PR 26-0496 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Soul of the City Business Improvement District Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026

This resolution declares an emergency to expedite the establishment of the Soul of the City Business Improvement District (BID) in Washington, D.C.'s Congress Heights neighborhood. It directly affects small, locally owned businesses and residents in this historically underinvested area, which is experiencing rapid development from projects like the Saint Elizabeths campus redevelopment and new housing. The key mechanism is bypassing standard timelines to allow the BID to collect taxes starting in March 2026 (instead of September 2026), preventing a six-month operational gap that would delay critical services. This ensures the BID can immediately support businesses facing rising rents and competition, maintain public spaces, and connect local enterprises with new investment opportunities.

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Council Passage

Jan 2026

Signed into Law

Jan 2026

Introduced Jan 5, 2026 Signed Jan 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction → Enrollment · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a proposed resolution to an enrolled original, indicating it has been formally adopted. Several technical corrections were made to citations and formatting, with the most significant substantive change being the addition of a new clause (Section 2(j)) that explicitly mentions Ward 8 and emphasizes the risk of losing community momentum. The text also consolidated some previously separate paragraphs into single, more streamlined paragraphs.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the same area (Congress Heights neighborhood between Mississippi and Alabama Avenues SE), but the enrolled version adds specific emphasis on Ward 8 and the importance of maintaining community engagement momentum.

TECHNICAL

The document was converted from a 'PROPOSED RESOLUTION' to an 'ENROLLED ORIGINAL' with a new resolution number (26-302) and date (January 6, 2026), indicating formal adoption.

The citation to the Business Improvement Districts Act was corrected from 'D.C. Official Code § 2-1215.52' to 'D.C. Official Code § 2-1215.01 et seq.' in the enrolled version.

Several paragraphs were consolidated from multiple lines into single paragraphs for improved readability and formatting consistency.

REQUIREMENT

Section 2(j) was added to explicitly mention Ward 8 and emphasize that delays risk losing momentum from recent investment and community engagement efforts.

Floor votes · Council Jan 6, 2026

How they voted

12–0

Passed

Total votes 12

Jan 6, 2026

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 6, 2026

Council · Passed

Council Vote: pass (12-0)

council

Jan 5, 2026

Introduced

PR26-0496 Introduced by Councilmember T. White at Office of the Secretary

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors