The Downtown Neighborhood Association has closed down. This was not an easy decision, but one brought about by changing circumstances.

In 2006, the DNA was conceived by Miles Groves. At that time, the downtown area was split between two wards. Consequently, two different city council members and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC) represented the area, depending on where people lived. Neither ANC met downtown, and most of the issues brought before them were not centric to downtown.

Miles envisioned an association that would bring condo and apartment communities together to socialize, share information, and address issues affecting our quality of living. It would be an association to represent neighborhood interests before regulatory and administrative boards, and engage in other activities to protect the interests of the community.

In 2007, the Downtown Neighborhood Association was formed and incorporated. A founding board was selected, with each member from a different residential building within the DNA boundaries. These volunteer members worked tirelessly to get the DNA off the ground, with Miles at the helm.

The DNA was successful in fulfilling its many aspects of our mission. The mayor, city council members, department heads, police and fire officials, developers, business owners and more spoke at meetings to address pressing concerns and issues. We got our own polling location, instead of having to trek to Capitol Hill, where parking was nearly impossible to find. A porn shop that was engaging in illegal activity across the street from a large condominium community was shut down after Miles organized a protest with picket signs, and local media present. Numerous protests against liquor licenses were filed, and Voluntary Agreements forged in the outcome. Many public nuisances were eliminated or mitigated. And the list goes on.

This concludes as a success story. Our downtown area is much different and improved since the DNA was born. With the redistricting of wards last year, the downtown area is now represented by just one city council member (Jack Evans, Ward 2) and just one ANC (ANC 2C). The DNA served as a crucial bridge over these past six years to help get us to where we are today.

Our new ANC 2C is off and running, with very strong attendance. The ANC considers a wide range of policies and programs affecting our neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation and trash collection, and the District's annual budget. Each commissioner is dedicated to the interests of our downtown community. The ANC carries great clout with the District government. And, there are other downtown civic organizations that will continue to serve the community according to their missions.

We urge each downtown resident to attend ANC 2C meetings. They are held on the second Monday of each month, at the Martin Luther King Memorial Library, 9th & G Streets NW, Room 221.

We want to thank all of you who have supported the DNA and participated in our meetings and civic activities. We will not be selling or sharing our email database, but deleting it to protect your privacy.

Last we want to pay special tribute to Miles Groves, who passed away three years ago. He was a pillar of our community, a true advocate putting the community’s interests first, and to many of us, a dear friend.

The DNA Board

Nanette Paris - President

Ewing Miller - Vice President

Kevin Wilsey - Treasurer

Terry Carter - Secretary

Meridith Moldenhauer - At Large

Founding Board Members

Miles Groves

Jackie Cawthon

Bill Conklin

Meridith Moldenhauer

Ewing Miller

Nanette Paris

Kevin Wilsey

Past Board Members

Max Brown

Diane Platt

Special Assistant

Lolita Dublin