By Anthony Tilghman
District Heights was founded as a close-knit, working-class community built on the promise of opportunity, stability, and homeownership. For generations, families here have invested in their neighborhoods, raised their children, and helped shape one of Prince George’s County’s proudest municipalities.
Today, that promise is being tested.
As climate change brings heavier rainfall and more frequent flooding, District Heights faces growing environmental and infrastructure challenges. Our city sits amid wetlands and tributaries that feed into the Anacostia River, which flows to the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. These wetlands aren’t incidental — they are essential natural infrastructure. They absorb stormwater, reduce flooding, and filter pollution before it reaches our waterways.
When these systems are stressed or ignored, the impact shows up on our streets, in our homes, and around our schools.
As a Commissioner, I have seen firsthand how flooding affects residents — damaging property, straining city services, and creating real safety risks for pedestrians, seniors, and children walking to school. That reality is why I supported the creation of District Heights’ Sustainability Committee, a resident-led effort driven by people who love this community and want to protect it. Our residents wanted it, and as a Commission we stood with them and made it happen. It was a deliberate step toward planning smarter, protecting our environment, and making decisions today that safeguard tomorrow.
But sustainability is about more than water. It is about people.
One of my core priorities has been Safe Passage — making sure our children can walk to and from school safely. Flooded sidewalks, broken infrastructure, and poorly planned roadways create real dangers for students and families. Walkable communities are not a luxury; they are a public-safety necessity. When we invest in safer crossings, accessible sidewalks, and resilient infrastructure, we protect lives — and we strengthen the sense of connection that defines great neighborhoods.
I have also worked to ensure sustainability includes economic opportunity. As Commissioner, I helped establish District Heights as the first municipality with an in-house workforce development lab, creating direct pathways for residents to earn training, certifications, and employment. The future of environmental policy must include environmental jobs — careers in green infrastructure, stormwater management, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. These aren’t abstract ideas. These are real jobs that support families while protecting our communities.
District Heights has always been a city of doers. From its early days as a planned suburban community to its evolution into a diverse and resilient city, progress has come when leaders listened and acted with intention. That same spirit must guide how we respond to climate pressures, flooding risks, and infrastructure needs today.
Local leadership matters — but state leadership matters too.
Flooding does not stop at city boundaries. The challenges facing District Heights are shared by communities across District 25 and throughout Maryland. As a candidate for State Delegate, I’m running to bring real local experience to Annapolis — to fight for stronger investments in stormwater infrastructure, protections for wetlands, expanded Safe Passage programs, and workforce pipelines tied directly to environmental and infrastructure projects.
We cannot afford to treat sustainability as optional or reactive. It must be built into how we plan, how we fund, and how we lead.
My work as a Commissioner reflects a simple belief: government should protect people, prepare for the future, and create opportunity. As a State Delegate, I will continue that work — connecting local solutions to state action and making sure communities like District Heights are not left behind.
Our history shows what is possible when we lead with purpose. Our future depends on doing it again — together.