Citizens Advisory Group

Janeese Lewis George
Office Sought: Mayor
Campaign Website: janeesefordc.com
Campaign Contact / Email: info@janeesefordc.com

Question 1: DC’s older adult population is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, yet the city’s infrastructure, services, and budget have not kept pace. What is your vision for making DC a truly age-friendly city, and what concrete steps will you take in your first term to ensure older residents can age safely and with dignity?

This question addresses systemic, cross-cutting priorities. We are looking for a holistic vision that connects housing, services, health, and community—not just individual program commitments.

Response: Our city has so many resources that make it a wonderful place to live as a senior. We have world-class free cultural resources like the Smithsonian and some of the best public transportation in the US. But there’s a lot we can do to improve the lives of seniors in DC.

That’s why I’m committed to building stronger partnerships with lead agencies like the DC Office on Aging and Community Living (DACL) and community anchors like the DC Villages, because supporting, protecting, and uplifting our senior residents requires a coordinated, community-wide effort. Together, we can strengthen the services network for seniors and ensure no one is left without the care and connection they deserve.

We must invest in programs that help seniors stay in their homes safely and make it easier to downsize if they choose to. We will help them access food, healthcare and community by improving transportation; I plan to establish shuttle and bus routes for seniors and require major development projects to incorporate bus stop amenities that are senior-friendly. I will also create free transit for residents enrolled in SNAP.

We can do much more to make healthcare accessible and affordable for seniors, as detailed below. We will expand access to legal aid for seniors, make it easier for seniors to access coordinated support by phone, enhance protections against fraud and elder abuse, and increase funding for programs that give seniors a place to socialize.

Finally, to ensure that seniors are safe, we can fix DC’s broken 911 system, improve traffic and pedestrian safety in every neighborhood, and drive down crime with community policing and effective violence prevention programs.

Question 2: DC has some of the highest housing costs in the nation, and older adults—particularly low-income seniors, renters, and those with disabilities—face acute housing instability and displacement. What specific policies will you champion to expand affordable, accessible housing for older adults and ensure that seniors can age in place in their own homes and communities?

DC research shows that nearly one in three senior renters spend more than half their income on housing. Policies might include Housing Production Trust Fund set-asides, rental assistance, home modification funding, ADU incentives, and stabilization of assisted living costs.

Response: DC is increasingly unaffordable for renters and homeowners alike, and too many seniors are being pushed out of the communities they helped build. Many older adults are also living in multigenerational households, where high housing costs and homes that are not built for aging can put real strain on families. Too many seniors also face the high cost of assisted living and other supportive housing options. No senior should lose their home because they cannot afford necessary repairs, rising costs, or the changes needed to age in place safely.

I have a comprehensive strategy for more deeply affordable housing in the District. More housing will help bring down costs, and strategies like social housing will improve affordability for seniors who rent, seniors on fixed incomes, and other renters across the city. My housing plan will result in many more housing options in more places, which will be especially important for older adults looking for stable, affordable homes.

For senior homeowners, I will increase funding for home repairs and accessibility improvements, expand the Safe at Home program to reach more seniors, and prevent displacement by helping seniors remain in their homes or downsize if they want to. I will also invest in foreclosure prevention aid and work to protect seniors from predatory reverse mortgages.

Question 3: Hunger and food insecurity among older adults in DC are often invisible but deeply consequential—affecting health, mental well-being, and independence. Only a fraction of eligible seniors in DC are enrolled in SNAP, and homedelivered meal programs face chronic underfunding. What will you do to end senior hunger in the District, and how will your administration ensure that every older adult has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food?

Many organizations serve thousands of meals annually, but the need far exceeds capacity. We are looking for commitments to nutrition funding, benefit access, and food-as-medicine approaches.

Response: I am committed to ending senior hunger in the District by fully funding safety net programs like SNAP, expanding targeted accessible outreach, and making it easier for older adults to enroll and stay connected to benefits. In DC, more than 1 in 10 older adults experience food insecurity and roughly 1 in 5 are at risk of hunger, yet only about one-third of eligible seniors are enrolled in SNAP. That gap is unacceptable.

As mayor, I will prioritize benefits navigation, stronger outreach to eligible seniors, and investments in food delivery programs and senior dining services so older adults can access nutritious, culturally appropriate food consistently. I will also address the larger food access inequities that make hunger worse, especially in Wards 5, 7, and 8, by advancing solutions that bring more grocery stores and food resources into underserved communities through strategic public and private partnerships. Seniors should not have to navigate poverty, isolation, and long distances just to get healthy food.

Question 4: Washington, DC has significant racial and geographic disparities in health outcomes among older adults. Seniors east of the Anacostia River face higher rates of chronic disease, less access to quality care, and greater barriers to home- and community-based services. How will you work to close these gaps, and what specific investments will your administration make in health equity for DC’s aging population?

This includes Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS), culturally competent care, community health workers, and targeted investment in underserved wards.

Response: In DC, access to quality care varies by zip code. There is a roughly 15-year gap in life expectancy between Ward 3 and Ward 8, driven by higher rates of chronic disease and preventable conditions east of the river. As mayor, I will strengthen and better connect our community health clinics and hospitals so every resident can access affordable primary and specialty care faster and with better outcomes.

We need more healthcare providers. I will expand incentives like the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program and invest in workforce pipelines, including community health workers who help seniors navigate care. We must also improve language and cultural competency across the board.Every senior deserves care that meets them where they are, in the language they speak and with respect for their background and lived experience.

The expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies, changes in Medicaid eligibility, and the sunsetting of the Health Care Alliance are already impacting low-income and immigrant seniors. I will restore the Health Care Alliance, protect public coverage, and work with our healthcare finance agencies to better understand and mitigate these impacts. I will also expand Medicaid home- and community-based services so more seniors can age in place.

Finally, DC has a strong foundation through the Department of Health Care Finance. Building on that, I will establish an Office of Health Care Affordability focused on tracking healthcare price growth and affordability across the entire system, including hospital and provider costs and what residents pay out of pocket, not just public program spending, so we can reduce costs and improve equity.

