Meet the Candidates: Chris Harlow, ANC 6B06

We have offered to post brief statements from all of the ANC candidates running for seats on Capitol Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods that we cover here on The Hill is Home.  These statements are not endorsements and have been posted exactly as submitted by the candidates.

Dear ANC 6B06 Residents,

Over the past decade we have seen our neighborhood grow and evolve in a number of significant ways.  During this time, three issues have emerged that I believe are very important to the residents of ANC 6B06.  As a member of the ANC I would ensure that these issues receive the attention they deserve.

First, our neighborhood children deserve high quality, engaging activities programs.  A number of public and private sector funding resources exist to institute new youth programs in our neighborhood and improve the existing programs.  As the long-time director of a charity that manages youth athletic programs, I am familiar with these resources and would use my experience to help the ANC, and our neighborhood, take full advantage of them.

Second, in recent years traffic has become a significant issue in 6B06, particularly on Pennsylvania Avenue.  The increased traffic on Penn creates a noise nuisance for residents, and even worse creates a safety problem for our children.  I believe that measures must be taken to safely control this traffic.  A major source of this new traffic pattern is the ongoing work on New York Avenue and the Southeast/Southwest Freeway.  These projects divert a significant number of commuters through our neighborhood.  In addition to immediately instituting reasonable safety measures, I would bring my experience monitoring government contracts, both as a military officer and a private sector attorney, to ensure that these projects are completed as quickly as possible so that the disruption to our neighborhood is minimized.

Third, I would focus on reducing and preventing litter in our neighborhood.  Studies have shown that property values in areas that suffer from a litter problem are lowered by 7%, and that businesses are reluctant to relocate into these neighborhoods.  As the ANC 6B06 commissioner, I would partner with non-profit and government organizations to secure funding for education programs in our schools, as well as funding for community pride-focused advertising.   We would all benefit from ensuring that our neighborhood capitalizes on all of the available resources.

We live in one of the best neighborhoods in the country – and together I believe that we can make it even better!

Chris Harlow

chris4anc6B06@gmail.com