photo by Victoria Pickering
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Mayor Muriel Bowser delivered her Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Budget and Financial Plan, A Fair Shot: Strategic Investments and Shared Sacrifice, to the Council of the District of Columbia as part of the District’s annual budget process. The FY25 budget represents strategic investments and shared sacrifices to address a confluence of post-COVID factors and drive economic growth.
“Never bet against Washington, DC. We are a resilient city. We never give up. We know how to make a strong comeback. But our wins are also not accidental. We’re smart, creative, and strategic. That is the spirit of my fiscal 2025 budget. This is a smart budget, it’s a responsible budget, but most important, this is a budget that will keep DC the best city in the world,” said Mayor Bowser. “I know that by continuing to work together – by striking the right balance between investments and sacrifice and by prioritizing investments that will kick off more revenues for the District – we will get back to the economic growth levels that have fueled the renaissance of modern Washington.”
The FY25 budget and financial plan is made up of $21 billion in operating funds and $11.8 billion in capital improvement funds. The post-COVID economic factors include: slower revenue growth; the end of federal stimulus funding; significantly higher operating costs, including an additional $200 million in WMATA funding; and the impacts of the remote work environment. The District’s budget is also unique because DC Government is required to have a balanced financial plan across both the current fiscal year and the upcoming four years of the financial plan. The result of these factors is a widening gap across the financial plan that requires prudent investments now to change the trajectory of our out-year revenue estimates.
Mayor Bowser shared her guiding principles for creating the budget:
Maintaining and enhancing core services and preserve investments that protect health and safety.
Prioritizing programs with track records of success that advance equity.
Resetting spending to align with resources for long-term fiscal stability and focus new spending on catalytic investments, with a focus on public safety, education, and Downtown.
Below are highlights of investments and initiatives in Mayor Bowser’s FY25 budget proposal.
Downtown
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$5 million for DMPED’s Vitality Fund, which provides grants to businesses in high-growth sectors like technology and life sciences to encourage them to locate in or remain Downtown
$50 million in incentives for building owners to convert underutilized Downtown office space into housing for DC residents
$68 million for major streetscape initiatives, including the I Street Greenway, a new green boulevard connecting Farragut Square and McPherson Square; the Dupont Crown Park deck over of Connecticut Avenue north of Dupont Circle; and completion of the Pennsylvania Avenue NW streetscape between 17th Street and Washington Circle
New Investments for FY 2025
$515 million for the Chinatown Revitalization Fund to support sports arena renovations, streetscape improvements, public space activations, and/or expanded green space
$64 million to build additional permanent supportive housing and congregate shelter space on the site with the existing Federal City Shelter
$32 million in federal tourism grants and marketing, supporting activities for families and workforce development for the hospitality and tourism industries
$26 million to implement the Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive (BEST) Act that will streamline business licensing
$13 million to support a new program that will freeze in place property taxes for conversions of office buildings into new uses Downtown
$5.25 million to support DC’s hosting of World Pride in 2025
$5 million to create a new Downtown Arts Hub, a flexible, multi-use space for theatre, dance, music, and visual arts organizations
$3 million for DMPED’s Festival Fund, to continue making it easier for organizations to host festivals and to support the attraction of art fairs and go-go music festivals Downtown
$2.6 million to activate the Gallery Place Festival Plaza, Dupont Crown Park, and I Street Greenway
$2.5 million to support pop-up and short-term retail in vacant commercial spaces
$1 million to establish a comprehensive transportation vision for Downtown
$564,000 to host more cultural events and programs at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and serve more residents and tourists in Downtown DC
$500,000 for new planning initiatives to identify public space improvements to the Penn West and Downtown West/Golden Triangle neighborhoods in Downtown
$300,000 for ongoing operation of the new Chinatown Safe Commercial Corridor Hub providing added public safety and human services agency presence
$300,000 to support the installation of murals that celebrate the history and culture of the Gallery Place/Chinatown neighborhood
$250,000 to market Penn Quarter as an arts, culture, and entertainment district
Education
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$7 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for DC School Connect which provides safe transportation to more than 350 students and boosts school attendance
$6.8 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for support of out-of-school time educational and enrichment programs for children and youth
$4.8 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for High Impact Tutoring supports for our most vulnerable learners
