The following questions are provided by AARP-DC
1. There are more than 30 government-funded services and programs to help seniors get enough food. Still, according to more than one source over 13 percent of seniors in the District are experiencing food insecurity. If elected, what policies and strategies would you implement to help ensure that no District senior goes without nutritious meals?
Mayoral Candidates
James Butler
I have a proposal to make Metro entirely free. This will help seniors in wards east of the river, the ability to access foods and fresh produce easily from other parts of the city. We will also work with meals on wheels, Uber Eats, to ensure that every single year has easy access to food availability for food delivery. We will ensure that seniors that are aging in place are getting enough food access by supplementing any deficiencies that they may have through a voucher program.
Robert White
We need to shift focus from larger grocery retailers to smaller, local ones. This strategy will help us pull fresh produce from the region and increase the number of food options for seniors while employing residents who live in these communities. I’ll expand partnerships with meal/food delivery services to assist seniors facing mobility and transit challenges. Lastly, I’ll continue to fund the community dining program to ensure that our LGBTQ seniors are well-nourished and avoid isolation.
D.C. Council Chair Candidates
Erin Palmer
I am dedicated to ending senior hunger through increasing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Produce Plus, and Produce Rx; expanding Community Dining Sites run by the Department of Aging and Community Living; and making permanent home meal delivery programs initiated in response to the coronavirus pandemic and expanding eligibility for these programs. The D.C. Council can ensure access to healthy foods in every community by better targeting incentives for grocery stores.
Phil Mendelson
Not only have I supported full funding for the Department of Aging and Community Living, but I proposed changes (which were adopted) to the mayor’s proposed budget to provide 100% of the funding requested by the Fair Food for All DC Coalition.
D.C. Council Candidates
Deirdre Brown
Food insecurity rates are high for Ward 3 seniors. We need to increase outreach ef- forts so that seniors and their loved ones know what is available to them like SNAP, adult day care services, or Medicaid-funded home-delivered meals and nutrition services. This is why I am in support of the No Senior Hungry Omnibus Amendment Act of 2021 and similarly situated legislation. This has to be a collaborative approach if we are going to effectively address the needs of our seniors.
Nate Derenge
The seniors have survived for decades, i won’t insult their intelligence by creating programs for them to eat.
Beau Finley
Here’s my plan:
– Expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility to include more seniors;
– Develop and implement a communications plan to let seniors know of various nutrition assistance programs;
– Lower barriers to sign up through a lead-agency approach using the Department of Aging and Community Living as a “one-stop shop” for seniors to learn about and sign up for assistance;
– Establish a Medicaid waiver for home-delivered meals and medical nutrition therapy.
Gordon Fletcher
I would call for an assessment of the services and programs to address their effectiveness and efficiency to the need. I would also assess the senior population to determine the true scope of need in the city. Where gaps exist, I would call upon partnerships with non-profits servicing the food insecure, to address deficiencies.
Matthew Frumin
We need to pass and implement the No Senior Hungry legislation. Pursuant to it we would create an inter-agency task force focused on this issue, develop a senior food security plan as well as a solid communications plan to ensure that seniors are fully aware of the services that can be made available to them, take aggressive steps to increase senior participation in SNAP programs, increase adult day care where seniors can get meals and expand the EPD Waiver to include home-delivered meals.
Sabel Harris
I want to introduce a program similar to one in North Carolina that will allow for seniors to use Medicare dollars to afford nutritious meals. (https://bit.ly/38Ijg2k) It also seems like these programs need a centralized place to operate out of and I will work with Department of Aging and Community Living to ensure that these are cohesive programs working together vs. separate fragments operating at random.
Faith Gibson Hubbard
I would use the council’s ability to have oversight of our current programs to find ways to streamline the programmatic focus and to support efforts for collaborative action. I will work closely with agencies and community-based programs to find opportunities for partnership and work to determine the best ways to appropriate funding/execute implementation to directly meet the need. We must expand the thresholds for offering support to all seniors, as access to food is a need of many seniors.
Art Lloyd
Maintain records of seniors addresses phone numbers and have city workers assigned to visit seniors weekly or biweekly.
Monte Monash
I have some understanding of this issue from the work I do with senior organizations, but I would want to examine the root causes of persistent food insecurity. Some reasons include lack of access to stores with healthy food in smaller portions, technological barriers to accessing financial and program assistance, in-home barriers to food storage and preparation, and stigma from accepting help. In addition to streamlining D.C. services, we need to work with private organizations as our partners.
