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Jakeline Maryori Reyes Yanes
DC Council Ward 1 2026
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
My career in public service has focused on expanding opportunity and ensuring immigrant and working families can access the resources they need to succeed.
As Director of the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (2015–2021), I expanded language access across District agencies and led culturally competent outreach that connected more than 20,000 residents to COVID-19 vaccines and public health resources. I also worked with partners across government and community organizations to help deliver more than $10 million in rental assistance to immigrant families at risk of losing their homes.
In 2017, I helped establish the District's Immigration Justice Legal Services Fund, which began with a $300,000 investment and grew to more than $3.5 million, providing legal support to immigrant residents and workers navigating the immigration system.
From 2021 to 2025, as Director of the Mayor's Office on Community Affairs, I oversaw 14 constituent service offices and a $23 million budget focused on community engagement, crisis response, and ensuring residents had direct access to government services and support.
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
My career in public service has focused on expanding opportunity and ensuring immigrant and working families can access the resources they need to succeed.
As Director of the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (2015–2021), I expanded language access across District agencies and led culturally competent outreach that connected more than 20,000 residents to COVID-19 vaccines and public health resources. I also worked with partners across government and community organizations to help deliver more than $10 million in rental assistance to immigrant families at risk of losing their homes.
In 2017, I helped establish the District's Immigration Justice Legal Services Fund, which began with a $300,000 investment and grew to more than $3.5 million, providing legal support to immigrant residents and workers navigating the immigration system.
From 2021 to 2025, as Director of the Mayor's Office on Community Affairs, I oversaw 14 constituent service offices and a $23 million budget focused on community engagement, crisis response, and ensuring residents had direct access to government services and support.
All endorsements to date:
01/20/2026 - Monsenor Romero Apartment Building Tenants Association
Previous offices held:
None
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.
Increasing affordable housing investments and protecting rent-controlled buildings directly lowers the cost of living for Ward 1 residents because housing is the largest expense for most families. When the District invests in programs like the Housing Production Trust Fund and the Local Rent Supplement Program, it creates and supports homes that are priced for residents earning lower incomes, reducing the percentage of income families must spend on rent. Expanding these programs can stabilize housing for extremely low-income households and prevent displacement. At the same time, preserving rent-controlled buildings and strengthening tenant protections like the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) helps keep existing rents from rising rapidly and allows tenants to stay in their communities. Nonprofit developers such as Jubilee Housing also play a key role by providing deeply affordable housing and services for residents in neighborhoods like Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, and Mount Pleasant. Together, these strategies help ensure that working families, seniors, and long-time residents can remain in Ward 1 without being pushed out by rising housing costs.
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?
Public Safety means ensuring every resident in Ward 1 feels safe in their neighborhood. I believe safety requires both prevention and accountability. I support expanding the District's Violence Interruption Initiative and other community-based programs that address the root causes of violence, particularly in the neighborhoods most impacted. We must also invest in young people by expanding youth employment, recreation, and mentorship opportunities that provide positive pathways forward. At the same time, the Metropolitan Police Department must have the staffing, training, and transparency necessary to respond effectively to crime and strengthen trust with the communities they serve. By combining prevention, opportunity, and responsible policing, we can build safer neighborhoods across Ward 1.
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?
No specific legislative/regulatory solution provided for Jobs & Economy.
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.
Agree. As a Ward 1 resident, I understand how critical stable and affordable housing is for families building a future. In Washington, D.C., when housing supply fails to keep up with demand, rents and home prices rise. The District must increase housing supply across income levels, including market-rate housing, while continuing strong investments in the Housing Production Trust Fund and the Local Rent Supplement Program to preserve deeply affordable homes.
As Councilmember, I will support transit-oriented development and stronger tenant protections to prevent displacement. A balanced approach can expand housing while ensuring Ward 1 remains affordable for current residents.
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. Transit-oriented development allows the city to grow responsibly by locating housing near transportation, services, and employment. Strategic density near transit corridors can increase housing supply while supporting local businesses and reducing transportation burdens for residents.
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?
To address housing supply challenges, the District must take a practical approach that encourages both affordable and market-rate housing production. First, the city should continue modernizing development processes to reduce unnecessary delays in permitting and approvals. Predictable timelines help projects move forward and attract investment while maintaining strong community engagement and planning standards. Second, the District should expand opportunities for housing near transit corridors and commercial areas where infrastructure already exists. Transit-oriented development can increase housing supply while supporting neighborhood retail and reducing transportation costs for residents.
