The Mayor’s Mansion Debate Collection documents a proposed track of land which was to be donated to Washington, DC by Mrs. Eugene Casey. The donation included the stipulation that the property be designated specifically for use as the mayor’s official residence. While many local residents and government officials were appreciative of the proposed gift, responses to the proposed donation remained mixed. Among the concerns raised by residents and city officials was the financing to cover costs of maintenance; issues of providing security to the property; whether the city and National Park Service should engage in a proposed land-swap; and whether moving the mayor’s residence to Georgetown would create the perception of elitism.

The debate over accepting the proposed gift remained undecided, and in late 2003, the Casey Foundation ultimately withdrew the offer, and donated the land to the Salvation Army.

In the aftermath, Howard Bray, a local resident who was actively engaged in the debate, submitted a request for inter-office correspondence and reports through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to the National Park Service, Washington City Council, and the Mayor’s Office.