My name is Joe Barrios and I am running to be your next ANC Commissioner for 4B05, a volunteer, non-paid, non-partisan position. My goals for our neighborhood are to make it clean, vibrant, connected, and inclusive for all.

I would like to ask for your vote in November 2026!

The number one concern I hear about when talking with neighbors is the issue of sanitation and rat control. The automated lifting arms on DPW garbage trucks frequently break our bins and scatter garbage in alleyways. Residents shouldn't have to foot the bill for repairing or replacing these bins. Combined with an insufficient number of public trash cans in high traffic areas, these problems are allowing trash and rats to proliferate.

As your ANC 4B05 commissioner I will:

• Push for modern, front-loading, rodent-proof trash cans in high-traffic areas on or near Georgia Avenue as envisioned by the REMY Act recently introduced by the Council. 

• Request Council funding for free bin replacements in cases where garbage trucks have broken the cans. 

• Increase public bins by pushing DPW to install more cans in areas suffering from extra litter. 

• Empower residents with clear, actionable steps we can take to rat-proof our alleys and navigate the system for getting bin repairs or replacements.

A vibrant 4B05 neighborhood means a vibrant Georgia Avenue. While we have some great local businesses on our section of this Great Street, we are also dealing with boarded-up storefronts, lack of customer foot traffic, and a general under-investment in our part of this commercial corridor. We can do more to support small business owners and unlock the Avenue's full potential.

As ANC 4B05 Commissioner, I will:

• Support local businesses by developing relationships with Avenue business owners, city agencies, and the Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street Program to secure storefront improvements, grant funding, and enhanced beautification. 

• Improve walkability and safety by investigating and advocating for smart transit proposals to make our busy stretch of the Avenue safer for pedestrians.

• Advocate for smart development to ensure new buildings are constructed thoughtfully and consistently with the look and feel of the neighborhood, while preserving the historic character of our Art Deco and classical architectural gems.

• Promote equitable revitalization strategies that are welcoming to all, ensuring that the truly Avenue feel like home for everyone who lives here.

Many neighbors tell me they want more opportunities to meet other community members, whether to socialize or to share their perspectives on local issues. People also want to stay connected and informed about important things happening in the city and nearby area.

As your ANC 4B05 Commissioner I will:

• Amplify your voice by seeking out your feedback on any issue coming before the Commission and carefully weighing your perspectives before casting my vote.

• Host community meetings (in person, hybrid, or online) to share city updates, discuss upcoming ANC business, and simply get to know one another better.

• Bridge the information gap by publishing email newsletters while also remembering that not everyone uses digital communication methods. That may mean using flyers or just knocking on some doors to chat.

• Maintain an open email inbox to hear from you and help connect you with the DC services you need.

I believe our neighborhood should be a place where everyone, from young families to our long-time residents and seniors, can afford to live and thrive. Right now, that isn't happening. High housing demand and low supply across the city have pushed prices and rents sky high, locking out many people who make our community run every day. Teachers, essential workers, hospitality staff, students, immigrants, seniors on fixed incomes, and others are increasingly unable to afford living here and are being pushed far outside DC.

I have a strong track record of advocating for deeply affordable housing, including chairing a housing working group for DC for Democracy and testifying in favor of building more of that housing before the DC Council. It is a core value of mine to ensure that housing policy directly helps families and individuals who need it most.

As your ANC 4B05 Commissioner I will:

• Advocate for affordability by using the ANC's zoning and development influence to push for deeply affordable housing options that address our city's supply shortage.

• Protect against displacement by supporting policies and thoughtfully planned developments that allow long-time residents and seniors to remain in the homes of their choice and age in place without being priced out.

• Prioritizing community voices by actively seeking out and carefully weighing your feedback on any zoning or housing proposal that may come before the ANC before casting my vote.

• Foster an inclusive neighborhood by ensuring our community remains welcoming to new neighbors while protecting the people who built it.