David Gottfried: working to make Kennedy Street better
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This is the second Petworth News Video about people who make a difference in our community.
Kennedy Street NW has been overwhelmed by a general economic malaise caused by years of vacant and blighted properties -- and a community that didn't know how to jump start this historic and important corridor. Getting attention to Kennedy Street is the job of the Kennedy Street Development Association (KSDA), a group of local residents who volunteer to chase after absentee building owners, work with existing businesses to find ways to increase customers, and encourage new development and businesses to take advantage of the shuttered and empty buildings found along the street.
One of those volunteers, David Gottfried, was nominated as a Petworth change-maker, someone who works to improve our community without public awareness or appreciation. David has lived in DC for most of his life -- born here, raised in Maryland and now moved back and raising a family in Ward 4 -- he feels a special connection with the city and this area in general.
David has been passionate in his work to tell the story of Kennedy Street, of the ways the DC government has been letting blighted properties sit, a corridor stagnate, and a community not receiving the attention it deserves. Along with KSDA, David has had some big successes getting DCRA, Tax & Revenue and other government agencies to turn their attention to Kennedy Street. Their work is paying off.
ANC Commissioners Nancy Roth and David Sheon, along with Councilmembers Silverman and Todd, have gotten involved not only with encouraging existing businesses and new businesses, but on putting forth legislation to close loopholes that allowed the stagnation to continue.
With that introduction, I encourage you to watch the next Petworth News Video, spotlighting David Gottfried as a person who makes a difference in our neighborhood.
Watch the Petworth News Video:
Related articles:
- KSDA gets a win, Kennedy Street hopefully gets new development (October 28, 2015)
- KSDA keeps up the pressure on vacant properties (September 21, 2015)
- Leonardo Dorcett: helping to make a better neighborhood (December 1, 2015)
If you know someone you believe is a change maker in the community who might be interested in being interviewed, please submit a nomination.
This is the second Petworth News Video, a partnership between myself and Justin Dent, another Petworth resident. Our goal with this video series is to shine a light on the people, places and events that help make Petworth a great neighborhood, and who often go overlooked. We hope you get to know the people and places we'll feature, and have a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes to make Petworth a better neighborhood for us all. See the first video about Leonardo Dorcett.
Filmmaker Justin Dent is the founder of Dent Digital, a video production company located in Washington DC. He lives with his wife and daughter in Petworth and enjoys a cold beverage at the Citizen from time to time -- don't be a stranger! You can find him on Twitter and Instagram, and some of his videos on Vimeo.
