November 28, 2005: NORTON IN MEETINGS TO ASSURE GOOD COMMUNITY AND CITY RELATIONS WITH SOLDIERS HOME

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2005

NORTON IN MEETINGS TO ASSURE GOOD COMMUNITY AND CITY RELATIONS WITH SOLDIERS HOME REDEVELOPMENT

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has begun a series of meetings with the responsible officials to help clarify the relationship between the Armed Forces Retirement Home, the surrounding community, and the federal government on the proposed development of some of the Retirement Home land. Norton met with Timothy Cox, chief operating officer of the Home some time ago, but since then some questions have arisen. Beginning with meetings with Home officials and the affected Council members - Council members Adrian Fenty (Ward 4), Jim Graham (Ward 1), and Vincent Orange (Ward 5)—she also will meet with Williams administration planning and other officials. The Congresswoman particularly wants to meet with the officials of the General Services Administration (GSA) charged with managing the development process.

The Department of Defense has mandated that portions of the site be developed in order to preserve the Home’s endowment that has been seriously eroded. However, the agency responsible for the development process is GSA, which comes under the jurisdiction of a subcommittee on which Congresswoman Norton serves as ranking member.