First Responders Facilities Modernization Act of 2026

COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO
THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004

June 4, 2026
Nyasha Howard, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004

Dear Secretary Howard,

Today, I, along with Councilmembers Charles Allen, Janeese Lewis George, Anita Bonds , and
Wendell Felder, am introducing the First Responders Facilities Modernization Act of 2026. Please
find enclosed a signed copy of the legislation. Our first responders are vital to the safety and
security of all District residents and visitors and we must ensure that their facilities are in
excellent working condition.

The District’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services (Fire & EMS) and Metropolitan Police
Department (MPD) facilities are used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and are vital
to ensuring the public safety of all residents and visitors. In Fiscal Year 2025 alone, the Office of
Unified Communications received 2.3 million calls, requiring responses from our first responders
across the District.1 As the Council continues to prioritize staffing our public safety agencies, it is
vital that all public safety facilities are maintained and updated in a timely and systematic manner
so that our first responders can do their jobs to the best of their abilities and know they are valued
by the District.

Virtually all of the District’s MPD stations and substations are in need of modernization. The same
goes for a majority of Fire & EMS facilities as well. Although some funding for various
modernization and renovation projects has been allocated in the capital budget each year, the need
continues to be great. Additionally, identifying which facilities to prioritize and the problems that
need to be addressed remains a persistent challenge. That is why the District must have a
comprehensive plan to modernize all public safety facilities.

This bill, modeled after the Planning Actively for Comprehensive Education (PACE) Facilities
Amendment Act of 2016, would create a fulsome plan for both Fire & EMS and MPD facilities’
modernizations, based on a number of criteria to measure need and the state of a facility.
Specifically, this bill would create an Office of Public Safety Facilities Planning (OPSFP) within
the O ffice of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (DMPSJ) responsible for the

1 OUC Performance Oversight Hearing (Jan. 28, 2026), available here.

development of a comprehensive 10 -year master facilities plan for both Fire & EMS and MPD
facilities. When assessing need and generating the plan, the OPSFP shall include analyses and data
on the facilities condition, current and projected crime rates around th e facilities, current and
projected call volume, current and projected development in surrounding neighborhoods, current
and projected number of employees expected to work out of each facility, facility portfolio analysis,
and engagement with community stakeholders.

The bill also lays out more detailed criteria which must be considered when determining the
prioritization and inclusion of projects in the Fire & EMS and MPD Capital Improvement Plan
(CIP) each year so that the Council and the public have more transparenc y and understanding of
why certain projects are being prioritized o ver others and what the true needs are. The
comprehensive plan generated by the OPSFP would be transmitted to Council every five years for
approval, including all relevant data and reasoning for prioritization.

Modernization of MPD stations is important for officers and the public as these are public
buildings where crimes are reported and services are assessed. Modernization of Fire & EMS
stations is important so that firefighters can move as quickly and efficiently as possible during
calls and emergencies. These facilities function around -the-clock as they serve our communities
and must be more systematically prioritized for our first responders and the public.

Thank you,

Brooke Pinto
Councilmember, Ward 2
Chairwoman, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
Council of the District of Columbia

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_____________________________ _____________________________
Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Brooke Pinto

_____________________________ _____________________________
Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Janeese Lewis George

_____________________________
Councilmember Wendell Felder

A BILL

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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

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To establish a public safety facility modernization plan for all Fire and EMS and Metropolitan 1
Police Department facilities throughout the District of Columbia. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 3
act be cited as the “First Responders Facilities Modernization Act of 2026”. 4
Sec. 2. First responders facilities modernization. 5
(a)(1) Beginning on December 15, 2026, and every 10 years thereafter, the Mayor shall 6
prepare and submit to the Council for its review and approval a proposed comprehensive 10-year 7
Master Facilities Plan (“Plan”) for Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) facilities and Fire 8
and Emergency Medical Services (“Fire & EMS”) facilities, which shall comply with the 9
requirements of this section. The Mayor’s submission shall be accompanied by a proposed 10
resolution to approve the Plan. 11
(2) The Council shall conduct at least one public hearing on the Plan before 12
voting to approve or disapprove the Plan. 13

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(3) If the Council disapproves the Plan, it shall state its reasons for disapproval or 14
make recommendations in the disapproval resolution or in an accompanying legislative report. In 15
the case of disapproval by the Council, the Mayor shall submit a revised Plan within 180 days 16
after the Council’s disapproval. 17
(4) If the Council approves the Plan, the Plan shall take effect no later than the 18
first day of the succeeding fiscal year. 19
(5) If, subsequent to Council approval of the Plan, material changes become 20
necessary, the Mayor may modify the Plan; provided, that the modification shall be submitted to 21
the Council, with an accompanying proposed resolution, for consideration in the same manner as 22
specified in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection. 23
(6) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Mayor shall prepare and 24
submit to the Council by December 15, 2027, a proposed comprehensive 5-year Master Facilities 25
Plan for the Metropolitan Police Department facilities and the Fire and Emergency Medical 26
Services facilities. The process for its review and approval shall be the same as provided in 27
paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection. 28
(b)(1) The Mayor shall establish an Office of Public Safety Facilities Planning 29
(“OPSFP”) within the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice responsible for 30
the development of the Plan, which shall function as a citywide plan for Fire & EMS and MPD 31
facilities. 32
(2) The OPSFP shall include in the Master Facilities Plan detailed, current 33
analyses and data on: 34
(A) The facilities condition assessment for each facility under the control 35
and jurisdiction of the MPD and Fire & EMS; 36