Brianne K. Nadeau
I have been proud to support nutrition access programs for seniors such as Produce Plus, Produce Rx, Healthy Corners, food delivery programs established during the pandemic to replace the congregate meals at our senior centers, and I am working now in my committee to increase SNAP benefits.
Zachary Parker
I support establishing a Senior Food Insecurity Task Force and expanding seniors villages to connect seniors to neighbors that can support them. We should increase SNAP food assistance under the Give SNAP a Raise Act, and simplify that application process. I would expand the number of senior wellness centers and integrate them into our rec center infrastructure. And I will work to coordinate across our many pro- grams and services to improve senior outreach so no senior goes hungry.
Phil Thomas
Seniors in the District struggle to obtain enough food to live a healthy lifestyle. The No Senior Hungry Act focused on better defining who are food insecure and identifying the root causes. I will address this by spearheading a brick-and-mortar senior wellness center in Ward 3. I will make sure the No Senior Hungry Act remains funded and if seniors can’t attend a senior wellness center then they would receive home-delivered meals and medical nutrition therapy to the Medicaid waiver.
Eric Goulet
I would support expanding funding of food service programs for seniors through the Department of Aging and Community Living. In addition to being the right thing to do from a moral perspective, this investment actually saves the District of Columbia money, because it keeps our seniors healthy and avoids hospitalization for chronic diseases.
Nate Fleming
I would employ a labor force of individuals who go door-to-door to senior citizens’ homes ensuring that they are signed up for meal delivery programs if needed. Too many of our seniors are unaware of the meal services available to them or technology prevents them from gaining access. This is why we need to go to their homes and check on them and assist them in getting the services they need.
Kathy Henderson
I will identify and remove the communication barriers to senior access to food resources. Many of our senior residents are unaware of available resources, have health challenges that interfere with accessing resources or do not have reliable phone service to connect with resources. I will ensure that the Ward 5 Council Office serves as a bridge to resources for our seniors and residents and I will ensure that calls are ALWAYS answered during business hours.
2. Many nonprofit organizations, city agencies such as the D.C. Public Libraries, and places of worship in the District provide access to the internet in under-resourced communities. While these institutions provide a bridge, the District needs a better strategy to close the digital divide. If elected, what would you do to ensure a strong infrastructure plan is developed and executed, bringing these groups and others to the table?
Mayoral Candidates
James Butler
My first year in office I will work to ensure that the entire city is broadband… Meaning you can go anywhere in the city and access free broadband. There are a number of U.S. cities that has this already… And there is no reason why the nation’s capital should not have it today. I will bring it. I will further have courses for seniors to become more computer- and internet-efficient.
Robert White
We have an unprecedented opportunity to leverage billions of dollars in federal infrastructure funding to bring universal broadband to our entire city and make the speeds fast enough to support every facet of life from education to entertainment. I will execute on this potential and make sure all residents can benefit from this investment. I will empower local organizations that are already doing the work to support seniors who are adjusting to an increasingly technical world.
D.C. Council Chair Candidates
Erin Palmer
I have consistently supported establishing a plan and timeline for municipal internet. In some cases, government programs exist to help lower-income residents but are not funded or supported at the scale needed to meaningfully close the digital divide. The D.C. Council must require and engage in oversight to ensure coordinated government action to determine gaps in internet access, as well as a plan for broadening municipal internet and ensuring its reliability to meet needs.
Phil Mendelson
I agree the District needs a better strategy to close the digital divide. With the recent federal infrastructure bill, the District will receive millions of dollars and I will insist that the mayor provide the council with her spending plan and how she’ll close the digital divide. I am especially focused on education, and in that regard I will soon mark up and move to the council a digital access bill (Bill 24-77) for schools, requiring a plan and ensuring that the digital divide will be closed.
D.C. Council Candidates
Deirdre Brown
We need to establish a sustainable, long-term solution that will establish low-cost, fast and reliable internet service citywide. We can start by expanding our broadband infrastructure and subsidize internet costs for under-resourced communities. We know that high-speed internet is not a luxury, it is needed in order to succeed in schools, obtain a job and to stay connected.
Nate Derenge
There are already at least six internet service providers around the District, overlapping each other in regards to their service area. I think that is an adequate solution.
