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Fred Hill
DC Council At-Large
Opportunity DC's Questionnaire
Opportunity DC advocates for priorities that grow our local economy, make government work better and faster, and make DC a more affordable place to live. We partner with pragmatic leaders to pass
effective legislation and help elect champions capable of leading our city forward.
Our questionnaire project is dedicated to providing DC Voters with the information to make the best decision possible for the District. No answers have been edited for the candidates, except light formatting changes.
Biographical Information
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
As the founder and president of the Washington, DC-based Hill Group, I have spent the last 20
years immersed in supporting public and private clients to improve health outcomes for some
of our country's most vulnerable populations. After 9 years as a minority business owner in the
8(a) program, I successfully transitioned the Hill Group into a competitive contracting
environment with contracts in multiple federal agencies.
In addition to my role at the Hill Group, I have contributed to my local DC community in the
following ways:
- Chair, DC Board of Zoning and Adjustment (BZA).
- Advisory Board Member, birdSEED
- Member, Leadership of Greater Washington
- Member, Entrepreneurs Organization (DC Chapter)
- Member, Federal City Council
- Board Member, Computercraft
With more than 20 years of experience in corporate governance and entrepreneurship initiatives I
have overseen corporate diversification, growth, and sustainability; led strategic contract
initiatives supporting the mission of numerous federal government clients; successfully
implemented a variety of projects in the areas of health, information technology, and
communications; and studied the Chinese Language at Beijing University in China.
My story reflects the diversity and resilience of DC itself. I am Asian American, the son of a mother
who immigrated to the United States from a small country (Sikkim) which is now a state in India,
and a father who grew up with limited means in rural Oklahoma and was a member of the
Chickasaw Nation, and I too am a member. For a period of time, my parents relied on welfare, an
experience that shaped my understanding of economic insecurity and opportunity. My background
has shaped my appreciation for hard work, community, and the responsibility that comes with
leadership.
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
As the founder and president of the Washington, DC-based Hill Group, I have spent the last 20
years immersed in supporting public and private clients to improve health outcomes for some
of our country's most vulnerable populations. After 9 years as a minority business owner in the
8(a) program, I successfully transitioned the Hill Group into a competitive contracting
environment with contracts in multiple federal agencies.
In addition to my role at the Hill Group, I have contributed to my local DC community in the
following ways:
- Chair, DC Board of Zoning and Adjustment (BZA).
- Advisory Board Member, birdSEED
- Member, Leadership of Greater Washington
- Member, Entrepreneurs Organization (DC Chapter)
- Member, Federal City Council
- Board Member, Computercraft
With more than 20 years of experience in corporate governance and entrepreneurship initiatives I
have overseen corporate diversification, growth, and sustainability; led strategic contract
initiatives supporting the mission of numerous federal government clients; successfully
implemented a variety of projects in the areas of health, information technology, and
communications; and studied the Chinese Language at Beijing University in China.
My story reflects the diversity and resilience of DC itself. I am Asian American, the son of a mother
who immigrated to the United States from a small country (Sikkim) which is now a state in India,
and a father who grew up with limited means in rural Oklahoma and was a member of the
Chickasaw Nation, and I too am a member. For a period of time, my parents relied on welfare, an
experience that shaped my understanding of economic insecurity and opportunity. My background
has shaped my appreciation for hard work, community, and the responsibility that comes with
leadership.
All endorsements to date:
None to date
Previous offices held:
Chair, Board of Zoning Adjustment (Mayoral appointee)
District Priorities
DC residents tell us their three most important issues are the cost of living, public safety, and jobs and the economy. Please list one legislative or regulatory solution you support to address each policy challenge.
1. Build more housing: Lack of housing affordability has the biggest impact on the cost of living for
DC residents. I support reducing the zoning and permitting barriers to building new and rehabilitating
existing housing in areas that can support it, especially areas in close proximity to transit. While not a
“one size fits all” solution, I will work with community and industry stakeholders to champion the
creation of “missing-middle” housing throughout all 8 wards.