Question 5: Dementia affects a growing number of DC residents and their families, yet the District lacks sufficient early diagnosis resources, care navigation support, and culturally competent memory care services—particularly for Black and immigrant communities who face both greater risk and greater barriers to care. What is your plan to build a dementia-capable DC, and how will your administration support families navigating this disease?

We are looking for specific commitments to early screening, caregiver support, and equitable access to dementia care services.

Response: As Councilmember, I co-introduced a resolution to declare June 2025 Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month in recognition of the 15,000 DC residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. I understand that dementia is a huge issue affecting DC seniors, families, and caregivers.

I am committed to building a dementia-capable DC. That means expanding access to early screening and diagnosis so residents and families can access support, plan ahead, and connect to resources before a crisis occurs. It also means strengthening supportive services like adult day programs and other community-based supports, including DC Villages, that provide safe environments for residents and respite for caregivers.

Families navigating dementia need earlier intervention, better care navigation, and stronger support. As mayor, I will work to ensure DC’s aging and health systems are better equipped to meet the needs of residents living with dementia and the families caring for them.

Question 6: Family caregivers—often women and often juggling caregiving with employment—provide billions of dollars’ worth of unpaid support to older adults each year, yet they receive little recognition or support from public policy. What steps will your administration take to treat family caregivers as essential partners in DC’s care infrastructure, including through economic relief, respite care, and workplace protections? And what role do you see the paid direct care workforce playing in that system?

Consider commitments such as a caregiver tax credit or stipend, paid family leave protections, expanded respite care, and a centralized caregiver resource hub with language access. The paid direct care workforce—home health aides and certified nurse aides—is equally central to DC’s care infrastructure. Do you support full implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act of 2024 (effective December 12, 2024), including its workforce development provisions, improved wages and benefits, quality education pathways, and accountability measures?

Response: Family caregivers and paid care workers are essential to DC’s care infrastructure. For too long, care work, performed largely by Black women, immigrant women, and other women of color, has been undervalued and underpaid, reflecting a long history of exclusion from labor protections. I have made changing that a priority.

I co-sponsored and helped pass DC’s Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, and I have supported legislation to raise wages, expand protections, and improve conditions for care workers. I also co-sponsored the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act because care workers deserve fair pay, effective training, safer workplaces, and real opportunities to advance. As mayor, I will support full implementation of that law and strengthen pathways into long-term care work.

I also know firsthand what family caregiving demands. When my father got sick, I took unpaid leave to care for him, and that experience shaped my commitment to paid leave. I co-introduced legislation to increase financial support for family caregivers, and as mayor I will fully fund Paid Family Leave so more families can care for loved ones without risking their income. Caregivers need real support, and my administration will treat them as essential partners in care.

Question 7: Federal budget and policy changes—including potential cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, and other safety-net programs—pose a direct and serious threat to DC’s older adults, many of whom depend on these supports. How will your administration respond if federal funding for senior services is cut, and what proactive steps will you take at the local level to protect DC’s most vulnerable older residents from federal policy rollbacks?

This question reflects the current policy environment and the real vulnerabilities facing DC seniors. We are looking for candidates who will take a clear and active position on the city’s responsibility to protect older adults in the face of federal uncertainty.

Response: I believe a city budget is a moral document. Some may say DC needs to save money by cutting programs that assist seniors and other vulnerable communities, but I vehemently disagree. In the face of cuts on the federal level, DC has shown that we can step up to protect our people, and I will continue doing that as mayor.

This is not the time for fewer investments, it’s the time for more. Especially when our people can’t rely on federal programs, the city must be able to provide a safety net. There’s plenty of waste in the DC budget we can cut to pay for safety net programs and we can also do more to ensure corporations and the wealthiest residents are paying their fair share by plugging loopholes.

As the mayor, I will have broad latitude to make sure our budgets support the people who are most vulnerable. I led the fight to increase SNAP and have taken action many times to protect TANF and Alliance health programs. It’s a lifeline for so many families. I’ll always side with vulnerable communities like seniors to make DC safe and affordable, and create a government that listens to and delivers for residents in all eight Wards

Full Name: Gary Goodweather
Office Sought: Mayor
Campaign Website: goodweatherfordc.com
Campaign Contact / Email: info@goodweatherfordc.com

Question 1: DC’s older adult population is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, yet the city’s infrastructure, services, and budget have not kept pace. What is your vision for making DC a truly age-friendly city, and what concrete steps will you take in your first term to ensure older residents can age safely and with dignity?

This question addresses systemic, cross-cutting priorities. We are looking for a holistic vision that connects housing, services, health, and community—not just individual program commitments.

Response: An age-friendly DC requires comprehensive policy that allows seniors to stay in their homes, stay connected to their communities, and access support without navigating fragmented systems.

First, my approach starts with housing as core infrastructure. We will create 50,000 multigenerational homes designed to accommodate residents throughout their life. We provide lowinterest financing for retrofits and create matter-of-right accessory dwelling units citywide. The city will offer property tax relief that accommodates homes to support our aging residents. This directly addresses rising property tax burdens that are already pushing seniors out of long-term homes.

Second, we will build a workforce dedicated to aging in place through our Capital Corps. The Elder Care Branch will provide companionship, transportation, safety checks, and daily assistance, ensuring seniors have consistent, neighborhood-based support instead of relying solely on overstretched systems.

Third, we will expand home modification programs to eliminate waitlists and proactively fund accessibility upgrades like fall prevention and mobility improvements.

Finally, we will establish neighborhood-based service hubs that integrate healthcare navigation, meal access, and social programming within walking distance or reachable transit.

My plan is a coordinated strategy that aligns housing, service delivery, and workforce development to ensure DC residents can age safely, affordably, and with dignity in the communities they built.

