I. Unhoused and underserved DC citizens continue to face the threat of displacement and long-term homelessness.

I will work to implement an Office on Residential Affairs which will work to eradicate the city’s overwhelming presence of slumlords and uninhabitable housing conditions. 

Additionally, I will work with members of the DC Council to pass my housing legislation which was written and presented to the mayor and members of the DC Council in 2023, titled the “HEART Act”. This key piece of legislation is designed to provide an alternative solution for repairing and restoring healthy living environments for DC residents residing in apartment communities where housing code violations exist, by advancing the necessary funds, (when applicable health hazards exist) from the District’s housing production trust fund as well as the general fund, and placing a lien on the owner’s property in question. This piece of legislation is aimed at alleviating District residents and families from residing in unhealthy living environments while awaiting drawn out landlord tenant court outcomes. Placing a lien on the owner’s property would allow the judicial branch of the District to enforce the collection of the District’s financial exposure to include the accrual of interest, placing the burden of compliance and equity reduction on “bad actor” owners/landlords who violate District tenants’ housing rights. 

This office would also work to make District “owned” properties that are in disrepair across the public housing and “market rent” sectors of its existing inventory available and placed in rotation for families that remain in search of affordable and stable housing solutions. 

The creation of solid home ownership grants, tax credits, and employee housing rebates will also be a primary focus of this office, to ensure that working class and lower income citizens gain access to becoming homeowners and aren’t continually priced out of the real estate market.

Working to slow the progression of gentrification will also be a priority of this office to ensure the preservation of generations of native Washingtonians who have found it difficult to afford the cost of living in DC.

This office will work with area property developers to ensure that community benefit agreements are negotiated with the inclusion of housing apartment community leaders to ensure that adequate and accountable investments are made in helping to improve the community’s infrastructure, social development programming and resources. 

II. The District’s looming healthcare crisis will further be threatened by the removal of thousands of District citizens from Medicaid due to recently passed congressional legislation, as well as the ongoing, overwhelming existence of chronic disease, asthmatic, diabetic, and alarming rates of mentally unwell and unstable residents across the city.

Thus, I will be implementing a Commission on Wellness to help raise the standards of healthcare access and to increase patient outcomes by introducing alternative methods of care to include holistic and preventative care and wellness practices. 

Additionally, this commission will help to analyze and address food deserts, prescription drug costs, access to healthy meals to aid in the reduction of sugar and high sodium diets in schools and senior populations, as well as make readily available increased, community-based educational programs and initiatives on physical fitness, gardening, smoking cessation, meditation, yoga, and eco-friendly living to name a few.

This commission will also establish a mental health and drug addiction monitoring division to help inform and track local statistics to help create preventative policies and effective community outreach. 

III. The District’s K-12 grade school educational efforts are primarily centered around both a public and a public charter school model, which hasn’t improved the District’s lagging behind of the nationally recognized averages, especially in Math, while English language arts academic performance also present grave concerns amongst parents and educational analysts.   

I will be implementing a Commission on Educational Excellence to help address the low standards of educational outcomes, increase school attendance and graduation rates, as well as restore confidence in the District’s overall educational system. We must graduate our students with sustainable and advanced skill sets, critical thinking, financial literacy, and career achievable opportunities.

This commission will primarily focus on the following school system improvements:

Enhance Early Childhood Education

Invest in more quality preschool and nutritional programs to give children a stronger foundation academically and socially, reducing dropout rates later on.

Strengthen Support Services
Increase mental health education and training within schools, as well as increase the existence of more counselors, social workers, and psychologists to address emotional and behavioral issues early.  Secure funding and partnerships to increase mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and promote overall well-being among students.

Improve Curriculum and Instruction 
Implement evidence-based teaching strategies in English Language Arts and Math, provide ongoing professional development for teachers, and incorporate culturally relevant materials to boost engagement. Use student performance data to identify at-risk students early and tailor interventions to support their success.

Increase Community and Parental Engagement
Foster partnerships with families and community organizations to support students’ academic and social needs outside of school hours. Provide on campus after school programs and initiatives to help bolster student participation in academic excellence and inclusion. 

