Category Archives: News Alert

Category for Takoma alert items.

News Alert, Public Notices

Ward 6 and Traffic Issues Surrounding the Purple Line Construction

 

The New Hampshire Gardens Community Association in Ward 6 has experienced heavy traffic, with pressure from drivers trying to avoid the Purple Line construction on University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue. City staff have been working with State Highway Administration (SHA) staff to understand and address some of the dangerous conditions.

  • SHA, in cooperation with the City, has been examining the data and developing options for quick responses intended to reduce the number of cars going through the neighborhood. The City continues to meet quarterly with the SHA staff to track projects and concerns.
  • The City is hiring a new Transit Planner, which will bring some of the focus and skills in-house to increase staff responsiveness to these issues. The job is currently posted and on track to be filled in the fall.
  • The FY25 Budget includes funds specifically for traffic studies. Staff is currently evaluating the research already completed by the City and the State, particularly along State roads, as part of the development of the scope of work.
  • The City received a Transportation-Land Use Connection grant from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments for the New Ave Bikeway Purple Line Connection Study. This study, which will kick off in the fall, will determine routing and infrastructure recommendations for safe and comfortable pedestrian and bike connections that will support transit access, as well as the impact of considering the closure of Anne Street at University Boulevard.

For additional information:

Purple Line:
https://www.purplelinemd.com/

The most recent Purple Line Community Advisory Team  for the Long Branch area can be seen here:
https://www.purplelinemd.com/public-meetings-events/ (slides and video)

New Ave Bikeway:
https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/housing-and-community-development/planning-and-community-development/new-ave-bikeway/

Crossroads Community Food Network – Crossroads Farmers Market
https://www.crossroadscommunityfoodnetwork.org/farmers-market/

Questions may be directed to:
Planning @ TakomaParkMD.gov

News Alert, Public Notices

Aging in Place Grant Program: Village of Takoma Park Partners with TKPK for Small Home Repair Assistance for 55+ Residents

The Village of Takoma Park is now ready to receive requests and volunteers for small home repairs and accessibility modifications for senior homeowners in Takoma Park as part of the “Aging In Place” Grant Program.

Here’s how to get started: 
Grant Requirements
  • Must be a member of the Village of Takoma Park to  recieve services.
  • Eligibility: Must be 55 and older and reside in the City of Takoma Park or zip code 20912.
  • Become a Member:  Call 301-646-2109 to ask about Village of Takoma Park membership
  • This grant covers materials for repairs and accessibility modifications for senior homeowners in Takoma Park
  • Maximum amount of $1,500
Volunteer

Volunteers are essential to the success of the Village of Takoma Park. Volunteers must:

  1. Be age 18 and older
  2. Complete a criminal background check and, if interested in driving, a check of driving record

 

For more information about receiving small home repair services or volunteering, please visit:

For more information about the Aging in Place Grant, please visit:

News Alert, Public Notices

TKPK City TV Coming to a Mobile Device Near You: City TV Application is Now Available for Download!

Takoma Park City TV Mobile Application is Live

You can now stream City TV 24/7 at home or on your mobile device with the official Takoma Park City TV mobile app. Now available for download at the following locations:

Watch live Council Meetings, Arts and Humanities Performances, PSA’s and much more on the new City TV app!

News Alert, Public Notices

Message From Code Enforcement: Ban The Blower!

 

Just A Reminder! The sale of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers became illegal in Takoma Park as of July 1, 2024. Montgomery County has the same law in place.

  • This is the first step in the City’s efforts to reduce the noise and pollution put out by gas powered leaf blowers.
  • These blowers cause negative health effects for residents and workers.
  • Discontinuing their use will improve public health, safety, and quality of life in Takoma Park.
  •  Montgomery County has a rebate program in place to assist with the purchase of electric powered leaf blowers.

Both the City and Montgomery County will enact a law effective July 1, 2025 that bans the use of gas powered leaf blowers.