$4.3 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for career and technical education and internship opportunities for the District’s youth, including investments in the District’s first Advanced Technical Center in Ward 5
$1.9 million to maintain funding for nutritional and food curriculum supports at DC Public Schools
$1.8 million to continue collecting data on the classes offered at schools to ensure students have access to rigorous coursework
$1.7 million to maintain a scholarship program at the University of the District of Columbia for residents who seek a career pathway within behavioral health
$1 million in sustained support of community-based organizations and schools who provide workforce preparation and training to adults in the District
$700,000 to maintain ARPA-level funding for the District’s dual enrollment program, empowering youth in high school to earn college credit
$669,000 to maintain ARPA-level funding for commitment to students with special education needs and their families through the Special Education Hub, which provides residents with tools, information, and one-on-one support
$668,000 to continue support for the Office of Education through Employment, which provides key insights into how education and workforce investments are impacting residents and their families
$375,000 to maintain investments in “nudge technology” to address chronic absenteeism at the District’s public schools
$300,000 to maintain ARPA-level funding for virtual course offerings for more than 200 high school students across the District
New Investments for FY 2025
$2.2 billion to support full modernization of 33 schools across the District
$349 million to support a 12.4-percent increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF)
$255 million to support small capital improvements to DC Public Schools including HVAC replacement, roof repairs, field replacements, and other important upgrades
$52 million for facility renovations and upgrades at the University of the District of Columbia to ensure facilities are kept in a state of good repair
$42 million to improve the safety and security of DC Public Schools through enhanced lighting, fencing, and access control
$17 million to expand the Advanced Technical Center at Penn Center to include a healthcare employer partnership, providing career and technical education to the District’s students and healthcare services to residents, and $600,000 to support the opening of a new Advanced Technical Center at the Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center in Ward 8
$10.2 million to bring greater transparency into students’ PK-12 education and workforce data and outcomes
$7.5 million to support more efficient ways to transport eligible special education students to school
$5 million to upgrade the audio-visual equipment in auditoriums and other large spaces in schools
$2 million to implement high quality instructional materials for teachers based on recommendations from the literacy task force
$1.1 million for additional academic advisors to support student success and outcomes at the University of the District of Columbia
$581,000 to expand access to career and technical education programming in Ward 8
$550,000 to continue investments in expanding the teacher pipeline in the District by establishing a teacher apprenticeship program and enrolling 50-100 residents in the first year
$500,000 to support educator wellness grants to ensure teachers are well supported in the classroom and can bring their best selves to work
Public Safety
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$9.7 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for Safe Passage to support students getting to and from school safely and expand coverage through roving teams in neighborhoods experiencing short-term increases in crime
$21 million to fund increased costs of the Department of Corrections health care contract due to increased population
$11.7 million to maintain ARPA-level funding and accommodate increased needs for SAVRAA and Victim Services
$8.9 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for expanded Violence Interrupters
$4.5 million to maintain mandated academic programs for the increased number of Department of Corrections residents with individualized education plans
$3.5 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for the Pathways Program helping participants gain job training programming and assisting them in navigating available services
$2.1 million to restore funding for 12 testing and support staff in the Public Health Lab following expiration of federal grants
$637,000 to maintain funding to support returning citizens as peer navigators so they can help others navigate available resources and opportunities
New Investments for FY 2025
$4.6 million to fund immediate provisions of Secure DC:
$2.3 million to expand Safe Commercial Corridors and Private Security Camera Incentives
$1.8 million to support the implementation of Secure DC changes to pre-trial detention
$322,000 to increase private security camera incentives for businesses
$160,000 to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) to stand up a new diversion task force
$13 million to increase the Metropolitan Police Department’s crime-fighting capabilities by nearly quadrupling the department’s CCTV camera footprint and replacing end-of-life license plate readers
$8.7 million to create 40 new community safety officers and fund new civilian positions in the Metropolitan Police Department to free up 46 sworn officers for more critical crime-fighting tasks
$7 million to increase capacity to serve 500 additional youth through PASS and 180 youth through ACE
