Expanding Opportunities for Our Residents

Expanding opportunities for our residents focused on Job Opportunities and Housing, and Health Care.

Job Opportunities and Housing

Participants were presented with three options each for expanding access to jobs and access to housing in the District. Citizens identified additional options in each area: create access by increasing the minimum wage to a living wage, and create housing opportunities for middle income and working class residents.

Attendees strongly supported all of the job options, noting their connection to each other. People said training needs to be relevant to jobs (through apprenticeships and vocational training), and the District needs to expand literacy programs because "literacy is a gateway to employment." It is important to bring new jobs to DC and validate the importance of entry-level jobs because "people need incentives" to succeed.

Citizens also strongly supported the need for affordable housing and housing for persons with special needs. In particular, citizens require more training and information on how to access housing assistance, and affordable housing should be distributed across every ward of the city.

Participants were asked to prioritize the options for job and housing opportunities. The top priorities for jobs were to create access to jobs by supporting a living wage and strengthen the job apprenticeship system. Top housing priorities were to support the development of affordable housing units and increase housing opportunities for middle income and working class residents.

Health Care

Participants were presented with five options for expanding access to health care in the District. Citizens strongly support the need to expand health care for the uninsured and for seniors. In addition, many emphasized the need for substance abuse treatment: "Many of the city's problems are multifaceted, but few don't have a link to substance abuse. We need to solve the problem, not the symptom."

Residents are concerned that the Health Care Alliance is not working, and that we need better distribution of healthcare clinics, especially in Southeast and East of the River. They also want more coordination between drug treatment, housing, mental health, drug use prevention services, and the correction systems.

The top health care priorities were:

1. Expand healthcare for the uninsured; and
2. Plan for expanded services for the aging population.