News, News Alert

2022-23 TKPK Rent Report Review: $26,022 Reimbursed to Tenants for Overcharge of Rent

The City of Takoma Park’s Rent Stabilization law (Chapter 6.20) maintains the affordability of rental units in the community by limiting the number and amount of rent increases that may be charged for a specific rental unit.

Generally, the rent may be increased only once in a 12-month period, and rent increases are limited to the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Based on the review of the 2022-2023 Rent Reports:

  • A total of $26,022 was reimbursed or credited to tenants for overcharging in rent from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023.
  • The CPI for this period was 7.3%.

Learn more about the City of Takoma Park’s Rent Stabilization Law on the City webpage. 

News Alert, Public Notices

TKPK Awarded $26,000 Grant from Maryland Dept. of Aging’s “Aging in Place” Program

 

In July 2024, the City of Takoma Park was awarded a $26,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Aging’s “Aging In Place” Grant Program. With a City contribution, $30,000 will be available to cover materials and supplies.

Funds will be used to support the Village of Takoma’s Small Home Repair Program. The City’s Code Enforcement Division will work with the volunteers of the Village of Takoma to underwrite the cost of:

  1. Materials for repairs and accessibility modifications for senior homeowners in Takoma Park
  2. Village membership dues for those for whom that expense is a hardship

Because this program requires Village membership, residents who become members primarily for home maintenance assistance also become integrated into the larger network, with access to the social events and educational opportunities that are part of the Village experience.

The Village has a team of volunteers who perform repairs and modifications for Village members, with members responsible for the cost of materials. Underwriting the cost of construction materials and accessibility aids will remove the barrier of members needing to cover those sometimes costly expenses themselves. Expanding the reach of this program helps ensure that older residents are living in homes that are not only safe but meet their changing needs.

This engagement will help build and strengthen ties to the greater Takoma Park community.

News Alert, Public Notices

And the Emmy Goes to…Bienvenido (Bien) Martinez

 

National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter

66th EMMY® AWARDS

NOMINEES & RECIPIENTS

Please join CityTV and our Communications Department in congratulating Bienvenido (Bien) Martinez on his Emmy nomination in Category #56B Societal Concerns—Long-form content (longer than 15 minutes) for his camera work.

We are so excited to announce that on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the 66th Emmy Awards, Bienvenido (Bien) Martinez was awarded the Emmy for his camera work on the documentary Línea Directa—Peligro del Fentanilo—Entrevista con Elena Suárez.

The documentary is a heartbreaking story of one family’s unwanted journey into the Fentanyl world, a teenager’s overdose, and the devasting consequences and the loss of their daughter that will impact the entire family for the rest of their lives!

You can see the video on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udMYQAGiDjg

Background:

CityTV has partnered with the production of Linea Directa. Linea Directa is one of the oldest local TV shows that deals with topics that affect the Hispanic Community. The shows air on Telemundo and our City of Takoma Park TV channels.

In this partnership, we collaborated in the production aspect. In the production of Línea Directa—Peligro del Fentanilo—Entrevista con Elena Suárez Bien was responsible for the camera work on this documentary.

News, News Alert

TKPK Awarded $125,000 Grant from Maryland Energy Admin.’s Public Facilities Solar Grant (PFSG) Program

 

In June 2024, the City of Takoma Park was awarded a $125,000 grant from the Maryland Energy Administration under the Public Facilities Solar Grant (PFSG) Program. This funding will be used to install solar panels on the new Takoma Park Maryland Library. The PFSG Program is designed to promote solar energy generation at public facilities and demonstrate government support for clean and renewable energy technologies. The Maryland Energy Administration enacted the program to encourage the generation of solar energy at public facilities and to demonstrate government support of clean and renewable energy generation technology.