I also want to note that we want senior residents to be mentors and trainers in the Capital Corps. Sharing their experience, knowledge and wisdom with our younger generation will create a more connected and empathetic city.

Question 2: DC has some of the highest housing costs in the nation, and older adults—particularly low-income seniors, renters, and those with disabilities—face acute housing instability and displacement. What specific policies will you champion to expand affordable, accessible housing for older adults and ensure that seniors can age in place in their own homes and communities?

DC research shows that nearly one in three senior renters spend more than half their income on housing. Policies might include Housing Production Trust Fund set-asides, rental assistance, home modification funding, ADU incentives, and stabilization of assisted living costs.

Response: DC’s housing crisis is pushing seniors out of the communities they built, especially renters, low-income residents, and those living on fixed incomes. My approach focuses on keeping people in place, while expanding affordable and accessible options across the housing continuum.

First, we will scale multigenerational housing throughout the city by making it easier for residents to have options within their communities. That means faster permitting, preapproved designs, and access to low-interest financing so homeowners can add space for aging parents or caregivers without navigating a complex process. This expands affordable housing without large-scale new construction and keeps families together.

Second, we will provide targeted property tax relief for long-term senior homeowners and property owners with senior residents, including caps and deferral options, so rising assessments do not force people out of neighborhoods they helped build.

For senior renters, we will prioritize long-term fixed base rent agreements. Creating multi-year fixed utility agreements will provide certainty of utility expenses. Preserving existing affordable units by streamlining the permitting process for rehabilitation will reduce costs and make the residences more enjoyable to live in faster.

Third, we will invest in home modification programs that fund safety upgrades like grab bars, ramps, and accessibility improvements, which are far more cost-effective than displacement or institutional care.

Finally, through our Capital Corps in the Elder Care Branch, we will pair housing stability with light-touch support like transportation and wellness checks to ensure that our seniors can remain independent, stay active while also staying connected to their communities.

Question 3: Hunger and food insecurity among older adults in DC are often invisible but deeply consequential—affecting health, mental well-being, and independence. Only a fraction of eligible seniors in DC are enrolled in SNAP, and homedelivered meal programs face chronic underfunding. What will you do to end senior hunger in the District, and how will your administration ensure that every older adult has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food?

Many organizations serve thousands of meals annually, but the need far exceeds capacity. We are looking for commitments to nutrition funding, benefit access, and food-as-medicine approaches.

Response: Senior hunger in DC is an access and coordination problem. Too many older adults are eligible for support face barriers navigating disconnected systems. My approach is to make access reliable.

First, we will increase SNAP enrollment by simplifying the process for seniors. That includes automatic enrollment for residents already receiving eligible benefits, shorter renewal cycles, and in-person enrollment support through trusted community sites like senior centers, faith institutions, and clinics. If someone qualifies, the system should work for them, not against them.

Second, we will build indoor vertical farms to produce nutrient dense fruits and vegetables that are accessible and affordable. Research continues to show, “you are what you eat” and ensuring our senior residents are provided healthy, nutritious food that supports their physical and mental well being is critical.

Third, we will strengthen meal delivery without building a new bureaucracy. We will expand partnerships with local restaurants, small businesses, and community organizations to provide home-delivered meals that are culturally appropriate and neighborhood-based. This supports local economies while increasing reach and flexibility.

Fourth, we will create neighborhood-based food access points within walking distance by aligning existing resources such as food pharmacies, community fridges, and mobile markets with senior populations.

Finally, through our Capital Corps’ Elder Care Corps, we will provide last-mile support, including grocery delivery, wellness checks, and assistance with meal access. Ending senior hunger requires coordination to ensure every older adult can consistently access nutritious food in a way that respects their dignity and independence.

Question 4: Washington, DC has significant racial and geographic disparities in health outcomes among older adults. Seniors east of the Anacostia River face higher rates of chronic disease, less access to quality care, and greater barriers to home- and community-based services. How will you work to close these gaps, and what specific investments will your administration make in health equity for DC’s aging population?

This includes Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS), culturally competent care, community health workers, and targeted investment in underserved wards.

Response: Health disparities among older adults in DC are driven by access gaps, not inevitability. Seniors east of the Anacostia River face longer travel times to care, fewer providers, and less coordination between services. My approach is to bring care closer to residents, align services at the neighborhood level. And focus on prevention rather than crisis response.

First, we invest in neighborhood-based health access points by expanding community clinics, mobile care units, and telehealth infrastructure in underserved areas. These sites will provide primary care, chronic disease management, and preventative screenings without requiring long or complicated travel. We will also incentivize providers to practice in underserved neighborhoods by reducing administrative barriers and supporting community-based partnerships.

Second, we will integrate health with home and community-based services. Through our Capital Corps’ Elder Care Branch, we will provide regular wellness checks, care navigation, and support with medication management and appointments. This creates a consistent touchpoint for seniors who might otherwise fall through the cracks. The Capital Corps is designed to create a workforce that is part of the community they serve.

Third, we will improve transportation access to care by coordinating non-emergency medical transportation with existing transit and community networks and developing new mobility systems that meet each senior’s needs.

Finally, we will target resources toward prevention by expanding access to nutrition support, physical activity programs, and home modifications that reduce injury risk. Closing these gaps requires delivering care where people are, not expecting them to navigate a fragmented system. We will make it easy for our senior residents to live and thrive in our city.

Question 5: Dementia affects a growing number of DC residents and their families, yet the District lacks sufficient early diagnosis resources, care navigation support, and culturally competent memory care services—particularly for Black and immigrant communities who face both greater risk and greater barriers to care. What is your plan to build a dementia-capable DC, and how will your administration support families navigating this disease?

We are looking for specific commitments to early screening, caregiver support, and equitable access to dementia care services.

Response: DC is not prepared for the scale of dementia care that is coming, and the gaps are most visible in delayed diagnosis, fragmented care, and a lack of culturally competent support. My plan is to build a dementia-capable system that identifies the disease earlier, supports families continuously, and meets communities where they are.

