An ANC (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) is a non-partisan, neighborhood body each made up of locally elected representatives called Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. 

There are 46 ANCs which are divided in to smaller Single Member Districts (SMDs), each with about 2,000 people.. These 345 SMDs each have their own elected Commissioner meaning that each Commissioner only ever represents roughly 2,000 people – a TRUE representative form of democracy. 

The ANCs’ main job is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government on matters that affect their neighborhoods. Although they are not required to follow the ANCs’ advice, many District agencies are required to give the ANCs’ recommendations “great weight.” Moreover, District law says agencies must give the ANCs 30 days advance notice if they are going to take any action that may affect ANC dominion including: parking, restaurants, sanitation, zoning, street improvements, recreation, education, social services, sanitation, planning, police and safety, the District’s annual budget, and health services.