the Office of the DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb (OAG), about recent Pepco issues that “have affected thousands in half of DC’s wards because it appears that the DC Public Service Commission is reluctant to hold Pepco accountable.” She asked if this is something AOG could be involved with on behalf of DC residents. The letter said that “despite the urging of the Office of the People’s Counsel, the DC public service commission has not held a hearing on this matter.”
Jablow’s letter echo’s the Sierra Club’s criticism of PSC’s “cozy” relationship with Pepco and other utilities it regulations. The Sierra Club and other watchdog groups have a critical and adversarial view of the PSC, though stopping short of a claim of “regulatory capture.” Here’s a list of some of The Sierra Club’s criticisms:
acting in the interest of utilities rather than the public
“rubber-stamping” Pepco’s requests
PSC approval of a $123 million rate hike costing the average DC resident almost $150
prioritizing utility profitability over local climate commitments and consumer protections.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 