2. Invest in public safety: Safe communities are more vibrant and healthy for all residents in all 8
wards. A city where residents and businesses feel secure attracts long-term investment and retains
the tax base needed to fund essential services. Foremost, MPD must be fully staffed to meet the
challenges in the District. In addition, I have already supported targeted public safety investments
and neighborhood revitalization efforts, including violence interruption programs that focus on those
most prone to committing crimes. I am an advisory Board Member to Birdseed, and organization that
makes multiple $10,0000 to $20,000 down payment grants with no strings attached for BIPOC
residents of DC. I am also and active supporter of Access Youth. whose focus is truancy prevention
and restorative justice in schools.
3. Support Small Businesses: As a small business owner and the child of small business owners, I
know first-hand that economic vitality requires that businesses and developers can operate
efficiently. We must streamline DCRA permitting processes, reducing the friction and liability that
discourages investment in DC's built environment.
Accessible & Affordable Housing
DC’s average housing costs are 140% above the national average. DC laws, rules, and
regulations make building housing here more expensive, time-consuming, and bureaucratic compared to other jurisdictions—creating a scarcity of available housing that drives up rent and home prices. Do you agree that increasing the supply of available housing, including market-rate, will lower the cost of rent and homes for residents over time?
Agree
Zoning and land use policy can restrict where housing is built and the number of units for a specific project. Transit-oriented development—building housing near thoroughfares and public transit—helps local governments plan housing near key services and transportation hubs. Do you support or oppose requiring all areas of the District currently zoned for commercial development to be automatically zoned for high-density residential development?
Support
In 2025, DC lawmakers modernized the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) to make DC a more attractive and viable place to build housing. Building enough housing to address DC’s supply shortage will require local government to revise legislative code and pass regulatory reforms so that DC can compete within our region and across the country for limited capital investment. What 1 – 3 legislative or regulatory proposals do you support to make DC a more attractive place to build both affordable and market-rate housing.
A healthy real estate market is a key component of a thriving DC economy. I would look to expand
housing supply, including affordable housing. The housing shortage drives up costs. Carefully
crafted zoning reform, streamlining permitting, and encouraging the construction of missing-middle
housing would all increase density. As Chair of the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), I have a
decade of experience advocating for these goals across all eight wards.
Economic Innovation & Workforce Development
In July of 2024, DC lawmakers increased the paid family leave tax (a payroll tax on District employers) from .23% to .75% of total wages. The additional revenue went to offset $2 billion in new general fund expenditures rather than towards expanding paid family leave. The higher payroll tax makes it harder for local employers, especially schools, hospitals, and small businesses, to grow and hire District residents. Do you support or oppose eliminating the 2024 payroll tax increase on DC employers over the next four years?
Support
Currently, all DC small businesses are required to file an annual personal property tax form (FP-31), even if their property assets are below the threshold that would subject their business to the tax. FP-31 is a cumbersome form that forces entrepreneurs to spend hours on compliance for a tax that most businesses are not even subject to. Do you support or oppose B26-0229, The Personal Property Tax Form Simplification Act, which eliminates the requirement for businesses to file personal property tax form (FP-31) if they are below the proposed $325,000 property threshold?
Support
In DC, some workers must obtain occupational licenses from government-appointed boards and pay large fees to work in fields like interior or landscape designer, barber—including hair braiding, cosmetologist, and manicurist, among others. These barriers artificially limit employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for District residents. Do you support or oppose reducing the time and financial requirements necessary to obtain occupational licenses in the fields where licensure is unnecessary and presents no material risks to
consumers?
Support
Efficient & Effective Government
Since 2020, the District’s budget spending has dramatically outpaced new revenue growth. DC will have to spend more efficiently and grow the tax base, without raising tax rates, to sustainably fund core services moving forward. Do you see DC's dramatic budget growth as a challenge that needs to be addressed through increased efficiency while avoiding new taxes on residents and businesses?
Yes
What three strategies would you propose to reduce DC government spending or grow our tax base to ensure long term fiscal stability?
1. Streamline regulations. A more efficient regulatory environment will encourage businesses,
especially small businesses to invest and thrive. In partnership with community and industry
stakeholders, I would commit to a comprehensive review with the goal of reducing delays and
costs, expanding opportunities for existing businesses and expanding the pool of businesses.
2. Focus on fiscal prudence. DC government is over-reliant on tax increases. We must take a more
systematic and transparent approach to evaluating public spending with a focus on investments
that retain and attract new businesses.
