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PR26-0051 • 2025

Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Small Business
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
McDuffie
Last action
2025-02-14
Official status
Approved
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how many small businesses or individuals are affected by name.

Great Streets Program Expansion for Certain Neighborhoods

This resolution extends emergency measures to support small businesses in designated neighborhoods until permanent legislation takes effect.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the operation of the Great Streets retail priority grant program through emergency measures.
  • Designates certain neighborhoods as Retail Priority Areas, including Mount Vernon Triangle, Eastern Market, Barracks Row, and Georgia Avenue.
  • Ensures continuity of grants for these areas until permanent legislation is enacted.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Small business owners in specific neighborhoods.
  • Residents and visitors who benefit from improved local businesses.

Terms To Know

Retail Priority Areas
Specific neighborhoods where small businesses receive special support through grants.
Emergency Legislation
Temporary laws that continue the operation of a program until permanent legislation is enacted.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The resolution only extends existing emergency measures and does not create new programs.
  • It specifies certain neighborhoods but does not list all affected businesses or individuals by name.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Resolution R26-0021, Effective from Feb 04, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 001447

  2. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  3. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  4. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Approved with Resolution Number R26-0021

  5. 2025-02-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    PR26-0051 Introduced by Councilmember McDuffie at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

A RESOLUTION

26-21

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

February 4, 2025

To declare the existence of an emergency, due to congressional review, with respect to the need
to amend the Retail Incentive Act of 2004 to designate certain neighborhoods as Retail
Priority Areas, including neighborhoods within the Mount Vernon Triangle, Eastern
Market, Barracks Row, and Georgia Avenue areas.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority
Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025”.

Sec. 2. (a) Since 2006, the District has operated the Great Streets retail priority grant
program (“program”), which allows small businesses within a defined area to apply for grants to
support their businesses. The program began with the Retail Incentive Act of 2004 and has been
expanded on several occasions. The grants awarded under the program support small businesses
in these areas, create new job opportunities, and provide access to capital.
(b) On October 23, 2024, the Committee on Business and Economic Development
approved the Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Amendment Act of
2024 (“permanent legislation”). The permanent legislation amends the Retail Incentive Act of
2004 to broaden the program to designate certain neighborhoods within the Mount Vernon
Triangle, Eastern Market, Barracks Row, and Georgia Avenue areas as Retail Priority Areas.
(c) The Council enacted the permanent legislation, which has a projected law date of
March 6, 2025, and the Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority
Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, effective November 13, 2024 (D.C. Act 25-628, 71 DCR
14148) (“emergency legislation”), to address the above-referenced needs.
(d) The emergency legislation expires on February 11, 2025 and the permanent
legislation is not projected to become law until after the emergency legislation has expired.
(e) It is necessary that the provisions of the emergency legislation continue in effect,
without interruption, until the permanent legislation is in effect.

Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Great
Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Congressional Review Emergency
Amendment Act of 2025 be adopted after a single reading.

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.