Kevin B. Chavous

Every DC public school should have a dedicated behavioral health clinician on staff.

Wants every school to have a counselor and nurse regardless of enrollment, especially in areas hardest hit by trauma. Platform calls for expanding targeted mental health and crisis-response services to prevent violence before it occurs.

Sources: [Kevin Chavous for DC Council — Campaign Website], [Meet the candidates for an At-Large seat on the DC Council — The 51st]

MPD should not assist ICE or other federal agencies in immigration enforcement operations within DC.

Platform commits to protecting civil rights of Latino and immigrant communities, keeping families together, and ensuring access to legal representation. Does not explicitly pledge to stop MPD/ICE cooperation but frames immigrant protection as a civil rights priority.

Sources: [Kevin Chavous for DC Council — Campaign Website]

DC should treat violence as a public health problem, investing heavily in violence interruption programs and community-based solutions.

At the April 28, 2026 Fair Elections Program At-Large debate Chavous argued that the small number of youth most likely to commit violent crime can be identified through data, and that DC should direct resources straight to them — a job-training program with an actual job at the end, a housing voucher into vacant units — while 'cutting some of the bureaucracy that prevents the resources from going to who needs them most.' A targeted-prevention, community-investment approach to youth violence.

Sources: [DC Fair Elections Program At-Large primary debate (April 28, 2026)]

DC should keep police officers out of public schools and instead invest in counselors, social workers, and mental-health staff.

Reverse-coded question: keeping armed police out of schools aligns with the statement. In the April 28, 2026 Fair Elections Program At-Large debate lightning round, Chavous said his 'general answer would be no' to returning armed police to all DC public high schools, allowing a narrow exception only where a specific school or administrator requests it for a specific situation.

Sources: [DC Fair Elections Program At-Large primary debate (April 28, 2026)]

DC should respond to Trump administration interference in city governance with an assertive, public stance — filing lawsuits, passing protective legislation, and refusing to comply with unlawful federal directives — rather than quiet diplomacy or pragmatic deal-making.

At the April 28, 2026 Fair Elections Program At-Large debate Chavous took a deliberately measured line on federal interference, noting 'the president makes a lot of threats [but] follows through on very few,' that DC 'still control[s] our budget,' and that his focus would be on effective oversight of the $22B budget and 'what we can do with the power we have today.' Neither an assertive litigation/refusal posture nor explicit deal-making — recorded as mixed.

Sources: [DC Fair Elections Program At-Large primary debate (April 28, 2026)]

DC should increase its funding for Metro (WMATA), even if it means cutting other city services.

In the April 28, 2026 Fair Elections Program At-Large debate lightning round, Chavous opposed increasing DC's Metro funding 'if other states don't pay more as well,' arguing DC should not keep paying more than Maryland and Virginia when most riders are suburban commuters.

Sources: [DC Fair Elections Program At-Large primary debate (April 28, 2026)]

DC should impose a commuter tax on people who work in the District but live in Maryland or Virginia (if federal law allowed it).

At the April 28, 2026 Fair Elections Program At-Large debate Chavous opposed a commuter tax 'at this point,' warning it would discourage people from coming into DC while local businesses are already struggling.

Sources: [DC Fair Elections Program At-Large primary debate (April 28, 2026)]

DC should strengthen worker protections — expanding paid family and medical leave and raising the minimum wage — even if it raises costs for employers.

Chavous's workforce platform pledges to protect workers by enforcing wage, safety, and labor standards and to strengthen First Source and local hiring requirements. Supports worker protections, with an emphasis on enforcement of existing standards.

Sources: [Workforce & Economic Opportunity — Kevin Chavous for DC Council]

DC should expand permanent supportive housing and 'Housing First' services to address homelessness, rather than relying on clearing encampments.

Chavous's housing platform explicitly calls to expand permanent supportive housing and targeted rental assistance for vulnerable residents. Strongly supports a supportive-housing approach.

Sources: [Affordable Housing — Kevin Chavous for DC Council]