Over the past several weeks, DC residents have been seeing an increase in large teen gatherings that have ultimately been turning violent. Residents have been calling for more police presence, curfews, and most importantly, designated third spaces for teens to gather. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has proposed investing more in youth programming as part of her 2026 and revised 2025 budgets. “We felt strongly that if we’re closing down an avenue, which we must, then we should try to create new avenues,” Bowser said.