First, we will expand early detection by integrating routine cognitive screenings into primary care visits for older adults and increasing provider training so symptoms are recognized sooner. Early diagnosis allows families to plan, access treatment, and avoid crisis-driven care.

Second, access to dementia treatment early and on an ongoing basis is critical. Although there is currently no cure, there are treatments that can help prevent, delay or slow symptoms. The Shingrix vaccine, as an example, has shown promise reducing the risk approximately 20% over seven years and could also slow the progression of those already diagnosed. Additionally, new medications are having a positive effect with symptom management and slowing progression. Access to these therapeutics is exceedingly important to manage the disease and eventually ending it.

Third, we will create a citywide dementia care navigation network. Families should not have to piece together services on their own. We will fund trained navigators based in community clinics and trusted organizations who can guide residents through diagnosis, care planning, legal considerations, and long-term support.

Fourth, we will invest in culturally competent memory care, particularly in black and immigrant communities where stigma and language barriers often delay care. This includes supporting providers who offer multilingual services, partnering with faith-based and community groups for outreach, and ensuring care models reflect cultural expectations around family caregiving. Finally, we will expand respite care and caregiver support, including training, counseling, and flexible day programs. Supporting dementia care is not just about patients, it is about sustaining families who care for them every day.

Question 6: Family caregivers—often women and often juggling caregiving with employment—provide billions of dollars’ worth of unpaid support to older adults each year, yet they receive little recognition or support from public policy. What steps will your administration take to treat family caregivers as essential partners in DC’s care infrastructure, including through economic relief, respite care, and workplace protections? And what role do you see the paid direct care workforce playing in that system?

Consider commitments such as a caregiver tax credit or stipend, paid family leave protections, expanded respite care, and a centralized caregiver resource hub with language access. The paid direct care workforce—home health aides and certified nurse aides—is equally central to DC’s care infrastructure. Do you support full implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act of 2024 (effective December 12, 2024), including its workforce development provisions, improved wages and benefits, quality education pathways, and accountability measures?

Response: Family caregivers in DC are performing essential work that too often goes unrecognized, uncompensated, and unsupported. My administration will treat caregiving as a core part of the city’s care infrastructure.

First, we will provide direct economic relief through a refundable caregiver tax credit for residents who are providing regular elder care. For higher-need situations, we will expand access to stipends tied to demonstrated caregiving intensity, helping offset lost wages and out-of-pocket costs.

Second, we will invest in robust respite care so caregivers can step away without fear of leaving loved ones unsupported. This includes funding in-home respite services, expanding adult day programs, and ensuring flexible short-term care options are available across wards.

Third, we will strengthen workplace protections by working with employers to expand paid family leave for elder care, flexible scheduling, and job protection standards so caregiving does not mean job loss or stalled careers.

Finally, the professional paid direct care workforce is essential to sustaining this system. A pay equity fund will help stabilize wages, improve retention, and address workforce shortages so families can rely on trained professionals as partners in care rather than filling every gap themselves.

Question 7: Federal budget and policy changes—including potential cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, and other safety-net programs—pose a direct and serious threat to DC’s older adults, many of whom depend on these supports. How will your administration respond if federal funding for senior services is cut, and what proactive steps will you take at the local level to protect DC’s most vulnerable older residents from federal policy rollbacks?

This question reflects the current policy environment and the real vulnerabilities facing DC seniors. We are looking for candidates who will take a clear and active position on the city’s responsibility to protect older adults in the face of federal uncertainty.

Response: Federal cuts to Medicaid, Social Security supports, SNAP, or other safety-net programs would have an immediate and severe impact on older adults in DC, and the District cannot simply absorb those shocks without planning. My approach is twofold: emergency stabilization in the short term and structural insulation over the long term.

In the immediate term, my administration would prioritize backfilling the most critical gaps for older residents using local contingency reserves and budget realignments, focusing first on healthcare access, nutrition assistance, and home and community-based services. We would establish an emergency senior stability fund to prevent service disruption for Medicaid dependent care, home health supports, and meal programs, with a clear priority on keeping people safely in their homes.

We would also accelerate enrollment and recertification support so that no eligible senior loses benefits due to administrative barriers during periods of federal instability. This includes mobile assistance teams and partnerships with trusted community organizations.

Longer term, we must reduce DC’s vulnerability to federal volatility. That means seriously advancing models of local self-funding for core health services, including exploring a DC designed healthcare financing system that could supplement or stabilize coverage for residents if federal programs are reduced or restructured. The goal is not full replacement of federal systems, but creating a local backstop that prevents catastrophic loss of care and cost reduction.

At the same time, we will diversify funding streams for senior services, expand local revenue dedicated to aging programs, and build stronger partnerships to sustain nutrition, housing, and care infrastructure.

The guiding principle is simple. No older adult in DC should lose food, care, or housing because of decisions made outside the District.

Full Name: Vincent B. Orange, Sr.
Office Sought: Mayor
Campaign Website: orangeformayor.com
Campaign Contact / Email: info@orangegormayor.com

Question 1: DC’s older adult population is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, yet the city’s infrastructure, services, and budget have not kept pace. What is your vision for making DC a truly age-friendly city, and what concrete steps will you take in your first term to ensure older residents can age safely and with dignity?

This question addresses systemic, cross-cutting priorities. We are looking for a holistic vision that connects housing, services, health, and community—not just individual program commitments.

Response: My vision is a District where every resident can age safely, independently, and with dignity—supported by coordinated housing, health, transportation, and community services. In my first term, I will implement an Age-Friendly DC Action Plan with measurable outcomes: align services through a centralized coordination office; expand home- and community-based services; improve senior transportation access; and create neighborhood aging hubs in every ward.

Measured outcome: increase the percentage of seniors able to age in place by at least 25% within four years. With a $22 billion budget, we have the resources—we need alignment and accountability.