Third, the city must ensure that programs like the Housing Production Trust Fund and other affordable housing tools are deployed efficiently. We should continuously evaluate how these programs can deliver the greatest number of affordable units while maintaining strong financial stewardship.
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?
Oppose: Employers need predictability and stability in the tax environment in order to grow and hire workers. The District should evaluate the long-term impacts of the payroll tax increase and work toward a balanced approach that protects worker benefits while ensuring that the District remains competitive with neighboring jurisdictions.
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?
Support: Simplifying tax filing requirements for small businesses reduces administrative burdens and allows entrepreneurs to focus on growing their businesses and hiring workers.
What three strategies would you propose to reduce DC government spending or grow our tax base to ensure long term fiscal stability?
Support: Occupational licensing requirements should protect public health and safety while avoiding unnecessary barriers to employment and entrepreneurship. Reducing excessive time and financial requirements can expand economic opportunity for District residents while maintaining appropriate professional standards.
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?
Yes. DC's rapid budget growth since 2020 requires stronger fiscal discipline. The District must improve efficiency, strengthen oversight, and use existing funds more effectively. By growing the tax base through housing development and support for local businesses—without raising tax rates—we can sustainably fund essential services while protecting residents and the city's long-term financial stability.
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. Strengthen Government Oversight and Accountability: The District must ensure agencies operate efficiently and deliver results for residents. With my experience working in both the executive and legislative branches of DC government, I understand how important oversight and performance management are. I support stronger Council oversight, clear performance metrics, and transparent reporting to identify underperforming programs and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively.
2. Grow the Economy to Expand the Tax Base: A strong local economy generates sustainable revenue without raising taxes. I support targeted grants and technical assistance for small businesses in neighborhood corridors like Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan, streamlining permitting processes, and expanding workforce training programs in high-growth sectors such as healthcare, technology, and the green economy.
3. Modernize Government and Make Services Customer-Friendly: Government should be easy to navigate and responsive to residents. Having overseen constituent service offices across the District, I know residents expect timely, accessible service. I support modern digital platforms, multilingual service portals, and streamlined processes that allow residents and businesses to access services quickly and track requests in real time.
Support: Evaluating the economic impact of legislation is an important tool for responsible policymaking. Understanding how policies affect businesses, workers, and residents helps ensure that legislation achieves its goals without unintended economic consequences.
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?
1. Permitting and construction approvals: The District should review permitting timelines and remove unnecessary delays that slow down housing and commercial development.
2. Small business licensing processes: Simplifying licensing and registration requirements would make it easier for entrepreneurs to open and operate businesses in the District.
3. Inter-agency coordination requirements: Improving coordination across agencies can reduce duplicative processes and improve response times for residents and businesses.
Please provide 1 – 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and businesses safer in DC.
More officers
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?
Yes. As someone who has spent more than 20 years working in District government and with community organizations, I understand how important it is to balance public safety with fairness and prevention. I support giving the Chief of Police the authority to designate temporary, clearly defined zones with earlier curfews when there is credible evidence that large gatherings of unsupervised youth are creating safety concerns for young people, residents, and local businesses.
From my experience working with community-based organizations, businesses, and neighborhood leaders across the District, I know that residents want practical tools that help prevent situations from escalating while keeping communities safe. At the same time, these measures must be limited, transparent, and subject to Council oversight to ensure they are used appropriately.
Public safety must also focus on opportunity. That means continuing to invest in youth jobs, recreation, mentorship, and evening programming so young people have safe and positive places to go in Ward 1. A balanced approach that combines targeted enforcement with prevention will help keep our neighborhoods safe while supporting our youth.
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?
A comprehensive public safety strategy must combine effective law enforcement with prevention and community investment.
First, we must strengthen recruitment and retention within MPD so officers have the resources necessary to respond effectively to community needs.
Second, the District should expand violence interruption programs and youth engagement initiatives that prevent violence before it occurs.
Third, stronger coordination between law enforcement, social services, and community organizations can help address underlying drivers of crime such as housing instability, economic hardship, and lack of opportunity for young people.
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?
Support: Mayoral control provides clear accountability for the performance of the District's public school system. Strong oversight from the Council remains essential to ensure transparency and student success.
(Optional) Notes Provided by Candidate
Support: Students should receive equitable funding based on their needs, regardless of whether they attend a DCPS or public charter school.