$463 million to build a new correctional treatment facility annex, which will provide a secure environment for evidence-based practices that support residents’ safe return to the community and reduce recidivism
$157 million to purchase new ambulances, ladder trucks, a new fire boat, and other critical lifesaving apparatus
$4.8 million to fund procurement of critical life-saving equipment for fire and emergency medical response personnel
$4.8 million to plan and design a new state-of-the-art joint training facility for FEMS and MPD
$3.4 million to procure and maintain important crime-fighting technology, including upgraded software to support license plate reader technology
$3.2 million to expand processing capacity for fingerprint, drug, and DNA sample testing
$3.1 million to hire additional staff at the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to provide supervision and positive engagement with youth residents and to evaluate and improve DYRS processes and programming
$1 million to hire additional 911 call takers and dispatchers at the Office of Unified Communications
$841,000 to continue the development of the District’s premiere paramedic school, which will train up to 70 local paramedics per year
$400,000 to fund hiring, retention, and wellness programs for correctional officers to provide sufficient staffing for the increased resident population at the Department of Corrections
$358,000 to fund hiring and retention incentives for forensic scientists and analysts that increase the District’s capacity to respond to crime scenes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Recreation & Libraries
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$129 million to modernize and construct recreation and community centers, including $13 million for Emery Heights, $14.5 million for Fort Davis, $7.5 million for Crummell, $17 million for Randall, $17 million for Harry Thomas, $3 million for Marvin Gaye, $11.9 million for Douglas, $12.4 million for Langdon, $20 million for River Terrace, and an additional $8 million for Fort Lincoln to support space for childcare facility seats
$87 million to modernize and renovate our public libraries, including $25 million for the Shepherd Park Library, $24.7 million for Rosedale, $20.5 million for a new Northwest Library, $6 million for Chevy Chase, and $5.5 million to complete Parklands-Turner;
$1.1 million to maintain ARPA-level funding to bring more recreation offerings and opportunities to neighborhoods without recreation facilities
$576,000 to maintain ARPA-level funding for Late-Night Hype and Late-Night Drip at recreation facilities across the District, providing safe spaces for youth and children
New Investments for FY 2025
$6 million for a playground equipment blitz, to include refreshes at Hobart Twins, Langdon, Lovejoy, Westminster, and North Michigan
$5 million for preventative maintenance to ensure DC public libraries are well-maintained
$2.6 million for an athletic field and basketball court blitz, to include refreshes at the Marvin Gaye Rec Center athletic field, Joy Evans Therapeutic Rec Center basketball court, Ely Place basketball courts, and Fort Stanton football field
$2.25 million to replace synthetic turf at Joe Cole playground, Guy Mason playground, and Riggs LaSalle
$2.1 million to modernize technology infrastructure across the DC Public Library system, ensuring residents have continued access to online information sources
$1.7 million for a playground surface blitz, to include refreshes at Guy Mason, Raymond, Ft. Stevens, Newark, Hamilton, Benning Stoddert, and Mitchell Park
$1.25 million to renovate the KC Lewis Playground
$1 million for a tennis court blitz, including refreshes at Harry Thomas Recreation Center, Kennedy Recreation Center, Ely Place, Fort Davis, and Fort Reno
$886,000 to address necessary building and children’s slide upgrades at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
$825,000 in FY 2024 to replace the windows at Anacostia Library
$750,000 in FY 2024 to deliver a boxing annex at the Ferebee Hope Recreation Center, as promised to the community
$663,000 for enhanced security and mental health services throughout the DC Public Library system, including additional special police officers and mental health workers
$500,000 for a fencing and gate blitz to replace and repair fences and gates at DPR facilities
$500,000 to begin planning and design efforts for a new state-of-the-art, multi-level sports complex at or near RFK stadium campus
Housing & Economic Development
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$59 million contribution to the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF), providing financing for developers to create new affordable housing units in the District
$85 million to support continued infrastructure development at the St. Elizabeths, Hill East, and Fletcher Johnson sites
$7 million to continue Great Streets, transforming emerging commercial corridors into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers
$2.5 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund, providing down payment, closing cost, and other assistance to help equity impact enterprises buy commercial property
$4.2 million to help low-income homeowners make critical upgrades to their homes
$4 million to help DC government employees become first time homeowners
$1 million to maintain the Heirs Property Legal Services, to assist multi-generational families in maintaining their family property after the death of the original homeowner
$1 million to maintain funding for the Strong Families, Strong Futures pilot, providing cash assistance to low-income mothers in Wards 5,7, and 8
New Investments for FY 2025
$101 million to rehabilitate and modernize public housing units managed by the DC Housing Authority
