Are Ward 8 residents getting fed up?

As The Advoc8te, I like to think that my mission is to listen to what is going on in these east of the river streets and share the information. Over the past 10 years I’ve been both cheerleader and warrior, I communicate in the medium of emotion and messaging. And thanks to the generosity of my east of the river friends, neighbors and colleagues I can generally feel the “mood” of the street. Sometimes the mood is optimistic, other times it’s filled with frustration with flashes of anger. In a community as passionate as ours, it’s hard to be apathetic overall. Now we may ignore a certain issue (I personally have just turned a blind eye to the goings on in Shepherd Park) but generally, everyone has a feeling about something. That said, every resident is an individual and their experience and history gives them a unique perspective. I can’t speak for everyone, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is up.

The past few months I have noticed a certain level of… frustration mixed with pessimism about Ward 8s’ progress. I’m sure some of it could be attributed to several recent incidents, the stalled Reunion Square TIF and most recently, news that George Washington Hospital deciding to walk away from plans to build a new hospital on the Saint Elizabeths campus. No matter where you stand on either of those issues, I think we can all agree they could have been handled more efficiently.

I wonder if these recent incidents, coupled with the prosperity that surrounds us (but always seems to elude us) is making Ward 8 residents less optimistic about our future. Does the “one day” we are always still seem far away?

I wanted to just put it out there and see if any other east of the river residents are picking up on this feeling and if so, what do you think is the cause? Is it a case of things moving too fast or not fast enough? Are you confident in the current leadership or do you think it is time for a change? Are you worried about “gentrification” or that east of the river still struggles with the basic necessities like full-service grocery stores and living wage jobs?

What’s on your mind and in your heart?