Question 2: DC has some of the highest housing costs in the nation, and older adults—particularly low-income seniors, renters, and those with disabilities—face acute housing instability and displacement. What specific policies will you champion to expand affordable, accessible housing for older adults and ensure that seniors can age in place in their own homes and communities?

DC research shows that nearly one in three senior renters spend more than half their income on housing. Policies might include Housing Production Trust Fund set-asides, rental assistance, home modification funding, ADU incentives, and stabilization of assisted living costs.

Response: I will dedicate a Housing Production Trust Fund set-aside for seniors, expand rental assistance, increase funding for home modifications, incentivize ADUs, and stabilize assisted living costs.

Measured outcome: reduce cost-burdened senior renters by at least 20% within four years. Seniors should not be displaced from the communities they helped build.

Question 3: Hunger and food insecurity among older adults in DC are often invisible but deeply consequential—affecting health, mental well-being, and independence. Only a fraction of eligible seniors in DC are enrolled in SNAP, and homedelivered meal programs face chronic underfunding. What will you do to end senior hunger in the District, and how will your administration ensure that every older adult has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food?

Many organizations serve thousands of meals annually, but the need far exceeds capacity. We are looking for commitments to nutrition funding, benefit access, and food-as-medicine approaches.

Response: My administration will fully fund home-delivered meals, expand SNAP enrollment, implement a Food as Medicine initiative, support culturally appropriate meals, and create neighborhood food hubs.

Measured outcome: cut senior food insecurity in half within four years. No senior should choose between food, medicine, and housing.

Question 4: Washington, DC has significant racial and geographic disparities in health outcomes among older adults. Seniors east of the Anacostia River face higher rates of chronic disease, less access to quality care, and greater barriers to home- and community-based services. How will you work to close these gaps, and what specific investments will your administration make in health equity for DC’s aging population?

This includes Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS), culturally competent care, community health workers, and targeted investment in underserved wards.

Response: I will expand Medicaid home-based services, invest in community health workers, support culturally competent care, target investments in Wards 7 and 8, and strengthen hospital partnerships.

Measured outcome: reduce health disparities by at least 20% within four years. Where you live should not determine how long you live.

Question 5: Dementia affects a growing number of DC residents and their families, yet the District lacks sufficient early diagnosis resources, care navigation support, and culturally competent memory care services—particularly for Black and immigrant communities who face both greater risk and greater barriers to care. What is your plan to build a dementia-capable DC, and how will your administration support families navigating this disease?

We are looking for specific commitments to early screening, caregiver support, and equitable access to dementia care services.

Response: My plan includes expanding early screening, creating a dementia navigation system, investing in culturally competent care, expanding caregiver training, and building community memory centers.

Measured outcome: increase early diagnosis and support access by 30% within four years.

Question 6: Family caregivers—often women and often juggling caregiving with employment—provide billions of dollars’ worth of unpaid support to older adults each year, yet they receive little recognition or support from public policy. What steps will your administration take to treat family caregivers as essential partners in DC’s care infrastructure, including through economic relief, respite care, and workplace protections? And what role do you see the paid direct care workforce playing in that system?

Consider commitments such as a caregiver tax credit or stipend, paid family leave protections, expanded respite care, and a centralized caregiver resource hub with language access. The paid direct care workforce—home health aides and certified nurse aides—is equally central to DC’s care infrastructure. Do you support full implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act of 2024 (effective December 12, 2024), including its workforce development provisions, improved wages and benefits, quality education pathways, and accountability measures?

Response: I will establish a caregiver tax credit, expand respite care, strengthen paid leave, create a caregiver resource hub, and support full implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Act.

Measured outcome: stabilize caregiver support systems and workforce capacity within four years.

Question 7: Federal budget and policy changes—including potential cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, and other safety-net programs—pose a direct and serious threat to DC’s older adults, many of whom depend on these supports. How will your administration respond if federal funding for senior services is cut, and what proactive steps will you take at the local level to protect DC’s most vulnerable older residents from federal policy rollbacks?

This question reflects the current policy environment and the real vulnerabilities facing DC seniors. We are looking for candidates who will take a clear and active position on the city’s responsibility to protect older adults in the face of federal uncertainty.

Response: I will prioritize senior services, establish a Senior Stability Fund, pursue alternative funding, advocate federally, and improve efficiency.

Measured outcome: maintain uninterrupted services regardless of federal cuts.

Full Name: Rini Sampath
Office Sought: Mayor
Campaign Website: riniformayor.com
Campaign Contact / Email: sampathrini@gmail.com
Campaign Contact / Email: team@riniformayor.com

Question 1: DC’s older adult population is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, yet the city’s infrastructure, services, and budget have not kept pace. What is your vision for making DC a truly age-friendly city, and what concrete steps will you take in your first term to ensure older residents can age safely and with dignity?

This question addresses systemic, cross-cutting priorities. We are looking for a holistic vision that connects housing, services, health, and community—not just individual program commitments.

Response: Making DC truly age-friendly means treating older residents not as a special interest but as a core constituency whose needs reveal whether city government is actually working. It is unacceptable when seniors cannot get a reliable Medicaid transportation ride, when home modification requests sit unanswered for months, and when affordable assisted living is inaccessible east of the river.

My vision connects housing, health, transportation, and community into a single commitment: older adults should be able to age in place, in their neighborhoods, with dignity and without fear of displacement or neglect.

As Mayor, I will ensure there is an official responsible for coordinating aging policy across DC agencies, so older adults are not bounced between bureaucracies. I will require every major agency to report publicly on outcomes for older residents by ward, and I will convene an annual aging policy summit that brings older adults and advocates directly into budget and planning conversations. Age-friendly means accessible sidewalks, reliable transit, safe housing, and services that actually reach people.

Question 2: DC has some of the highest housing costs in the nation, and older adults—particularly low-income seniors, renters, and those with disabilities—face acute housing instability and displacement. What specific policies will you champion to expand affordable, accessible housing for older adults and ensure that seniors can age in place in their own homes and communities?

