Economic prosperity is pivotal in cultivating robust communities - offering employment opportunities, enhancing living standards, and curbing economic hardship. The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding issues of the past two years have underscored the importance of economic diversity and the urgent need for DC to be a resilient community. Lisa understands the critical challenges DC's economic development still endures, including revitalizing downtown, reducing the over-reliance on office buildings designed for commuting workers, mitigating high crime rates, accommodating telework for federal workers, and counteracting the loss of business space. She believes we must remove obstacles to these challenges for existing and prospective businesses to thrive in Ward 4 and across the District.

 

As your Ward 4 Councilmember, Lisa is committed to:

 

• Supporting a downtown DC that reflects a more residential-focused model. We can transform downtown DC from a predominantly commercial hub to a community that supports residential living - a mix of uses like cultural spaces, such as art galleries, green spaces, entertainment venues, and theaters to enrich the cultural life of the residents. Incorporating educational uses can include making space for schools, libraries, and other learning institutions within the downtown area, creating a vibrant, diverse neighborhood that caters to various needs. 

• Creating partnerships to enhance awareness and access to capital for local small businesses. Lisa understands that access to capital is a critical component for businesses, especially women and minority-owned businesses.

• Increasing Ward 4 businesses' access to operational and technical support that is industry-specific. As the daughter of a small business owner, Lisa understands that the success of her father’s business was largely due to the network he established of business owners and trade groups that helped him navigate all stages of managing his business.

• Promoting fair contracting processes. Lisa will support a strategy that enforces procurement and contracting regulations to improve program compliance and reduce improper contract awards and payments. This ensures a fair and transparent process that promotes economic equity.

• Building a talented, competitive workforce. Lisa understands the importance of engaging with residents, the business community, and internal and external partners to understand our workforce needs, employment skill gaps, and barriers to employment and career advancement.

• Identifying and reducing regulatory impediments to establishing and sustaining businesses in DC.