Beau Finley
I worked hard to close the digital divide on Tribal lands while at the FCC. Connectivity is a necessity in the 21st century. We need to make sure our low-income and fixed-income households participate in the Lifeline program. The lack of devices is the biggest obstacle to closing the digital divide, but the growth of telehealth provides us with the ability to get connected devices into homes through Medicaid and Medicare, and we should leverage that to ensure connectivity at all ages.
Gordon Fletcher
We need to determine where the greatest need exists, then look at existing resources from the Federal Communications Commission, and service providers to connect those in need. For those that cannot afford a publicly available option, the city should be tasked with supplying access for free based on need. As the nation’s capital, we must be an example. Therefore, we must address our infrastructure and collaborate with service providers to ensure every home in D.C. has access to the internet.
Matthew Frumin
As is the goal with schools, we should strive to make tablets and hot spots as avail- able as possible. OCTO is in the process of doing this including through providing technical support. We should also be working with internet service providers to create incentives for them to provide discounted service to low-income residents taking advantage of the Biden Administration Affordable Connectivity Program.
Sabel Harris
I believe we need to start taking steps to establishing our internet/Wi-Fi as a public utility instead of something only the select few can access. This divide is especially impacting seniors and we must ensure they are not only brought to the table but that they have a seat and are centered in our solutions. The government can centralize this by working with private companies, making data transparent on problem areas, and providing education on technology directly to seniors.
Faith Gibson Hubbard
I wholeheartedly agree with bringing more partners to the table to meet the need and to ensure that resources are reaching more of our neighbors to bridge the divide. I would look to some of the best practices and lessons learned from the pandemic to find ways to learn how we can continue to expand access. We learn so much from learning from home access for students. I would also want to explore other best practices from other jurisdictions about how we can move swiftly to meet the need.
Art Lloyd
Monitor Libraries and agencies working with seniors weekly setting program activities which make use of computer training.
Monte Monash
I chaired the D.C. Public Library board and saw how vital internet access is for everyone. My work on the ReOpen DC task force during the pandemic reinforced the importance of internet access for all. Digital access has become a necessity for at-home workers, students, virtual medical appointments and other services. I supported approval of the Street Lights project to expand access. As a council member, I would work with city agencies to ensure equitable internet access is provided citywide.
Brianne K. Nadeau
We need reliable, affordable internet service for all in the District, and in addition to the government hotspots throughout the District, we expanded access in the beginning of the global pandemic to households with students. As part of the Tech Together initiative of the D.C. government, we will expand access to the internet, internet-ready devices and technology education to all D.C. residents for free.
Zachary Parker
We must recognize that high-speed internet is a necessity, like housing, health, and food. That means ensuring all residents have access to the internet, computers or tablets, and human support to use them. I support using federal infrastructure funds to extend D.C.’s network of publicly available Wi-Fi and making low-cost Wi-Fi available to residents with low incomes. Senior villages could be expanded to have neighbors help older residents access and use the internet.
Phil Thomas
As Ward 3 council member, I will address closing the digital divide by committing educational opportunities for residents in low-income areas, making sure they have the proper resources they need and access to Wi-FI, investing in capital improvements that reflect our greatest needs. I will make sure minority-and women-owned business enterprises are given an increased weight when going after District contracts. I would also make sure funding in the budget is distributed equitably per each ward.
Eric Goulet
The deep digital divide in the District became very apparent during COVID-19. I support the District creating a multi-year infrastructure plan to ensure that every resident has access to affordable, high-speed internet.
Nate Fleming
I would provide broadband at no cost to seniors. I would also increase the number of free technology education programs available to seniors at senior centers.
Kathy Henderson
We must expand available locations that offer free Wi-Fi and help our seniors understand how to access the internet on their phones. Consumer Cellular does an excellent job of providing affordable cellular service to seniors and I will review with the Office of the Chief Technology Office (OCTO) ways to improve digital service.
3. Health care spending in the District has been consistently higher per capita when compared to other states. This level of spending may suggest residents are sicker — particularly residents of color. We do not know how much of this circumstance is a direct result of the District’s health care system, but we do know that health is shaped by many conditions of a community. Disparities in educational outcomes, access to jobs with livable wages, access to healthy and affordable food, and environmental conditions may help explain poor health. If elected, what policies would you put forward to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in access to affordable high-quality health care?
Mayoral Candidates
James Butler
I will ensure that we have telehealth, doctor visits to home, especially east of the river. I also will ensure that we no longer neglect having hospitals east of the river. Further, I believe that it comes down to food access is a good great part of having good health. A free Metro will help all seniors be able to more easily traverse to and from doctor appointments.