DC research shows that nearly one in three senior renters spend more than half their income on housing. Policies might include Housing Production Trust Fund set-asides, rental assistance, home modification funding, ADU incentives, and stabilization of assisted living costs.

Response: Nearly one in three senior renters in DC spends more than half their income on housing. As Mayor, I will protect the Housing Production Trust Fund from the proposed cuts in the FY27 budget and have targeted set-asides for affordable senior housing. I will crack down on predatory junk fees that quietly push up rents by hundreds of dollars a month, and I will strengthen enforcement of tenant protections so seniors are not displaced through illegal practices.

For aging in place, I will expand DC’s home modification grant program so seniors can make accessibility upgrades, for example, grab bars, ramps, widened doorways without navigating a bureaucratic obstacle course. I will also streamline ADU permitting to enable more multigenerational housing options.

Question 3: Hunger and food insecurity among older adults in DC are often invisible but deeply consequential—affecting health, mental well-being, and independence. Only a fraction of eligible seniors in DC are enrolled in SNAP, and homedelivered meal programs face chronic underfunding. What will you do to end senior hunger in the District, and how will your administration ensure that every older adult has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food?

Many organizations serve thousands of meals annually, but the need far exceeds capacity. We are looking for commitments to nutrition funding, benefit access, and food-as-medicine approaches.

Response: As Mayor, I will prioritize funding for home-delivered meal programs and ensure they are not sacrificed in budget negotiations. I will direct DACL to conduct an annual needs assessment of unmet meal demand by ward and publish the results publicly so funding gaps are visible and addressable.

DC’s take-up rate among eligible seniors for SNAP is far too low. I will direct the Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) and the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) to launch a targeted SNAP outreach and enrollment initiative, including in-person assistance at senior centers and healthcare settings where older adults already go. I will also explore food-as-medicine approaches as a cost-effective intervention that reduces downstream healthcare expenditures.

Food must be culturally appropriate. I will require that meal programs serving diverse communities reflect the dietary preferences and cultural backgrounds of the seniors they serve, and I will work with community-based organizations with existing cultural trust to expand reach in immigrant communities and communities of color.

Question 4: Washington, DC has significant racial and geographic disparities in health outcomes among older adults. Seniors east of the Anacostia River face higher rates of chronic disease, less access to quality care, and greater barriers to home- and community-based services. How will you work to close these gaps, and what specific investments will your administration make in health equity for DC’s aging population?

This includes Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS), culturally competent care, community health workers, and targeted investment in underserved wards.

Response: The health disparities facing seniors east of the Anacostia are unacceptable. Closing these gaps requires targeted investment.

As Mayor, I will direct DHCF to publish a ward-level dashboard tracking health outcomes for older adults: chronic disease rates, Medicaid home and community-based services utilization, and care access so disparities are visible and drive resource allocation. I will accelerate the expansion of community health worker programs in Wards 7 and 8, where trusted community messengers can connect seniors to care they would not otherwise navigate alone.

I will protect and expand Medicaid home and community-based services, because the ability to receive care at home rather than in a facility is both what seniors prefer and what is most cost-effective for the city. I will also ensure culturally competent care is a requirement, not an aspiration, for providers receiving public funds.

I also want to comment on Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center: it received a serious citation from DC Health within its first year. Ward 8 seniors deserve a hospital that meets the standard of care, and I will hold its leadership accountable.

Question 5: Dementia affects a growing number of DC residents and their families, yet the District lacks sufficient early diagnosis resources, care navigation support, and culturally competent memory care services—particularly for Black and immigrant communities who face both greater risk and greater barriers to care. What is your plan to build a dementia-capable DC, and how will your administration support families navigating this disease?

We are looking for specific commitments to early screening, caregiver support, and equitable access to dementia care services.

Response: Dementia is one of the most under-resourced challenges in DC’s aging landscape particularly for Black and immigrant communities who face both higher risk and greater barriers to diagnosis and care.

As Mayor, I will develop a DC Dementia Action Plan in partnership with advocates, healthcare providers, and community-based organizations serving Black and immigrant seniors. That plan will include early screening protocols embedded in primary care settings, culturally competent care navigation support, and training for first responders and city workers who regularly interact with older adults.

I will invest in caregiver support specifically for families navigating dementia because the burden of this disease falls primarily on families, and often on women of color, who receive little public recognition or relief. I will expand respite care options and ensure dementia care navigators are available in every ward, with language access.

Question 6: Family caregivers—often women and often juggling caregiving with employment—provide billions of dollars’ worth of unpaid support to older adults each year, yet they receive little recognition or support from public policy. What steps will your administration take to treat family caregivers as essential partners in DC’s care infrastructure, including through economic relief, respite care, and workplace protections? And what role do you see the paid direct care workforce playing in that system?

Consider commitments such as a caregiver tax credit or stipend, paid family leave protections, expanded respite care, and a centralized caregiver resource hub with language access. The paid direct care workforce—home health aides and certified nurse aides—is equally central to DC’s care infrastructure. Do you support full implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act of 2024 (effective December 12, 2024), including its workforce development provisions, improved wages and benefits, quality education pathways, and accountability measures?

Response: Family caregivers provide irreplaceable, largely invisible labor that holds DC’s care system together. The city has not come close to recognizing or supporting them adequately, and that must change.

As Mayor, I will explore a caregiver tax credit or stipend for low-income family caregivers who provide substantial unpaid care. I will expand respite care options so caregivers can take breaks without placing loved ones at risk. I will establish a centralized caregiver resource hub with language access so families are not navigating fragmented systems alone. And I will protect paid family leave: I oppose Bowser’s proposed pause on medical and personal leave, which hits caregivers directly.

Further, I fully support the Certified Nursing Aide Amendment Act of 2024 and will prioritize its full implementation, including workforce development, improved wages, quality education pathways, and accountability measures. I will budget to ensure direct care workers receive meaningful wage increases.