$66 million to complete DMPED’s New Communities Initiative at Bruce Monroe and Park Morton, including 117 public housing replacement units
$28 million for Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), to help first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance
$10 million to support planning and initial development of the Poplar Point site
$4.8 million for project-based vouchers to support new affordable housing units coming online
Transportation & Environment
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$16 million to continue the Kids Ride Free and Adult Learners’ Transit Subsidy programs
$12 million to maintain new overnight Metrobus service launched in 2023
$5 million to maintain ARPA-level funding for the District’s Public Works Employment Program, a job-training program that will also fill critical gaps in the DPW’s workforce and provide a pathway to permanent employment
$3 million to continue the District’s curbside composting program, providing at-home organic waste pickup for 9,000 households
$2 million in maintained investments at the Department of Buildings to reduce permit issuance timelines and strengthen overall customer experience
$900,000 for installation of floodproofing upgrades for homes in vulnerable floodplains, especially in Wards 7 and 8
New Investments for FY 2025
$217 million in additional funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to support Metrorail and Metrobus service levels
$3 million to support the operating and maintenance costs of Capital Bikeshare’s continued growth, including more stations, e-bikes, and traditional bikes
$1 million to update IT systems at the headquarters of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to avoid critical service interruptions
$750,000 to help restaurants comply with forthcoming Streatery design regulations by providing free consulting services and construction materials
$620,000 to explore new “microtransit” services in select areas affected by proposed changes in Circulator service
Major Capital Investments
$289 million to reconstruct the H Street Bridge, providing needed repairs to the bridge and enabling the future redevelopment of Union Station
$210 million in local and federal funds to support the planned extension of the DC Streetcar to Benning Road, including replacement of the Lorraine Whitlock bridge, improvements to the interchange of Benning Road and I-295, and streetscape improvements in the corridor, including to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety
$206 million to plan or implement the redesign of 14 road segments to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, focusing on segments with the highest rates of crashes and injuries
$193 million for paving and maintenance of local streets to maintain a state of good repair
$115 million for maintenance of the existing sidewalk network and construction of new sidewalks in areas with gaps
$109 million for the Bus Priority Program, deploying strategies to improve bus speeds and on-time reliability, including bus-only lanes, priority traffic signal installations, bus bulb-outs, and more
$98 million for rehabilitation of alleys throughout the District
$77 million to build or rehabilitate seven multi-use walking and biking trails, including multiple new connecting segments on the Anacostia River Trail, another portion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and rehabilitation of the Suitland Parkway Trail
$56 million for construction, maintenance, and hardening of quick-build traffic calming and safety interventions
$54 million to replace street trees and continually replenish and expand the city’s tree canopy
$50 million for a third entrance at the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro Station to improve pedestrian access to Union Market and areas east of the station
$47 million for remediation of hazardous materials in the Anacostia River to make the waterway safe for swimming, fishing, and recreation
$47 million for the 11th Street Bridge Park, a transformative pedestrian bridge and park that will connect the Anacostia and Fairlawn neighborhoods with Capitol Hill and Navy Yard
$44 million for design and construction of traffic safety improvements near 75 schools
$32 million to expand the District’s network of protected bike lanes and make pedestrian safety improvements
$30 million for the Traffic Safety Inputs program to install traffic safety interventions in response to community requests
$16 million in federal funds to conduct stream restoration and stormwater management projects
$11 million to deliver the new pedestrian and bicyclist bridge connecting the Anacostia Metro Station to Barry Farm
$10 million for Capital Bikeshare to build additional stations, replace stations at the end of their useful life, and to refresh and expand the fleet of traditional bikes and e-bikes
$1 million to continue planning and design for future dredging of the Anacostia River to expand boating and other recreational opportunities
Health & Human Services
Prior Investments We’re Maintaining
$30 million to support rental assistance through the Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (FRSP) for families at imminent risk of homelessness
$18.9 million to continue ARPA-level funding for the Career Mobility Action Plan (Career MAP) program, which will help 500 District families avoid losing public assistance benefits as their careers advance and incomes rise
$13 million to continue providing long-term housing and intensive case management to individuals and families who are chronically homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless
$7 million to continue ARPA-level funding for 24/7 operations at six homeless shelters in the District
