Sep 12 - Today ONE DC Anacostia resident leaders announced preliminary results of their door-to-door survey of households in Ward 8 on the future of Poplar Point.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnsfvmvlhgc 320 263]

A few highlights of the survey results, which may contradict conventional wisdom:

• 64% of the residents surveyed heard about the proposed redevelopment from the interviewer, at the moment of the survey (and the reason we also created an informational flyer about Poplar Point, which I can provide)
• 87% were opposed to building another stadium (no matter how it was financed, according to our interviewers)
• 81% were opposed to any kind of market-rate development at the point
• 72% were in favor of restoring Poplar Point as a full part of Anacostia Park
• 79% thought any new housing units should be affordable to people making less than $30,000 a year

Help preserve Anacostia Park from developers who want to build a soccer stadium for DC United. ONE DC is working with residents who do not want to be displaced or face economic disadvantages from a new soccer stadium. The owners of DC United want the City to contribute to infrastructure costs of the stadium to complement their $150,000 bid.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cipmgs1rH08 320 263]

Ward 8 Residents Celebrate, Say NO to Another Stadium

Over 160 residents of Ward 8 came out to a community cookout at Poplar Point to explore the area and say, emphatically, "NO" to another stadium on the Anacostia River. Sponsored with the Our Park Coalition (www.thepointisourpark.org), residents shared information on the proposed development, celebrated their recent victory -- when Mayor Fenty agreed to open up the project to public bids -- and took bus tours of the area given by environmental educators with the Earth Conservation Corps. Next steps: A door-to-door survey of residents' priorities for the site.

BIG NEWS!

On July 21, less than a month after members of ONE DC Anacostia appeared before Councilmember Kwame Brown to call for an end to closed-door negotiations with DC United, Mayor Fenty announced he was calling of the discussions and opening the door for a public bidding process!