Doing the work.

THE FIGHT FORWARD: DELIVERING REAL RESULTS FOR DC & WARD 5

Neighbors are losing jobs, housing instability and displacement plague the District, and DC’s right to self-governance is under threat. Through it all, Zach has stood firm against federal overreach and worked to deliver practical results for everyday people.

Change Happens When People Organize for It

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WINS THAT MATTER TO FAMILIES & WORKING-CLASS RESIDENTS

As a champion for eliminating poverty, Zach has:

  • Developed and funded the District Child Tax Credit (CTC), making DC the first city in the nation to provide a local child tax credit, that will provide $1,000 per child under 18 to working-class families. The CTC will put money back into the pockets of families and is projected to cut childhood poverty by about 25% in DC

  • Fought to ensure the RFK redevelopment deal supports strong labor standards and creates union jobs for DC residents. That means real career pathways, fair wages, and economic opportunity that stays in our community. This win would not have happened with out Zach’s leadership

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES IN WARD 5

As a visible and accountable leader, Zach has:

  • Revived community traditions like Ward 5 Day

  • Hosted annual food giveaways to help those in need

  • Improved communication channels between residents and city services

  • Passed legislation lowering permitting fees for breweries

  • Supported the creation of Station DC, a transformative tech hub in Union Market

  • Championed grocery store investments in Lamond Riggs, Brookland, and in the Reservoir District

  • Established two new parks in Lamond-Riggs and Carver-Langston

  • Advanced long-stalled community projects like the Fort Lincoln Recreation Center and theProvidence Hospital Redevelopment

PUBLIC SAFETY & SAFER STREETS

Zach approaches safety holistically, not by simply expanding enforcement, but by investing in jobs, behavioral health services, and neighborhood partnerships.

As a capable leader, Zach has:

  • Contributed to a 35% drop in violent crime in Ward 5 from 2023 to 2024 — the steepest decline in the city

  • Contributed to an approximate 15% drop in violent crime in Ward 5 in 2025 compared with the prior year

  • Pushed for targeted opioid abatement investments in Ivy City, ensuring resources for treatment, prevention, and community-based response reach the neighborhoods most affected

  • Co-introduced the STEER Act to hold reckless out-of-state drivers accountable, secured closure of the 8th Street gap on the Metropolitan Branch Trail to protect cyclists and pedestrians, and has advocated for safer street design to curb reckless driving

YOUTH AFFAIRS & EDUCATION

As Chair of the DC Council’s Committee on Youth Affairs, Zach has:

  • Passed and funded the Child Behavioral Health Services Dashboard to help families access care and support faster

  • Passed and funded the School Improvement Amendment Act, expanding support for low-performing schools

  • Strengthened oversight of child welfare and rehabilitation systems, helping expand education services for incarcerated youth and address social worker vacancies so foster care youth receive the support they deserve

  • Established programs for job readiness, trade training, and youth reentry for incarcerated youth

  • Protected funding for every Ward 5 school modernization and fought to ensure Burroughs students learn within their school community while their campus is modernized

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE & STRONG COMMUNITIES

As a champion for our communities, Zach has:

  • Expanded Ward 5’s tree canopy by partnering with organizations like Casey Trees to reduce heat and pollution

  • Advanced environmental justice reforms by introducing legislation like the Environmental Justice Amendment Act of 2023 to confront decades of inequities that have treated Ward 5 as a dumping ground and ensure healthier, more equitable land use decisions moving forward

  • Worked with the Office of Planning to advance a comprehensive vision for Rhode Island Avenue, securing nearly $500,000 in grants to support small businesses, and leading a multi-year revitalization effort with city partners to drive equitable growth along the corridor

ADVANCING INCLUSIVE GROWTH & HUMAN RIGHTS

As a proud and representative leader, Zach has:

  • Secured $1 million for the DC LGBTQ+ Center

  • Championed housing vouchers and workforce support for seniors

  • Passed the Black LGBTQ+ History Project to document and honor overlooked contributions of Black queer pioneers

  • Passed the Prep DC Act of 2025 to expand access to life-saving HIV medication

  • Advocated for stronger language access and secured protections to ensure residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can fully access government information and services