3. Regrow the Commercial tax base. A revitalized downtown and other key commercial corridors is
the key to a more vibrant and economically sustainable city. I support continuing the push for
residential conversion of office building in priority areas and would support initiatives that would
attract more direct investment, foreign and domestic into high-growth industries.
Over time, DC lawmakers have added more rules, regulations, and fees that increase costs for small businesses, which are often passed onto consumers, raising prices for everyone. Having more information about the unintended consequences from new legislation can help prevent higher costs for entrepreneurs and residents. Do you support or oppose requiring the Council to review economic impact assessments, generated by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), for all new legislation and regulations that increase regulatory or financial costs for District employers?
Support
Are there any government rules or regulations that should be updated, streamlined, or eliminated to make government more efficient and lower administrative burdens on residents? Please list up to 3 rules/regulations & how you would change them:
1. Streamline business licensing: DC has made some progress toward simplifying the process but
there is more to do. I support thoughtful expansion of temporary license auto-issuance to
expand the pool of DC business owners.
2. Eliminate redundant and archaic professional licensing: Too many requirements are still on the
books without any assesment of public benefit.
3. Update zoning and permitting: We must review all regulations that increase cost and complexity
with little or no public benefit. For example, legalizing missing middle housing in more of the
city and especially stream-lining the Planned Unit Development process would help us to
achieve our economic development goals and grows the District’s tax base.
More officers
Do you support legislation to authorize the Chief of Police to declare dedicated zones with earlier curfews for large groups of young people as needed?
Yes
Please provide 1 – 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and businesses safer in DC.
Invest in both community-oriented policing and violence interruption programs. We need
appropriate levels of budgetary support for public safety, including funding for more
Metropolitan Police Department officer recruitment, hiring, retention, and training, as well as
non-MPD violence interruption programs that have demonstrated success.
Expand, DC's Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. The program has
had a profound and far-reaching impact on the District over its nearly five decades of
existence. It is a critical pathway to early employment.
Work with MPD to prioritize safety for small and storefront businesses. Reducing street crime
in commercial corridors, will not only protect workers and customers but also help restore foot
traffic and economic vitality in neighborhoods hit hardest by crime — particularly in
downtown DC where businesses have already struggled since the pandemic.
Quality Education
In 2006, DC had one of the worst performing public school systems in the country. Only 12% of eighth graders were proficient in reading and 8% in math, only 43% of students graduated in five years, and the system was mired in mismanagement. Following the passage of the Public Education Reform Amendment Act (PERAA) of 2007 and enabled by PERAA’s governance reforms, DC tripled proficiency in reading and math and saw the highest rate of post-COVID test score improvement in the country. Do you support or oppose Mayoral control with Council oversight of the District’s public school system, as established by the Public Education Reform Amendment Act of 2007?
Support
Approximately 48% of DC public school students attend charter schools, which are free, public, and open to all students from all wards. Do you support or oppose funding DC Public School (DCPS) and DC public charter school students at equal levels, weighted by student need, through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula?
Support
Chronic truancy among DCPS students has increased dramatically in recent years. How do you propose we reduce truancy levels to ensure students receive a quality education?
Chronic absenteeism is one of the most consequential problems facing DC students
today. Yet despite years of legislation and millions of dollars spent, the city still doesn't
have a coherent, citywide strategy to improve student attendance. That has to change.
Absenteeism is a symptom, not a cause. Students are chronically absent because they
feel disconnected from school, or because the barriers they face — unstable home lives,
health problems, unreliable transportation, trauma, and safety concerns — simply make
showing up too hard. Any real solution has to grapple with that full picture.
Unfortunately, city leaders and agencies have yet to coalesce around a comprehensive,
shared strategy. Without clear education-focused leadership and real accountability,
efforts will keep fragmenting and money will continue to be wasted.
A tiered approach is needed, one that includes:
Resources to schools to implement culture changes that make school a place students actually want to be
School-based interventions — like OSSE's Partners in School Attendance
initiative — that provide targeted support, with trained, community-based staff working alongside educators and families
Intensive wraparound services for students facing the most serious barriers, coordinated across schools, families, and trusted community partners
(Optional) Notes Provided by Candidate