Doing the work
Pictured here, Zach unveils Edna Brown Coleman Way in Trinidad alongside members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Edna Brown Coleman was an educator and a founder of the sorority, and her contributions continue to inspire generations.
Fighting for DC
CHALLENGING TIMES FOR THE DISTRICT
Neighbors are losing jobs, masked federal agents are pulling residents off our streets, and armed military personnel are patrolling our communities. With DC’s right to self-governance under threat, Zach has stood firm against this federal overreach.
LEADERSHIP ON THE COUNCIL
That same resolve guides his work on the Council. Zach has spoken out clearly, forcefully, and unequivocally; mobilized Ward 5 residents to lobby Congress; and fought to extend support to residents during these unprecedented times. This bold leadership has defined his service.
HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY ADVOCACY
He has been a vocal proponent of building more affordable housing in Ward 5 and across the District, especially in transportation-rich areas, and led the charge on the Council to cap rent increases for rent-controlled properties.
ADVANCING THE CHILD TAX CREDIT
Zach’s commitment to equity also drives his anti-poverty work, which will remain a key focus in a second term as poverty rates in the District rise. He has worked to make DC’s tax policies fairer and more supportive of working-class families, most notably through the District Child Tax Credit — projected to cut childhood poverty by 25%. Thanks to Zach’s leadership, working-class families across DC will receive $1,000 per child under 18 beginning in tax year 2026.
Fighting for a safer, stronger Ward 5
STRENGTHENING COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY BUILDING
When Zach entered office, he made it a priority to strengthen communication and improve government services for Ward 5. His team now provides consistent, detailed updates on city services and has worked intentionally to build community across difference: reviving Ward 5 Day, hosting food giveaways, and creating new parks for neighbors to gather in Lamond Riggs and Carver-Langston.
SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE
Building on that foundation, Zach has focused on improving the quality of life for residents and supporting local businesses. He passed legislation lowering permitting fees for District breweries (and Ward 5 has the most in the city), supported the creation of a new tech hub in Union Market, and championed new grocery stores in Lamond Riggs and Brookland. He fought to protect funding for Ward 5 investments and helped advance long-stalled development projects, breaking ground on major improvements including the Fort Lincoln Recreation Center, the Burroughs School modernization, and the McMillan/Reservoir District development. Seeing these and other projects through to completion will be a key focus in a second term.
PUBLIC SAFETY AS A CORE PRIORITY
Central to this work is public safety, which remains one of Zach’s highest priorities. He approaches public safety comprehensively—helping residents access jobs, expanding behavioral health services, and partnering with MPD. Zach hosts quarterly ward-wide public safety calls to keep residents informed, and under his leadership Ward 5 saw a 35% drop in violent crime from 2023 to 2024 (the steepest decline in the city) and an additional 20% decrease so far this year.
PUSHING FOR CONNECTIVITY AND SAFER STREETS
Zach often notes that public safety includes traffic safety, and his early actions reflect that belief. In his first year, he advocated for and secured the closure of the 8th Street-gap along the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) and continues to support practical measures that curb reckless driving, strengthen neighborhood connectivity, and reduce traffic-related injuries and deaths.
Fighting for our future
LEADING ON YOUTH AFFAIRS
As chair of the Council’s Committee on Youth Affairs, Zach is a steady leader on youth issues, strengthening support for the District’s lowest-performing schools by expanding the State Superintendent’s division for school support , combatting juvenile recidivism through robust oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services and expanding trade and pre-apprenticeship programs for incarcerated youth, and passing legislation to create the Child Behavioral Health Services Dashboard: a one-stop resource for families.
ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
His focus on community well-being includes environmental justice. Zach has fought to improve air quality in Ivy City and Brentwood, grow Ward 5’s tree canopy, and end decades of over-industrialization. For too long, Ward 5 has been treated as a dumping ground for bus depots, trash transfer stations, warehouses, and factories. Zach is challenging that status quo and preparing to continue this fight during the District’s upcoming review of the Comprehensive Plan in a second term.
BUDGET LEADERSHIP AND EQUITY
Zach’s commitment to equity also shapes his approach to the budget. He pushes for smarter spending to ensure the District’s $22 billion budget better meets residents’ basic needs. As part of that effort, he has championed cooperative economics, working to build a solidarity-based economy that benefits the entire community.
DELIVERING RESULTS FOR WASHINGTONIANS ON THE RFK DEAL
This same focus on delivering tangible results guided his work on the RFK Deal. When negotiations moved forward, Zach took a big swing to strengthen the agreement and helped secure hundreds of good-paying union jobs for District residents — jobs that would not have existed without his leadership.
Fighting for healthy communities & a more just DC
A VISION FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Zach’s vision for Ward 5 and the District is simple: build communities where everyone enjoys a high quality of life, regardless of zip code or background. A key part of that vision is driving investment on major corridors like North Capitol, 12th Street, and Rhode Island Avenue in Ward 5. With FY25 funding secured to begin reimagining Rhode Island Ave., Zach is now working with the Office of Planning and the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development to roll out FY26 grant funding and begin the multi-year revitalization effort. This is a key focus for a second term.
ADVANCING INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND REPRESENTATION
This commitment to inclusive growth also shapes Zach’s leadership on representation. With his advocacy on Council, the LGBTQ+ community has seen record investments in recent years, including $1 million for the DC LGBTQ+ Center as well as more dedicated housing vouchers for seniors and workforce support. He passed and funded the historic Black LGBTQ+ History Project to honor the contributions of Black queer residents that have long gone overlooked, and he introduced the Prep DC Act of 2025 to expand access to life-saving medication and reduce HIV infection rates.
STRENGTHENING HUMAN RIGHTS AND LANGUAGE ACCESS
Building on that work, Zach continues to advocate for stronger human rights protections and broader language access — including for the deaf and hard of hearing (Ward 5 is home to the largest hard of hearing and deaf community in DC) — ensuring DC remains a welcoming city for everyone.