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(B) Current and projected crime rates around MPD stations and 37
substations; 38
(C) Current and projected fire services call volume and response coverage 39
around fire stations; 40
(D) Current and projected emergency medical services call volume and 41
response coverage around fire stations; 42
(E) Current and projected developments for the surrounding neighborhood 43
of an MPD or Fire & EMS station; 44
(F) Current and projected number of employees expected to work out of 45
each of the stations; 46
(G) A detailed facility portfolio analysis that will inform any decisions 47
related to alternative financing options, including public/private development partnerships and 48
co-location opportunities; 49
(H) A communications and community involvement plan for each 50
neighborhood cluster that includes engagement of community members and key stakeholders, 51
including: 52
(i) Advisory Neighborhood Commissions; 53
(ii) Local Community Advisory Commissions; 54
(iii) The Washington, D.C. Fire Fighters Association; and 55
(iv) The Washington, D.C. Fraternal Order of Police. 56
(3) Beginning on December 15, 2027, and every year thereafter, the OPSFP shall 57
prepare and make publicly available an annual supplement to the Plan that includes: 58

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(A) Results of the Department of General Services annual survey as set 59
forth in paragraph (4)(D) of this subsection; 60
(B) Updated information on: 61
(i) Call volume projections at each MPD or Fire and EMS facility; 62
and 63
(ii) Facility needs within each police district or service area 64
(C) Each Fire & EMS and MPD facility’s designation as one or more of 65
the following: 66
(i) In use and list its primary use; 67
(ii) Vacant; and 68
(iii) Significantly underused. 69
(4) The following agencies shall work with the OPSFP in the development of the 70
Plan and the annual supplement: 71
(A) The DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, which 72
shall transmit to the OPSFP its 10-year projections of facility needs; 73
(B) The Metropolitan Police Department, which shall transmit to the 74
OPSFP its 10-year projections of facility needs; 75
(C) The Office of Planning, which shall provide demographic and 76
neighborhood data support; 77
(D) The Department of General Services, which shall: 78
(i) Implement the Plan consistent with the policy priorities set forth 79
in this act; and 80

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(ii) In collaboration with the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and 81
Justice, Fire & EMS, and MPD, conduct an annual survey, which shall be disaggregated by 82
facility, made publicly available, and transmitted to OPSFP, to update information on the 83
condition of each Fire & EMS and MPD facility, including whether each facility has a working 84
carbon monoxide detector, the results of the most recent water tests at each facility for sources of 85
lead, and potential asbestos hazards at each facility. 86
(5) Of the Fiscal Year 2027 capital funds appropriated to the OPSFP, it shall 87
transfer: 88
(A) Up to $4.5 million to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public 89
Safety and Justice to support capital planning; and 90
(B) An amount of $100,000 to the Fire and Emergency Medical Services 91
Department and $100,000 to the Metropolitan Police Department to support capital planning 92
activities. 93
(6) In developing the Plan, the Mayor shall consider the facilities needs of all 8 94
wards and shall consult with: 95
(A) The Council; 96
(B) The Washington, D.C. Fire Fighters Association; and 97
(C) The DC Fraternal Order of Police 98
(c)(1) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2027, a Fire & EMS capital improvement plan (“Fire & 99
EMS Facility CIP”) and an MPD capital improvement plan (“MPD Facility CIP”) shall be 100
updated each fiscal year as part of the Mayor’s capital improvement plan for all public facilities, 101
as required by section 444 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 102
1973 (87 Stat. 800; D.C. Official Code § 1-204.44). 103

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(2) The Fire & EMS Facility CIP and the MPD Facility CIP shall include: 104
(A) A description of guiding principles to frame decisions within the Fire 105
& EMS Facility CIP and the MPD Facility CIP, that these guiding principles shall be revisited 106
with each new CIP to ensure that they are consistent with the strategic plan, the Master Facilities 107
Plan, and the needs of the community; 108
(B) A description of the process and timeline used to develop the Fire & 109
EMS Facility CIP and the MPD Facility CIP, including community engagement; 110
(C) A longitudinal and future analysis of call volume to each Fire & EMS 111
facility and MPD facility; 112
(D) Facility-specific project recommendations on the timing and funding 113
for modernization of existing Fire & EMS and MPD facilities, new Fire & EMS and MPD 114
facility construction, and other Fire & EMS and MPD facility capital improvements planned for 115
the next fiscal year and the succeeding 5 fiscal years; and 116
(E) For each project identified pursuant to subparagraph (D) of this 117
paragraph: 118
(i) A description of the scope of work to be done, schedule of 119
achieved and projected major milestones, and an explanation for any delay in meeting projected 120
milestones; 121
(ii) A justification for the modernization, new construction, or 122
other capital improvements supported by the facility condition assessment, demand, and 123
community needs. 124
(iii) A full-funded cost estimate of improvements, except that for 125
projects slated for modernization, new construction, or other capital improvements in years 4 126

