Research and advocacy carried out by DC Public Restrooms both inspired and informed two public restroom pilots provided for under Law 22-280, Public Restroom Facilities Installation and Promotion Act of 2018:
DC Law 22-280 provided for two pilots, with the proviso that, if successful, each pilot would be progressively expanded,
- The Standalone Public Restrooms Pilot {to be carried out by the Department of General Services (DGS)} directed the Department of General Services to select a standalone public restroom model and install it in two site, with tracking of factors such as cost and safety to determine, after one year the success of the pilot. If successful every year thereafter, for a total of five years, two new standalone restrooms would be installed in needed areas of the district each year.
- The Community Restroom Incentives Pilot (patterned on the Community Toilet Scheme successfully carried out in cities throughout Great Britain) directed the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) to selected a Business Investment District (BID) to identify up to 30 businesses within the BID’s boundaries that would receive an incentive, in return for opening their restrooms to the public. If successful five additional BIDs will be progressively financed to carry out this program.
For reasons outside of our control (lack of commitment at the highest levels of the DC government, an economic downturn in downtown DC due to COVID, increases in crime in commercial areas of DC (where the Community Incentives Restroom Pilot was to be carried out) it was not possible to carry out either of the two pilots. A detailed description of our advocacy and the challenges faced may be found in Adventures in Advocacy, under Our Advocacy
We at DC Public Restrooms remain committed to our goal of “Clean, safe public restrooms available to everyone in needed areas of Washington DC”. However, until conditions are right, we have decided to put a pause on our research and advocacy efforts.
In the meantime, we are closely watching two new initiatives to make clean, safe public restrooms available in DC that have yet to come to fruition. We are also tracking what other cities in the US are doing to make clean safe public restrooms available to residents and visitors.
