On July 11th the District government sent out notification that the Brookland Main Street program had been terminated.

Lavinia Wohlfarth, executive director of the program, said: “A loud minority has cost the majority a great program.”

Phyllis Love, Assistant Director of the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) said the program was terminated because of financial management issues.

“The Brookland Community Development Corporation (BCDC) has not been able to establish reliable financial control and grant administration systems,” wrote Ms. Love in the notification letter.

Ms. Love is responsible for overseeing the nine Main Street programs in the District.

Ms. Love went on to say that there would no longer be a Main Street program in Brookland, but that her department “will continue to help the Brookland commercial district and its business owners.”

DSLBD is already taking steps in that direction.

DSLBD announced that the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) would assume responsibility for the Brookland storefront improvement program that had languished under the Brookland CDC’s management.

The Brookland CDC was awarded a $300,000 grant in 2006 to fund storefront improvements along 12th Street. The organization was unable to implement any improvements in more than two years.

In July, $94,500 was awarded to WACIF to fund storefront improvements for eleven Brookland businesses. The eleven businesses had submitted applications to the program originally managed by the Brookland CDC.

Donna Grigsby, executive director of WACIF, was enthusiastic about being awarded the grant. “It’s a really exciting opportunity for the businesses and the neighbors,” she said.

Ms. Grigsby described WACIF as a “community development financial institution.” WACIF is located at 3624 12th Street NE.

Ms. Grigsby said WACIF had not implemented storefront improvement grants in the past, but that “this is not new to us.” Ms. Grigsby said WACIF had a track record in Ward 7, Ward 8 and the H Street corridor.

According to Ms. Grigsby, WACIF is eager to get to work. “Our goal is to have this completed by November,” she said.

Asked about the fate of the original $300,000 grant, Ms. Love said “we cannot provide an update on those funds.”