The City of Takoma Park has been an early adopter of solar and installed solar PV on all suitable municipal rooftops. The rooftop array on the City’s Community Center and Public Works was completed in 2011 as part of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with installer Solar Solution LLC. The agreement provided the City with clean electricity and a set price for 20 years and enabled the City to access solar power for no upfront cost and at a lower price per kilowatt than charged by energy provider PEPCO. Approximately 99,412 kWh is generated each year with solar panels on the Community Center building and Public Works, and the City purchases wind renewable energy certificates (RECs) to cover the remainder of the utility-provided electricity, about 1.8 M kWh each year.

The new panels funded under this grant will not be part of a PPA but rather owned by the City, which will enable it to benefit from the RECs directly as well as very low-cost electricity. Additionally, any committed matching funds by the City for this project will be eligible for to the new Elective Pay allowance from the IRS, which allows state and local governments to benefit directly from the new Clean Electricity Production Tax Credit made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The proposed expansion of the solar panel system on the new library roof will involve the installation of approximately 162 new panels with a projected system capacity of 64.8 KW. The new system is projected to offset the equivalent of 32.7 metric tonnes of CO2 in its first year of operation and represents a substantial effort in the City’s climate goals to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 100% by the year 2035.

The City is currently awaiting the state’s a grant agreement, and the opportunity to bid for vendors will go out later this year. Installation is expected to run concurrently with the completion of the new library, anticipated in summer 2025.

News Alert, Public Notices

Launching of the City of Takoma Park Mental Health Outreach Pilot Program

 

The City of Takoma Park is pleased to announce the hiring of the first mental health counselor for a two-year pilot program to provide comprehensive mental health services to the residents of Takoma Park. Jill Larson is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C).

Ms. Larson joins Takoma Park from the Montgomery County Crisis Center to provide mental health mobile outreach, petition evaluations, on-scene support, Domestic Violence lethality screens/referrals, on-scene grief support, training, and other resources as needed for City staff. In addition to supportive mental health resources, Ms. Larson is a current Crisis Intervention Team instructor for thought disorders and will provide in-service training and consultation for City staff enhancing the community’s overall response to mental health crises.

Before becoming a social worker, Ms. Larson spent 17-years as a Police Officer in Minnesota. Her experience includes working in the human and sex trafficking units, negotiations, investigations liaison, and as a Field Training Officer.

Ms. Larson is looking forward to providing mental health services to the residents of Takoma Park and cultivating a supportive collaboration with all stakeholders in Takoma Park.

Ms. Larson can be reached at JillL@takomaparkmd.gov and 301.891.7149.

The pilot program is a joint collaboration between the City of Takoma Park and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the pilot program is to put in place and evaluate a response system that focuses on diverting mental health calls for service from the police-only or police and counselor model to a counselor-only response.

This two-year pilot program is being funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and reflects the city’s commitment to compassionate community care. An additional mental health counselor is expected to join the program in the coming months.

News Alert, Public Notices

City TV wins 2024 Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media Foundation


Takoma Park City TV took home the Overall Excellence in Governmental Access and Outstanding Children’s Programming Awards

The Hometown Media Awards, organized annually by the Alliance for Community Media (ACM), celebrate and promote community media, community radio, and local cable programs distributed on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access cable television channels.

We are thrilled to announce that CityTV has been awarded first place in the 2024 Hometown Media Awards Competition. CityTV received the prestigious “Overall Excellence in Governmental Access” award from ACM in the $300,000 – $650,000 budget division. This award recognizes the outstanding operational activities and programming efforts of access organizations. This year, CityTV’s submission featured over 20 projects and programs.

The Hometown Media Awards honor and promote creative programs that address community needs, foster diverse community involvement, and reflect the lives of residents from various backgrounds. These awards also aim to offer viewers a unique television experience.

“We produce programs that represent the events and activities of the City, showcasing the character of Takoma Park. We are not just Takoma Park Television; we are Takoma Park on Television,” said Alvaro Calabia, CityTV Production Manager.

In addition to the Overall Excellence award, CityTV was recognized for its outstanding Children’s Programming with our submission of the Takoma Park Children’s Business Fair. We are so honored to be recognized in this category as we love to showcase our children as a vital resource of our community.