Robert White
The best care is preventative care. Communities that have access to healthier foods and opportunities to participate in outdoor activities do not have as many health challenges and rely less on emergency and other medical services. I will expand our health care network east of the river by incentivizing doctors, including mental health professionals, to open their private practices there, developing our telehealth system, and bringing urgent care and community-based clinics there.
D.C. Council Chair Candidates
Erin Palmer
Every map of D.C. is the same — the result of chronic disinvestment in Black communities. Correcting for those disparities and ensuring equity will require an all-of-government approach and investments at every stage of life. I’m committed to building on legislation expanding access to maternal health care for doula services and a birthing center east of the Anacostia River to address deep disparities in maternal mortality and working to mitigate the disparate impacts of COVID-19.
Phil Mendelson
I led efforts to put funding in the budget to build a new hospital EOTR, now under construction; made quality appoints to the Health Equity Commission tasked with focusing on how to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes; with the budget just approved we eliminated the twice-yearly in-person requirement for residents to maintain enrollment in the DC Healthcare Alliance; last fall I brokered a solution to the impasse over the managed care contracts for Medicaid recipients.
D.C. Council Candidates
Deirdre Brown
We need to ensure that there is universal, affordable and equitable health coverage by reducing deductibles and out-of-pocket cost, providing subsidized health plans and lowering the barriers to coverage for immigrants. We must have targeted outreach and enrollment efforts to reach the remaining uninsured. Additional investments in affordable housing, public transportation, early childhood development, and affordable higher education also could help reduce racial and ethnic health inequities.
Nate Derenge
I don’t think there will be an effective government solution. I think a feasible solution requires the individual to make better choices in regards to their diet and other behaviors.
Beau Finley
Here’s what I will do to address inequity in health care:
– Fully fund the Birth-to-3 Act
– Increase Medicaid and DC Healthcare Alliance postpartum coverage to reduce maternal mortality
– Expand community-based health care options, including maternal health care
– Have health care providers to connect residents with social services, creating a safety net
– Provide incentives for grocery stores to open in Wards 7 and 8
– Establish a Medicaid waiver for medical nutrition therapy.
Gordon Fletcher
Hourly employees, dependent of every hour of work, often sacrifice their health for their paycheck, I would advocate for low-cost comprehensive health insurance for all residents. I would also advocate for paid leave for hourly employees to address medical appointments.
Matthew Frumin
The heart of it is that we need to increase opportunity and hope in our communities with the greatest need through education, job training, affordable housing, food security and the provision of excellent and accessible health care services. To do the latter, we need to do everything from dramatically increasing maternal and child health services to supporting programs like PACE for our seniors. We also need to open the hospital at St. Elizabeth’s and support and expand our network of clinics.
Sabel Harris
As I mentioned above, we can introduce a similar program like the one in North Carolina with Medicare and Medicaid dollars. Our health is universal and if we can move beyond looking at it as “disease management” and more the preventative and holistically I believe we’ll see a healthier D.C.
Faith Gibson Hubbard
I would fund a broad public awareness campaign to share with residents information about the pathways, resources, and access points to health care and insurance we have in D.C. So many neighbors do not have awareness of the access and resources available to them. We MUST meet neighbors where they are. Secondly, I would work to implement and fund the recommendation outline the 2020 report from the Mayor’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformation. The recommendations are robust.
Art Lloyd
Require landlords to maintain clean buildings weekly and inspect housing units monthly
Monte Monash
Health care access influences outcomes. My focus as council member will be to ensure that hospitals in Ward 3 continue to be widely available for anyone in D.C. Our ward is fortunate to have top-notch in-ward medical facilities, but the same can’t
be said in Wards 7 and 8 especially. I would work to support my colleagues on the council to increase access and quality of health care citywide. Expanding telehealth – and in-home internet access – is another part of the overall solution.
Brianne K. Nadeau
As a member of the Committee on Health, I have focused on Medicaid access, nutrition programs, prenatal and postpartum care, and early interventions such as home visiting programs that have a proven impact on health outcomes. I support the new Cedar Hill Hospital Center, and also community-based clinics, midwives and other independent practitioners who are building out the continuum of care. I am proud to have Howard University Hospital here in Ward 1 and have supported its redevelopment.
Zachary Parker
While most D.C. residents have health coverage, we have massive racial health care disparities. As council member, I will strengthen community-based mental health, trauma-informed, and maternal health care services. I would require all hospitals to provide comprehensive services and work to bring these back to Providence Hospital. We must focus on the social determinants of health: community support, affordable housing, nutritious and healthy food, and recreation and economic opportunities.