Address Safety and School Climate 
Work collaboratively with law enforcement and community members to create a safe, welcoming environment that encourages attendance and participation. Reduce the presence of guns, drugs, and sexually related incidents of harassment and abuse among student populations as well as with teaching professionals. 

Provide Career and Technical Education (CTE) 
Offer pathways that connect students with practical skills and employment opportunities, which can motivate higher graduation rates.

Foster a Positive School Culture 
Encourage academic achievement, personal growth, and community involvement to build pride and motivation among students. Ensure that policies and practices eliminate disparities among different student groups, fostering an inclusive environment that supports all learners. Establish a social media awareness and usage mandate to encourage healthy, safe, and accountable usage among student populations.

IV. Increasing jobs/labor in the District and providing enhanced worker protections, will help to improve the overall economic gaps that exist across the city. The District’s current 81 times wealth gap has been further exaggerated with the rotation and loss of employment for federal workers, the ongoing restaurant closures which heavily impacts our hospitality industry, and the instability of small businesses who have helped to employ almost half of DC workers, which is why I will work to implement a 

DC Alliance on Wealth.

This alliance will focus on addressing economic disparities and reducing poverty as well as strengthening the District’s small business economy. The alliance will also work to collaborate efforts across government agencies, private sectors, and communities to create a more equitable economy and reduce the burden on city budgets caused by poverty and existent social determinants of health by:

Supporting small businesses and local entrepreneurs through grants, loans, and technical assistance. Investing in industries with high employment potential to create new job opportunities, such as manufacturing, technology, healthcare, renewable/clean energy, construction, etc.

Providing accessible job training and vocational programs tailored to emerging job markets as well as partnering with educational institutions to align skill development with employer needs and guaranteed job placement.

Introducing as well as strengthening taxes on higher income brackets and large corporations to fund successful social programs which will ensure tax fairness to redistribute resources effectively.

Increasing access to affordable healthcare, housing assistance, and food security programs with streamlined access to benefits to ensure those in need can easily receive necessary support when needed.

Improving quality and access to education from early childhood through higher education as well as providing scholarships and financial aid for low-income students.

Promoting the development of affordable housing units and rent control to reduce living costs for low-income families, individuals, and senior populations.

Implementing policies to prevent housing discrimination and gentrification-driven displacement.

Offering programs to improve financial skills and access to banking services while also supporting the development of inclusive banking practices that serve underserved communities.

Collaborating with businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations to develop sustainable solutions to include leveraging private sector investments for community development projects.

Investing in infrastructure, safety, and amenities in underserved neighborhoods to attract investment and improve quality of life.

Using data and feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives and being adaptable to evolving economic conditions and community needs.

Improve government accountability & transparency by reforming city contracts to prevent corruption and favoritism.

Increasing accessibility of government resources to all DC residents.

V. Lastly, I will work to implement a Commission on Public Safety which will serve to coordinate the District’s various safety personnel, agencies, and programming efforts to help offer a unified approach to combating the city’s ongoing public safety challenges and pronounced failures. 

This commission will focus on the following:

• Reducing recidivism.
• Mass incarceration prevention. 
• Improved emergency system responses.
• Community policing and crime prevention programs.
• Public awareness and safety campaigns.
• Recommend policies for enhanced law enforcement outcomes and practices.
• Promote safety education in schools, workplaces, and public spaces.
• Monitor safety regulations and conduct safety audits in public facilities, transportation, and construction sites.
• Collect safety data and monitor trends to ensure proper resource allocation.
• Manage grants and funding opportunities for safety projects and initiatives.
• Examine and audit existing safety programs, protocols, and initiatives to determine adequate impact and proper use of existing funds.
• Stay updated on new safety technologies and best practices.
• Improve law enforcement community responses and mental health education.
• Restore public trust in safety. Strengthen community relations.
• Recommend proactive crime reduction strategies.
• Partner with community leaders to help prevent crime.
• Collaborate efforts with the judicial branch of government to eliminate unlawful firearm access, usage, and sales.
• Manage youth safety and civic awareness mentorship programs. 
• Establish a human/sex trafficking monitoring division to help inform and track local statistics to help create preventative policies and community outreach.