DC should abolish ANCs

[Anonymous]

Congress created ANCs to provide DC with a political class in preparation of Home Rule. They have served their purpose and should be disbanded.

They are unpaid, elected volunteers who are often abused by constituents who refuse to hold their own councilmembers accountable. Most of their day-to-day is calling 311 to report what their constituents can't be bothered to report. They rarely can resolve issues without relying on District agencies or Councilmembers.

Sure, there are ways we could improve representation in DC - expanding Council, for example - but ANCs need to go.

[Anonymous]

+1000

[Anonymous]

I’m a former commissioner and was prepared to disagree with what you wrote. I don’t (yet, at least) agree with your conclusion, but your comments mesh with my experience.

[Anonymous]

+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

[Anonymous]

When the Ward 7 ANC was incarcerated at the DC Jail, how did constituencies contact him with complaints? How did he contact people?

Serious question.

See here for reference: https://dcist.com/story/21/11/23/joel-caston-released-from-dc-jail/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When the Ward 7 ANC was incarcerated at the DC Jail, how did constituencies contact him with complaints? How did he contact people?

Serious question.

See here for reference: https://dcist.com/story/21/11/23/joel-caston-released-from-dc-jail/

His entire district was the jail, right? So nonincarcerated people were not unrepresented - thus no need to contact him. And he was the first commissioner to represent solely the jail. But this is pretty off topic...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

Our ANC Chair is a nut job who doesn't respond to emails.

What if I was represented by someone paid to solve city problems instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

ANCs don’t address vacant property issues. That’s DCRA and OTR. Document the issues with photos and write or email at least twice a month with follow up to your Councilmember constituent services staff, the Mayor’s ward representative, and the AG’s office. DC is terrible with vacant properties.

[Anonymous]

If you’re one of the anti-bike-lane ranters - I hate to break it to you, but abolishing ANCs is going to make your crackpot viewpoints even MORE marginal. ANCs traditionally serve as the voice of the NIMBYs.

[Anonymous]

“ They rarely can resolve issues without relying on District agencies or Councilmembers.”

I think you completely fail to understand what ANCs do. The whole point is that they are a sort of constituent services body for a neighborhood (I think about 1000 people in an SMD.) The whole point is that they *advocate* for the view of the neighborhood. The ANC cannot “resolve issues” because they have no power to do that. The one place ANCs have achieved some authority is through settlements on liquor licenses, and there, they are typically very successful in getting conditions placed to reduce impact (noise, trash).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

waaa I want government to magically do what I want but I don’t want to have to expend any effort waaaa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

they are elected- the statute specifically makes ANCs the voice of the neighborhood. You can also go directly to your Councilmember. If you think abolishing ANCs will give you greater access, you are woefully unclear on the subject.