Friends,
2020 has exacted a heavy toll on our community and the world. We mourn the lives lost to this virus, the devastating impact on our economy and many of our livelihoods, and acknowledge the continued work needed to address the social injustices that pervade our society. We also are still enduring an attack on the foundations of our democracy. But fortunately, in 20 days, we will begin to build back better.
As a City, the next fiscal year will undoubtedly be difficult. While many of us are understandably stretched thin and exhausted, both physically and mentally, I believe we must remain hopeful for better days ahead.
Throughout the year, we have shown our resilience as a community as we worked together to overcome this pandemic. With the first rounds of the vaccine being administered in Alexandria last week, there seems to finally be some light at the end of the tunnel. As we close out 2020, I’d like to reflect briefly on a few accomplishments this year.
As I’ve said multiple times and will continue to do so, I would stack the City’s response to the pandemic up against any other jurisdiction in the region. There are so many actions that Council, staff, and community partners have taken, but to be brief, I am proud that we committed resources to where they were needed the most. Through our partnership with Neighborhood Health, we made testing readily available across the city at no cost and regardless of insurance or immigration status. With federal, state, and local funds, we worked to address food insecurity, provide rental assistance to keep families in their homes, and supported our small businesses with much needed grants.
As chair of Alexandria's Complete Count Committee, I was so proud of our work with our business, faith, and nonprofit community partners to achieve a complete count. Alexandria was the ONLY jurisdiction in the region to get a 100% count, helping to ensure that we will receive the federal funding we deserve for schools, roads, and just about everything else over the next decade.
It was recently announced that we are embarking on another effort to redevelop Landmark. The City has gone through this multiple times so I won’t be happy until there are shovels in the ground, but I am cautiously optimistic that with INOVA as the anchor for this project we have a great opportunity to finally get this done.
Affordable housing remains a top priority and I am proud that Council not only supported several projects in the works, but also celebrated completed projects such as The Bloom. I look forward to continuing our gains into next year.
As a smaller jurisdiction in the region, it is important to make sure our voice is heard and one of the most important places to do that is in the realm of transportation. At the beginning of the year, I was named Vice Chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and alternate to the WMATA Board of Directors. Transportation plays a critical role in our lives and economy, and having strong representation on these regional boards is crucial to our continued growth and recovery.
While much work was accomplished this year, there is still much to be done. I’d like to thank you all for your support, your guidance, and your encouragement during this challenging year.
Remember to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing as we continue to navigate this pandemic. I wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy new year!
Seguimos adelante, we continue forward.
-Canek
