Jackie Reyes Yanes

DC should expand rent stabilization to cover more housing, including buildings constructed after 1975.

Pledges to close loopholes landlords use to circumvent rent stabilization — no renovictions, no bad-faith vacancy filings. Does not specifically call for expanding coverage to buildings built after 1975; her focus is strengthening enforcement of existing protections.

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

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

Her entire career has centered on protecting immigrant communities: she secured $10 million for DC's Immigration Justice Legal Services Grant Program, expanded STAY DC housing stability for immigrant families, and led multilingual vaccine outreach in hard-to-reach neighborhoods. Per The 51st, she is outspoken against MPD collaboration with ICE and federal immigration agents.

Sources: [Meet the candidates running to represent Ward 1 — The 51st]

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

At the WTU Ward 1 education forum, asked to name a central-office function to cut and a school-based role to fund, she said she would 'get the middleman out' and redirect money to school-based supports — 'more counselors, more therapists, more librarians, more nurses — that is what is needed right now.' In the teacher-retention discussion she also backed mental health supports and wellness resources. Supports expanding school-based behavioral health staffing, though she did not commit to a dedicated clinician in every school.

Sources: [Ward 1 Council Candidate Forum on Education (WTU)]

DC should build more protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes.

At the Bike, Walk & Bus PAC transportation forum she backed completing Ward 1's bike network — 'close the gaps, identify gaps in Ward One and the bike network' — and pledged to fully fund Vision Zero, working closely with DOT to keep projects from being pushed out of the ward. Supportive, but emphasizes community input, readable and bilingual signage, and 'sharing the streets' (noting cyclists should use bike lanes rather than sidewalks) more than aggressive lane expansion.

Sources: [Ward 1 Council Candidate Forum on Transportation (Bike, Walk & Bus PAC)]

DC buses should be fare-free for all riders.

Supports expanding free transit but not universally: building on kids-ride-free, she favors making buses free 'partial, like the rush hours' for working families commuting and on late shifts, pending a real study — rather than free for all riders — warning that making 'everything for free' risks a budget deficit. A qualified, targeted position rather than support for universal fare-free buses.

Sources: [Ward 1 Council Candidate Forum on Transportation (Bike, Walk & Bus PAC)]

DC should legalize apartments and 'missing-middle' housing (duplexes, triplexes, and small multifamily buildings) citywide by removing single-family-only zoning restrictions.

At the Bike, Walk & Bus PAC transportation forum, asked about transit-oriented development, she did not back building new housing near transit — 'we don't have to create no more housing, we have to expand on what we have already.' She would instead focus on rehabilitating existing vacant and decaying apartments (citing Columbia Heights) and strengthening rent control (untouched since 1985), working with the Office of Planning on what is already in the pipeline. A notable contrast with the other Ward 1 candidates, who back upzoning to add housing near transit.

Sources: [Ward 1 Council Candidate Forum on Transportation (Bike, Walk & Bus PAC)]

DC should expand subsidized childcare into a universal program — available to all DC residents regardless of income — building on the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program (PKEEP).

Calls for 'affordable, high-quality child care for every Ward 1 child, regardless of family income — no waitlists, no exceptions' from birth to 36 months. Includes educator salary supplements to at least $22/hour. Would expand subsidy eligibility to 150% AMI and build new childcare facilities in underutilized District-owned and private properties.

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

DC should guarantee free, high-quality child care from birth through age three — with no waitlists — for District families.

Platform headline pledge: 'Affordable, high-quality child care from birth to 36 months… for every Ward 1 child, regardless of family income. No waitlists. No exceptions.' Pairs it with educator pay supplements to at least $22/hour and new infant-toddler facilities in District-owned and private spaces.

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

DC should cut taxes and fees on small and local businesses — and offer relief such as the small retailer property tax credit — to help them open, survive, and grow.

Headlines her platform 'NO MORE TAXES FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES' and calls herself 'the only candidate focused on growing our economy without raising taxes, by investing in our local entrepreneurs.' Proposes a dedicated Ward 1 Small Business Activation grant fund ($5,000–$50,000), a one-stop business solutions hub, and a Small Business First Right of Purchase for vacant storefronts.

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

DC should enforce a curfew for minors as a tool to reduce youth crime.

Explicitly states: 'Unfortunately, at this moment, a curfew for youth under 18 is necessary to protect our communities and keep the District safe.' Frames it as a temporary protective measure paired with youth employment and programming investment.

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

Any youth curfew must be paired with substantial investment in alternative programming — jobs, recreation centers, mental health services — for young people.

Pairs her curfew support with guaranteed summer and after-school jobs for every Ward 1 young person who wants one, year-round programming in parks and plazas (movies, markets, sports leagues), and the paid Community Ambassador Corps that pairs seniors with youth ages 18–24. Says 'a teen with a job, a paycheck, and a mentor is the most effective crime prevention strategy we have.'

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

DC should raise taxes on large corporations and the wealthiest residents to close the District's budget gap.

Headlines her platform 'NO MORE TAXES FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES' and frames herself as 'the only candidate focused on growing our economy without raising taxes, by investing in our local entrepreneurs.' Prefers grant programs and economic activation over tax hikes, though her anti-tax focus is primarily directed at local businesses.

Sources: [Policy Platform — Jackie Reyes Yanes for Ward 1]

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.

Her career has centered on protecting DC's immigrant communities from federal harm — securing $10 million for the Immigration Justice Legal Services Grant Program and opposing MPD collaboration with federal immigration agents. She is protective of immigrant residents, but her platform focuses on service delivery and legal defense rather than a broader confrontational posture toward the White House.

Sources: [Meet the candidates running to represent Ward 1 — The 51st]