What Is an ANC
DC's most local layer of government.
Advisory Neighborhood Commissions were designed to put a resident's voice directly into the decisions that shape their block, their alley, and their commute.
ANCs across the District
Residents per Single Member District
The SMD Grayson is running to represent
Created under the Home Rule Act
Closer to you than the Council, the Mayor, or Congress can be
Created in 1974 under the Home Rule Act, ANCs were designed to put a resident's voice directly into the decisions that shape their block, their alley, and their commute — decisions that bigger agencies often make without ever setting foot in the neighborhood.
The city is divided into 46 ANCs, and each of those is broken into Single Member Districts, or SMDs, of roughly 2,000 residents. I'm running to represent SMD 6C07, one of those districts, as your Commissioner.
Photo credit: By airbus777 from Washington, DC, USA — NoMa from Washington Gateway, CC BY 2.0
What commissioners actually do
- Zoning and development
- Liquor licenses
- Traffic and parking
- Streets and sidewalks
- Public safety
- Sanitation
- Historic preservation
- The District budget
Commissioners are unpaid, elected to two-year terms, and serve as the official voice of their neighborhood on nearly every issue that touches daily life.
The full commission meets monthly, but the real work happens between meetings — fielding constituent calls, walking problem intersections, showing up at community meetings, and pushing agencies to actually respond when something isn't working.
Because ANCs sit closer to residents than any other part of DC government, they're often the first to hear about a pothole that's been ignored for months, a construction project that's ignoring its permit conditions, or a business that wants to open next door. Part of the job is simply being reachable.
Read more about ANCs here“Great Weight”
ANCs don't write laws and they can't issue permits or overrule agencies. Their power comes from something written directly into DC law: great weight.
When an ANC formally weighs in on a matter, the responsible District agency is legally required to acknowledge the commission by name and respond in writing to each concern raised — explaining specifically why it did or didn't follow the ANC's recommendation.
An agency can still disagree, but it cannot simply ignore an ANC or brush off its input with a form response.
Your vote is your voice on the block.
Election Day is November 3rd. Make your plan today.