Question 7: Federal budget and policy changes—including potential cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, and other safety-net programs—pose a direct and serious threat to DC’s older adults, many of whom depend on these supports. How will your administration respond if federal funding for senior services is cut, and what proactive steps will you take at the local level to protect DC’s most vulnerable older residents from federal policy rollbacks?

This question reflects the current policy environment and the real vulnerabilities facing DC seniors. We are looking for candidates who will take a clear and active position on the city’s responsibility to protect older adults in the face of federal uncertainty.

Response: The federal threats to Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP are already moving along. I want to be clear, I will protect Medicaid and the DC Healthcare Alliance, and I will oppose cuts to programs that older adults depend on.

In the immediate term, I will direct every relevant agency to conduct a contingency analysis: if federal funding for senior services is cut by 10, 20, or 30 percent, I will ensure we conduct an analysis that measures the impacts and contingencies we can put in place. That analysis will be published and shared with the Council and advocates so there are no surprises.

I will also pursue every available dollar before cutting programs, including the $180 million the CFO is currently holding from our tax decoupling decision, and the $68.7 million Events DC owes the general fund. DC seniors should not pay for budget shortfalls caused by federal dysfunction and local mismanagement.

Full Name: Kenyan R. McDuffie
Office Sought: Mayor
Campaign Website: www.kenyanmcduffie.com
Campaign Contact / Email: info@kenyanmcduffie.com

Question 1: DC’s older adult population is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, yet the city’s infrastructure, services, and budget have not kept pace. What is your vision for making DC a truly age-friendly city, and what concrete steps will you take in your first term to ensure older residents can age safely and with dignity?

This question addresses systemic, cross-cutting priorities. We are looking for a holistic vision that connects housing, services, health, and community—not just individual program commitments.

Response: DC’s seniors built this city, and my administration will treat them as core partners. My framework is “growth with guardrails”: pursuing development while protecting legacy residents from displacement. On Day One, I will direct the Department on Aging and Community Living to coordinate a senior services agenda across housing, health, nutrition, and mobility.

As Mayor, I will:

• Build out the Safe at Home program with an additional $3 million to cover HVAC, structural repairs, code compliance, and accessibility modifications, building on the legislation I authored as Councilmember.
• Grow Senior Villages funding and recurring support for Senior Wellness Centers, which I championed as Ward 5 Councilmember.
• Scale up the Connector Card program so seniors can reach medical appointments and full-service grocery stores.
• Increase funding for the Housing Assistance Program for Unsubsidized Seniors, building on the bill I introduced to address the gap population of older renters.
• Launch a Senior Protection Corps to combat financial fraud and predatory practices such as predatory debt collections, targeting older residents.
• I will also establish a Senior Advisory Council within the Mayor’s office so older residents shape the policies that affect their lives. Aging in place with dignity is a human right.

Question 2: DC has some of the highest housing costs in the nation, and older adults—particularly low-income seniors, renters, and those with disabilities—face acute housing instability and displacement. What specific policies will you champion to expand affordable, accessible housing for older adults and ensure that seniors can age in place in their own homes and communities?

DC research shows that nearly one in three senior renters spend more than half their income on housing. Policies might include Housing Production Trust Fund set-asides, rental assistance, home modification funding, ADU incentives, and stabilization of assisted living costs.

Response: As Councilmember, I authored the Truth in Affordability Reporting Act, the Expanding Access to Justice Amendment Act (creating civil right to counsel in eviction cases), and introduced the Housing Assistance Program for Unsubsidized Seniors Act. As Mayor, I will build on that record with a housing agenda anchored in 4 priorities:

• Preserve existing affordable homes. Roughly 4,000 affordable units across DC are at risk because the buildings carrying them are financially distressed. I will establish a dedicated preservation funding stream within the Housing Production Trust Fund.
• Grow senior-specific rental assistance. I will fund the Housing Assistance Program for Unsubsidized Seniors and restore the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which I opposed cutting as Councilmember.
• Accelerate aging in place with dignity. I will add an additional $3M for Safe at Home HVAC, accessibility modifications, code repairs, and structural fixes so seniors can stay in their homes.
• Protect senior homeowners. My Senior Protection Corps will address predatory practices, and I will grow estate planning services and property tax relief for legacy residents.

I will also make accessory dwelling units easier to build by right, giving families a tool to house aging relatives on their own property.

Question 3: Hunger and food insecurity among older adults in DC are often invisible but deeply consequential—affecting health, mental well-being, and independence. Only a fraction of eligible seniors in DC are enrolled in SNAP, and homedelivered meal programs face chronic underfunding. What will you do to end senior hunger in the District, and how will your administration ensure that every older adult has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food?

Many organizations serve thousands of meals annually, but the need far exceeds capacity. We are looking for commitments to nutrition funding, benefit access, and food-as-medicine approaches.

Response: Hunger among older residents is a policy failure DC has the tools to fix. SNAP enrollment among eligible seniors remains low, home-delivered meals face long waitlists, food deserts persist east of the river and in parts of Ward 5, and transportation gaps cut seniors off from stores that exist. My administration will treat senior nutrition as health infrastructure. We must also ensure that those enrolled in public healthcare options (such as Medicare and Medicaid) receive all benefits they are entitle to.

As Mayor, I will:

• Create a dedicated Food Equity Fund with multi-year appropriation so providers can plan without annual budget fights.
• Aggressively enroll seniors in SNAP through coordinated intake at DACL, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, wellness facilities, and faith-based partners.
• Fully fund home-delivered meals to eliminate waitlists, with targeted investment in culturally appropriate options for Caribbean, African, Latino, and Asian American older adults.
• Grow “Food as Medicine” programming, including medically tailored meals for residents managing diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and heart failure.
• Use tax incentives and District-owned land dispositions to attract full-service grocery stores east of the river, paired with Connector Card growth so seniors can reach them.

47% of Black DC residents face food insecurity while only 14% of white residents do. That gap is a policy choice, and my administration will make a different one.