Phil Thomas
I would pass legislation to enact a District Alzheimer’s Plan. According to a GWU study, 10% of people over 65 in Ward 3 have Alzheimer’s, but unlike all 50 states, D.C. currently does not have an Alzheimer’s Plan. I support implementing a plan by raising awareness and supporting caregivers. The current budget includes $250,000 for D.C. Alzheimer’s Public Awareness Campaign and D.C. Health unveiled a brain health website, but as a legislator, I would enact policies to expand on health care disparities.
Eric Goulet
As the Director of Committee on Health, I worked to compile $300 million to fund a new hospital on the St. Elizabeths campus, which is supported by an ambulatory care center and two urgent care centers, and will restore obstetrical care services and trauma care services east of the Anacostia River. I will ensure that this project is completed on schedule. I also support legislation to end food deserts throughout the District of Columbia by creating more full-service grocery stores.
Nate Fleming
To reduce health care disparities, we need to collect better demographic data so that we can identify where health disparities exist so they can be eradicated. We also need to expand access to health food options in food deserts, provide more education about the harms of tobacco use, and ensure that high-quality medical care facilities and hospitals exist in low-income neighborhoods.
Kathy Henderson
Whenever you are talking about health disparities or any socioeconomic disparities in the District you are always talking about Wards 5, 7 and 8. Residents in these Wards are not being prioritized and I assure you that will change if I am elected to serve Ward 5. Ward 5 has high HIV, cancer, asthma COVID rates and the like and residents are reluctant to access health care facilities, fearing discrimination and poor outcomes. Delays in seeking treatment increases the likelihood of poor outcomes. I will provide vigorous Council oversight, including the DC Office of Human Rights to remove barriers to health care access.
4. The Older Americans Act requires the Department on Aging and Community Living to engage in outreach to LGBTQ+ older people, to collect data on their needs, and to collect data on how they are meeting their needs. D.C. law also says that both LGBTQ+ older people and older people living with HIV are to be prioritized, so that we don’t leave them behind. Some states have LGBTQ+-targeted senior centers, LGBTQ+-targeted housing, and other home and community-based services and supports for LGBTQ+ older residents. How will you ensure that the District is meeting the health and long-term care needs of LGBTQ+ older people including older people living with HIV – two frequently underserved populations?
Mayoral Candidates
James Butler
I will ensure that D.C. has LGBTQ housing LGBTQ affirming housing providers, health care practitioners and therapists would that work in these facilities. Further, we will budget out additional housing through earmark funds for specifically LGBTQ seniors.
Robert White
I have prioritized fighting for LGBTQ seniors who too often are isolated. I co-authored the LGBTQ Health Data Collection Amendment Act to ensure the District understands the health needs of our LGBTQ+ community, funded a senior community dining program so LGBTQ+ seniors have a safe and affirming space, and funded housing vouchers specifically for LGBTQ+ seniors and youth. I will continue the work I’ve started to make D.C. a comfortable and inclusive place to age.
D.C. Council Chair Candidates
Erin Palmer
I am committed to meeting the needs of our older LGBTQ+ neighbors and seniors living with HIV by implementing a Community Health Team model, which brings health services to individuals with greater health needs, rather than making them travel out of their communities; having the D.C. Auditor look into the services provided by the new Cedar Hill Hospital to ensure they match community needs, and expanding the number of targeted vouchers for housing for LGBTQ+ beyond the 20 currently authorized.
Phil Mendelson
Most recently I responded to requests from the LGBTQ+ community for more funding, specifically for grants, through the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs; I fully funded their request in the budget. The budget also fully funds the requests for LGBTQ+ subsidized housing (e.g., vouchers). On this issue, I look to the advocacy community for recommendations and then I try to be responsive fully.
D.C. Council Candidates
Deirdre Brown
LGBTQ+ older people need safe and affordable housing, affordable and reliable transportation, legal services, health care, support groups and social events to ward off isolation and depression. Ward 3 does not have a Senior Wellness Center with a physical permanent location and does not have dedicated LGBTQ+ targeted senior center or housing. As the Ward 3 council member, I will work to address the needs of all of our seniors by locating opportunity in the ward to provide these locations.
Nate Derenge
I don’t believe in spending on special interests. I only support spending on public goods only.