$4.8 million to continue ARPA-level funding for diversion of some 911 calls for residents experiencing mental health distress to the Department of Behavioral Health’s Community Response Team and Access HelpLine
$4 million to continue ARPA-level funding for transitional housing and drop-in centers that provide meals, showers, shelter, and case management services to youth experiencing homelessness
$2.3 million to continue residential support to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities
$600,000 to provide workforce development services for transgender and gender non-conforming residents who are experiencing homelessness and housing instability
$600,000 to continue the substance abuse pilot and behavioral targeted outreach pilot in Wards 1, 5, and 7
New Investments for FY 2025
$64 million to build additional permanent supportive housing and congregate shelter space on the site with the existing Federal City Shelter
$23 million for renovations to DHS’s Naylor Road, V Street, Emery, and Madison shelters, as well as various small-scale improvements at other shelters in the system
$39 million in funding for the Office of Migrant Services to ensure migrants arriving in the District are treated humanely and have the resources they need to reach their destination or resettle
$22.5 million to build a new city-owned animal shelter replacing the current shelter facility on New York Avenue
$21.3 million to create a Behavioral Health Alliance benefit that will provide funding for DC residents who do not qualify for Medicaid. This coordination with the Department of Health Care Finance will provide District residents who do not qualify for Medicaid with complete healthcare benefits.
$12 million to support the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), supporting District residents who are facing housing emergencies and evictions
$20 million to fund required cost-of-living adjustments for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
$13 million for operating costs for two new non-congregate homeless shelter facilities—The Aston and 25 E Street—that will soon come online
$6.8 million to ensure compliance with a new federal mandate requiring the District to provide 12-month continuous eligibility for children under the age of 19 in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
$6.3 million to support the rising cost of complete care for children in foster care and their associated placements in Family Based Settings and Congregate Care Settings
$750,000 to support the expansion of the Safe at Home program providing in-home adaptions for seniors to reduce the risk of falls
$450,000 to support the Dementia Navigators program supporting older adults with dementia by linking them to community resources, providing education, and managing behavioral symptoms
$350,000 to increase funding for Senior Villages, neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations that help seniors find useful community resources so they can continue to live safely, comfortably, and actively in their homes
$300,000 to establish a pilot program for emergency childcare needs for birthing parents
Government Operations
New Investments for FY 2025
$48 million to cover increases in the District’s rising costs related to leased office space, building security, and utilities, especially electricity
$29 million to support critical infrastructure and roof replacements at DC government facilities
$22 million to support building needed improvements at the Marion S. Barry, Jr. building and John A. Wilson government buildings
$17 million in capital funding to further protect against cybersecurity threats by replacing outdated network hardware and security applications across District government
$6.8 million to support energy retrofits at DC government facilities
$1.7 million for the new Office of Artificial Intelligence, launched in FY 2024 and housed at OCTO, which is responsible for developing an AI strategy for District government as well as tools for agencies to use to make the most of available AI technology
$1.5 million to continue the development and support the ongoing operations of the new DC Business Portal, which streamlines various licensing processes for District businesses
$575,000 to add new staff and contractual capacity for the design and rollout of DC.gov 2.0, a redesigned website for District government
Shared Sacrifices
To ensure we are able to invest in our comeback and remain fiscally prudent, we need to jointly contribute to filling gaps, across the government and across the community, to move forward, together.
In FY25, DC Government closed $500 million, more than half of the budget gap, through:
Eliminating positions, rightsizing spending, and focusing on moving forward with programs we know are working.
Cutting duplicative or lower-performing programs and resisting starting new programs that would only add to longer-term financial pressures.
Looking across government for savings by eliminating mobile devices and phone lines no longer in use, rebalancing the capital portfolio, maximizing federal reimbursements, and consolidating licenses and software purchases.
To close the remainder of the gap in FY25, or approximately $300 million, the budget identifies new revenues that will be shared across the community:
Businesses will help through an adjustment to the Paid Family Leave tax back to fiscal 2021 levels to support DC’s human services safety net.
And guests will help through a small 911 fee on hotel room stays to support increased public safety hiring.
If, after FY25, there is still a gap to close, then beginning in FY26, consumers will help through a modest sales tax increase to support increased Metro costs.”