Question 4: Washington, DC has significant racial and geographic disparities in health outcomes among older adults. Seniors east of the Anacostia River face higher rates of chronic disease, less access to quality care, and greater barriers to home- and community-based services. How will you work to close these gaps, and what specific investments will your administration make in health equity for DC’s aging population?

This includes Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS), culturally competent care, community health workers, and targeted investment in underserved wards.

Response: Health disparities for older residents east of the Anacostia River are the product of decades of disinvestment, and closing the gap requires targeted investment at scale. As Councilmember, I championed the creation of the Mayor’s Commission on Health Equity. As Mayor, I will convert that foundation into an operational agenda.

As Mayor, I will:

• Protect and strengthen the DC Healthy Families programs as well as the Alliance. With federal cuts threatening Medicaid, I will use local dollars to fill coverage gaps, and grow what the Alliance covers, including behavioral health integration and LTSS.
• Grow urgent care capacity east of the river by partnering with Federally Qualified Health Centers and independent operators, so geography no longer determines health outcomes.
• Implement Health Equity Impact Audits. Any new regulation that worsens access for Ward 7 or 8 residents is automatically rejected unless a critical safety rationale exists.
• Move to a Fully Integrated Dual Eligible model for seniors on both Medicare and Medicaid, cutting the confusion that leaves older Black residents falling through the cracks.
• Leverage the National Health Service Corps and local university partnerships to place more providers of color in underserved communities.
• Deploy community health workers through Medicaid HCBS to reach residents where they live.

Question 5: Dementia affects a growing number of DC residents and their families, yet the District lacks sufficient early diagnosis resources, care navigation support, and culturally competent memory care services—particularly for Black and immigrant communities who face both greater risk and greater barriers to care. What is your plan to build a dementia-capable DC, and how will your administration support families navigating this disease?

We are looking for specific commitments to early screening, caregiver support, and equitable access to dementia care services.

Response: A dementia-capable DC starts with early screening, family support, culturally competent care, and caregiver respite that reach Black and immigrant communities where they live. Dementia reshapes every aspect of daily life for patients and their families, and DC’s current response leaves too many alone.

My plan:

• Fully fund Dementia Navigators at DACL and extend the program into Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8. Every family facing a diagnosis should have trained support.
• Partner with FQHCs to integrate cognitive screening into annual wellness visits for residents over 65, with particular focus on communities at higher risk.
• Grow “Club Memory” and adult day programs that give people with early-stage memory loss a supportive setting and give caregivers a break.
• Train first responders, senior service staff, and health workers to recognize signs of cognitive decline and financial exploitation.
• Fund culturally competent memory care in African, Caribbean, Latino, and Asian languages, because a caregiver who cannot communicate in a patient’s first language cannot deliver safe care.
• Grow respite care grants so family caregivers can sustain the work without sacrificing their own health or employment.

Question 6: Family caregivers—often women and often juggling caregiving with employment—provide billions of dollars’ worth of unpaid support to older adults each year, yet they receive little recognition or support from public policy. What steps will your administration take to treat family caregivers as essential partners in DC’s care infrastructure, including through economic relief, respite care, and workplace protections? And what role do you see the paid direct care workforce playing in that system?

Consider commitments such as a caregiver tax credit or stipend, paid family leave protections, expanded respite care, and a centralized caregiver resource hub with language access. The paid direct care workforce—home health aides and certified nurse aides—is equally central to DC’s care infrastructure. Do you support full implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act of 2024 (effective December 12, 2024), including its workforce development provisions, improved wages and benefits, quality education pathways, and accountability measures?

Response: Family caregivers save the District billions of dollars every year in unpaid labor, and it’s past time DC treated them as the infrastructure they are. My administration will deliver economic support, workplace protections, coordinated assistance, and expanded respite.

For family caregivers, I will:

• Strengthen DC Paid Family Leave so workers caring for older relatives have real job protection, and close coverage gaps that leave part-time and gig workers behind.
• Fund a centralized Caregiver Resource Hub at DACL with language access in Spanish, Amharic, French, and Vietnamese, offering intake, training, respite referrals, and legal guidance.
• Grow respite care grants so caregivers can sustain the work long term.
• Explore a caregiver tax credit. In the first 100 days I will conduct a review of the District’s finances to determine how we can offer tax relief to caregivers, considering budget shortfalls.

On paid direct care workforce: yes, I fully support implementation of the Certified Nurse Aide Amendment Act, including its workforce development provisions, wage and benefit improvements, quality education pathways, and accountability measures. I fought to fund that bill as Councilmember, and as Mayor I will appropriate the resources to bring it fully online. Direct care workers are vital to aging in place.

Question 7: Federal budget and policy changes—including potential cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, and other safety-net programs—pose a direct and serious threat to DC’s older adults, many of whom depend on these supports. How will your administration respond if federal funding for senior services is cut, and what proactive steps will you take at the local level to protect DC’s most vulnerable older residents from federal policy rollbacks?

This question reflects the current policy environment and the real vulnerabilities facing DC seniors. We are looking for candidates who will take a clear and active position on the city’s responsibility to protect older adults in the face of federal uncertainty.

Response: The federal assault on Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security is a direct threat to the seniors who built this city. I’ve watched this administration take actions that have directly harmed DC residents, and my administration will fight back at every level.

As Mayor, I will:

• Backfill federal cuts to Medicare, and the DC Healthy Family programs with local dollars so no senior loses coverage.
• Protect home-delivered meals by appropriating DC funds to sustain nutrition programs if federal dollars shrink.
• Pursue legal challenges to federal overreach and lead a regional coalition to defend Medicaid HCBS in court.
• Establish an Older Adult Protection Fund for emergency cash assistance to seniors who lose federal benefits during transitions.
• Train DACL, DHS, DHCF, and DBH staff on a “no wrong door” intake model so seniors access food, health care, housing, and benefits enrollment through single coordinated entry.
• Stand up a federal threat monitoring unit in the Mayor’s office to track proposed cuts in real time and prepare local responses.
• Restore recent cuts to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which I fought against as Councilmember.