Recording in progress.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I am Matt Freuman Ward 3 Council Member and Chair of the Committee on Human Services.

Today is Thursday, June 25th, 2026.

We are meeting in person in room 123 of the John A.

Wilson Building and virtually via Zoom.

The time is now 1201 p.m.

And I am calling to order this additional meeting of the committee.

Today we have a quorum comprised of at large council members Christina Henderson, Ward 7, Councilmember Wendell Felder, and myself.

The first and only measure on the agenda is PR 26-0736, the Hill East Phase 2 Bundle 2 disposition term sheet amendment approval resolution of 2026.

The measure was introduced by Chairman Mendelson on behalf of Mayor Bowser on June 1, 2026 and referred to the Committee on Human Services on June 23, 2026.

Hill East, formerly known as Reservation 13, is comprised of 67 acres located between the eastern edge of the Capitol Hill neighborhood and the western shore of the Anacostia River, located at 1900 Massachusetts Avenue Southeast, phase two bundle 2, consists of approximately 6.3 acres and includes parcels C, E, and H, and the streets parcel all within lot 7 in Square E-112.

Development of these parcels will include multifamily residential buildings, townhomes, mixed-use buildings with multifamily residential units over commercial or retail, a hotel, a public park, and public streets and sidewalks.

The council previously passed the Hill East Phase 2 Bundle 2 surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2022, which was accompanied by a term sheet dated September 20th, 2022, executed by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the Developer R 13 Community Partners LLC.

Under Section 10-801 of the DC Code, substantive changes to a term sheet must be submitted to the council in a proposed resolution.

The resolution before us today would authorize three specific amendments to the term sheet for Hill East Phase 2 Bundle 2.

First, the district would now be responsible for constructing the public park located in on Parcel E.

The park would be leased to the developer for up to 25 years, a change from the prior 99-year ground lease, and the developer would be responsible for maintenance of the public park throughout the period of the ground lease.

Okay.

Um so the projects for this particular parcel are um behind.

Uh uh does the developer have everything that they need at this moment to complete the project going forward?

Or will we have to take some additional action in the next few months?

Well, we were assured at the hearing that they're ready to go with this, and they believe they can begin delivering buildings.

I don't recall the exact schedule, but it was pretty seamless that they would be getting going.

So I think this is the last time that we need to do anything on this set of parcels.

I can't speak to the other sets of parcels that are out there, but on this set of parcels, I think this unlocks the door so we can get moving.

Okay.

And my understanding of this agreement um for there's a park.

Um that will shift now to the district developing it, but the developer will um maintain it.

Um, in terms of the cost of building the park, is that something that we already have within the capital budget, or is that something that we'll need to come back to?

It is in the capital budget.

It is okay.

How much is it?

Sorry.

We'll check.

Okay.

We could follow up after.

Okay.

That's fine.

But we'll have the answer.

Okay, thank you.

Just a second, or I should say Lee Catherine will have the answer in just a second.

Uh well, first and foremost, thank you, Mr.

Chairman, for conducting today's uh markup on uh bill PR 26 days, 736, the Hail East, uh phase two bundle two uh disposition terms amendment approval resolution of 2026.

Um, I thank you, sir.

Uh I know that uh some time ago a number of residents who live within the Hill East community uh participated in the Hill East master plan uh to discuss how they envision uh that site being redeveloped.

Uh so to see this this project continue to move forward is a long time coming, and a number of residents are extremely excited of the progress, and so am I.

Uh additionally, when you look at what's happening uh along the RFK campus, uh by continuing to invest in uh neighborhoods such as Hale East and development projects truly complements uh that development and most importantly, it speaks to the long uh desired investments that's taken place in uh the ward.

So I'm tremendously excited that this project is continuing to move forward.

I do have a couple questions, uh Mr.

Chairman.

If that's okay.

Of course.

Um and I think you alluded to this in your opening remarks.

Uh but my first question, I notice that uh if you look at all of the other parcels of land that are being leased, it's a 99-year lease agreement.

Um but with this new park or parcel E is only for 25 years.

Uh what was the distinction in terms of time between the 99 year compared to the 25 year?

Why didn't both why didn't all parcels continue to be 99 years if you know the answer?

Uh I I don't specifically know the answer.

I haven't asked that question, but but I will uh speculate, which is dangerous.

Uh this the parcel subject to a 22 25 year lease is a park and so it will revert eventually to be public space controlled by the district, managed by the district.

It's different than the buildings which in order to justify the investment, you need something like a 99-year lease.

So I think it's I think it's that the ultimate fate of this parcel is that it will become public property sooner and managed by DPR.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

And coming to think about it, uh, you inadvertently answer my other question.

Uh so Mr.

C Mr.

Chairman, that concludes uh my question.

So thank you.

All right.

Well, and thank you very much.

I will say also, and because I think it relates to the question that Councilmember Henderson asked, which is are we actually ready to go?

And one of the sets of questions that I asked the developer is that lots of things are stalled right now, and it is difficult to get access to capital, and there are folks who have reservations about proceeding with different projects around the city, and why is this different?

And the answer was RFK.

The answer is that they feel that by 2030 and going forward, there will be a lot more activity happening in that space, and that so this investment becomes a particularly attractive one.

And that may help to unlock some of the other parcels that are there, the synergies with the RFK development, but that's a part of the puzzle here.

With that, I move the committee print and report for PR twenty six-076, the Hill East phase two bundle two disposition term sheet amendment approval resolution of twenty twenty six, with leave for staff to make technical and conforming changes.

All those opposed, please indicate by saying no.

In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it unanimously, and the motion passes.

Um the business before the committee is concluded.

And this meeting is adjourned.

Thank you, everyone.