Beau Finley
I am proud to receive GLAA’s highest rating in Ward 3. Our seniors should be able to age with dignity. I will establish a full-time health care coordinator within the Mayor’s Office on LGBTQ+ Affairs to address health access issues among our LGBTQ+ seniors. I will also create more LGBTQ+-centered housing for low- and fixed-income seniors.
Gordon Fletcher
I would advocate for the establishment of more LGBTQ+ targeted centers in every ward. However, the District also needs to do more dedicated outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, in multiple languages, across the city. Where do seniors live? How close are their health care providers? Are providers culturally competent? Are seniors insured? These basic questions must be addressed during the planning process if we are to properly address underserved populations.
Matthew Frumin
I will work with and support the LGBTQ+ Advisory Group as well as work with groups like Whitman Walker and Mary’s Center which have been on the front lines on these issues. There is one LGBTQ+ senior housing project in the works, but there is room for others, including in the Dupont Circle area. I would be a strong supporter of such a facility which serves both as a place for housing and for service delivery and socializing.
Sabel Harris
We need to ensure that we are collecting this data in D.C. and surfacing it on a ward-level basis, so council members and other elected officials can identify if there are gaps. From there, I believe we then need to bring these groups to the table and ask what their needs are: Do they have access to health care? Are they getting the services they need? The data will show the gaps, but it may not show us exactly what is happening, which is why we must conduct consistent outreach to these groups.
Faith Gibson Hubbard
A few areas of focus, but more is on my website:
– Expand funding for HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration (HAHSTA)
– Expand funding opportunities for community-based organizations serving LGBTQ+ neighbors, persons with HIV/AIDS, communities at high risk of HIV infection
– Requires housing agencies to conduct an annual census of LGBTQ+ residents participating in publicly-funded/subsidized housing programs
– Expand the access and funding to supportive housing for LGBTQ+ youth/seniors
Art Lloyd
Required physical checkups every 3 months by health officials.
LGBTQ+ residents contribute so much to D.C.’s vitality, dynamism and prosperity. We owe it to them to support them as they age and manage health challenges. Data collection and outreach are ways to meet these community members’ particular needs, and there is much to learn from other cities and local organizations whose services and models could be scaled up. I have relevant experience serving on nonprofit boards supporting D.C. seniors and preventing homelessness with LGBTQ+ residents as a focus.
Brianne K. Nadeau
As a champion of LGBTQ+ issues, I am proud to have received the highest rating of any candidate from the GLAA as well as the endorsement of the Stonewall Dems. I have championed LGBTQ+ senior housing, secured funding for Joseph’s House in Ward 1, which provides respite care to those w HIV/AIDS, have done rigorous oversight of the HAHSTA administration at D.C. Health, and worked alongside partners like the Whitman-Walker Clinic to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our aging LGBTQ+ residents.
Zachary Parker
Many LGBTQ older adults face social isolation and limited access to aging services. As council member, I will work to ensure that an equitable share of D.C.’s Housing Production Trust Fund serves LGBTQ+ seniors, ensure our aging services include opportunities for community building between generations, and ensure access to culturally competent health services, including quality-of-life treatments for those with HIV. I will also work to fund and expand programs like those provided at Whitman-Walker.
Phil Thomas
As Ward 3 council member, I will support dedicated housing for LGBTQ+ seniors including older people living with HIV. What we have seen once older adults lose their partner and some have fear of being out and vulnerable. As Ward 3 council member, I work with my colleagues to ensure the District is doing everything possible for the LGBTQ+ community. I will also support establishing equitable overdose and drug prevention facilities across the District.
Eric Goulet
I support the construction of a new senior wellness center in Ward 3. Additionally, I support using funding from the Housing Production Trust Fund to build more senior housing in Ward 3 around our Metro stations, which would include housing dedicated to LGBTQ+ seniors.
Nate Fleming
I support the creation of dedicated housing for older LGBTQ+ older adults. DC still does not have an organization providing housing and supportive services specifically for older LGBTQ+ adults. I support creating such a service as soon as possible because LGBTQ+ seniors are more likely to experience isolation. It is also imperative that we expand health and community services for older LGBTQ residents in DC who are living with HIV.
Kathy Henderson
We must begin with a ward-wide campaign to improve communication with Ward 5 residents. I will take the lead on disseminating a survey to determine what my constituents need to enjoy a good quality of life in the District of Columbia. I had the pleasure of working to host the District’s first-ever LGBTQ Citizen Summit and I support undertaking the endeavor again.