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through 6 of the Fire & EMS Facility CIP and MPD Facility CIP, the Fire & EMS Facility CIP 127
and MPD Facility CIP may include rough order of magnitude estimates of improvements based 128
on the required general design and feasibility analysis completed pursuant to paragraph (4)(C) of 129
this subsection; 130
(iv) A cost estimate of improvements planned for the next fiscal 131
year and the succeeding 5 fiscal years and a detailed explanation for any proposed increases over 132
10% from the prior-year Fire & EMS or MPD Facility CIP estimate; 133
(v) The estimated cost of annual maintenance and operations of the 134
improved facility; 135
(vi) The lifetime expenditure for the facility; and 136
(vii) The name, address, and ward of each facility. 137
(3)(A) Major construction and capital improvements for existing facilities shall be 138
prioritized for inclusion in the Fire & EMS Facility CIP and MPD Facility CIP based on certain 139
objective criteria contained in this paragraph. 140
(B) By September 30, 2027, and every 5 years thereafter, Fire and EMS 141
and MPD shall calculate a final prioritization score for each Fire & EMS and MPD facility in its 142
portfolio by assigning each facility a score from one to 10 based on the normal distribution of the 143
raw data obtained for every facility in each of the following subcategories, multiplying that score 144
by the subcategory weight as follows, and summing the weight as follows, and summing the 145
weighted subcategory scores for each facility: 146
Category Category Total Subcategory Subcategory Weight

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Facility Condition 0.60 Date and type of last major
construction through the
preceding fiscal year
0.20
Expenditures for major
construction projects for the
preceding 10 fiscal years per
square feet of the Fire & EMS
or MPD facility
0.15
Fire & EMS and MPD facility
condition score based on the
most recent assessment
completed by the Department
of General Services
0.20
Demand 0.20 Assessment of call volume and
response performance to each
facility over the past 5 calendar
years.
0.20
Community Need 0.20 Number of residents and non-
residents currently served by
this facility.
0.15
Projected growth in the
number of people served by
this facility, including
0.10

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commercial, residential, and
office space.
147
(C) By September 30, 2027, and every 5 years thereafter, Fire & EMS and 148
MPD shall transmit to the Council all of the prioritization scores and raw data, and shall make 149
the information publicly available online. 150
(D) In addition to the prioritization score based on criteria outlined in 151
subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, Fire & EMS and MPD shall consider the following factors 152
when determining the prioritization and inclusion of projects in the Fire & EMS Facility CIP and 153
the MPD Facility CIP: 154
(i) Availability of capital funding in the budget; 155
(ii) Immediate life and safety concerns; 156
(ii) Need for additional planning for a project; 157
(v) Projected needs based on the Comprehensive Plan; and 158
(vi) Projected needs based on population growth and development. 159
(E) Within 180 days after the release of the prioritization data pursuant to 160
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, Fire & EMS and MPD shall conduct at least 3 public 161
meeting to discuss facility modernizations. Fire & EMS and MPD shall conduct explicitly 162
outreach with the community for each facility project likely to be added, removed, or extensively 163
modified in the next fiscal year’s 6-year Facility CIP. 164
(4) Before adding a facility to a Fire & EMS Facility CIP or an MPD Facility CIP, 165
the project shall have the following completed: 166

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(A) A rough order of magnitude estimate, except that for projects slated 167
for modernization, new construction, or other capital improvements in years one through 3 of the 168
respective Facility CIP, the project shall have a full-funded cost estimate of improvements; and 169
(B) A general design and feasibility analysis that is developed with Fire 170
and EMS and MPD administration and is made publicly available, which includes the following: 171
(i) An analysis of public safety needs as they relate to the current 172
or projected facility; 173
(ii) An evaluation of whether the existing building and site 174
conditions can accommodate the needs; and 175
(iii) An evaluation of whether a swing space on-site or off-site will 176
be needed. 177
(d)(1) Within 30 days after the release of the annual supplement to the Plan as required 178
by subsection (b)(2)(A) of this section, the District shall: 179
(A) Determine which facilities will be designated as excess; and 180
(B) Made a list of these properties, and those deemed excess pursuant to 181
paragraph (2) of this subsection, publicly available on its website. 182
(2) Unless written justification is made publicly available at the time of the 183
publication of the list as required in paragraph (1) of this subsection based on projected 184
operational needs of Fire & EMS or MPD, a facility shall be automatically deemed excess if it 185
has been designated in the annual supplement to the Plan as: 186
(A) Vacant; or 187
(B) Significantly underused for 2 consecutive years. 188
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 189

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The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 190
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 191
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 192
Sec. 4. Effective date. 193
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of a veto by 194
the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional 195
review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved 196
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 197