Please briefly describe your professional background. What is your current job, and what experience or skills best prepare you to serve in this role?

I have served as the Executive Director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations for over 40 years and have worked on issues of homelessness, crime and safety, housing creation and helped to author and create a Living Downtown. I have lived in Ward 1 and its issues of crime, lack of services and housing and loss of retail are ones I have addressed in downtown and will now do in Ward 1.

What are your top three priorities if you are elected?

Safety, public services and blight – we must close the drug markets in Columbia Heights that cause deadly violence, get the many vacant buildings along Georgia Avenue and 14th St NW back into use, and yes stop the rat explosion and restore public services in the Ward.

Crime remains one of the top issues residents talk about, especially violent crime and youth‑involved offenses. At the same time, there are concerns about civil rights and over‑policing. As a Council member, what would you push for legislatively to improve public safety and how would you know those changes are actually working?

We need to close the active drug markets in the Ward. We need police doing foot patrols not car patrols. We need parking enforcement to enforce and tow the many out of town illegally parked cars in the Ward, have the streetlights working, and have a sustained PSA campaign on safety steps for all to reduce the crime. The reduction in violent crimes and tragic homicides my top priority and easily will know if succeeding.

Some residents say youth‑involved crime cannot be solved by enforcement alone, while others worry there are not enough consequences when serious crimes occur. What role should the DC Council play in reducing youth‑involved crime, and how should prevention, intervention, and accountability work together? Please include where you stand on youth curfews and how, if at all, they should fit into a broader public safety approach.

I support expanded youth activities – I helped bring lacrosse and ultimate frisbee to DC after schools. We need to dramatically increase afterschool art, academic and athletic activities while also holding youth accountable. I support curfews as large groups of youth often make mistakes and do what they otherwise would not do and parents as well must be held accountable when minors break the law.

The D.C. Council does not run schools directly but controls funding and oversight. How would you use that authority to improve outcomes in DCPS and public charter schools?

We must have vigorous oversight of school maintenance. I would tour schools often to achieve that and work with parents and principals to have robust adterschool programs In arts, academics and athletics.

Housing costs, including rents and home prices, have increased in many cities. What specific policies would you support regarding housing affordability, and how would you balance new development with protecting existing residents and neighborhoods?

I have committed to bringing 5,000 new units ito Ward 1. The many many vacant properties need a use it or lose it policy where the city pays market value for them and puts them back for housing and retail with an emphasis on affordable housing. Rent control loopholes need closing to preserve existing low and moderate income housing.

Some residents have raised concerns about response times, service consistency, and follow‑through by District agencies. What role would you, as a Council member, play in using oversight and legislation to strengthen accountability and improve city services?

There is no replacing active hands on oversight by public hearings, public walk through ls and press attention. Legislation will not improve performance …consistent day in and day out questioning and review can. I have achieved this both with local and federal agencies by aggressive sustained advocacy exposing weak service delivery.

The Council has a major say in how the city spends its money. When the budget is tight, what should come first, and how would you decide which programs get protected and which don’t?

Public health, education and safety are priorities. I also believe the city is leaving money on the table- many properties are not taxed properly but are under taxed, professional athletes’ exorbitant earnings made here should be taxed and they are not. Tax loopholes need to be closed.

Because Congress has authority to review and overturn District laws, what do you see as the Council’s role in addressing congressional involvement in local governance? How assertive, if at all, should Council members be in advocating for home rule?

I believe the Mayor and AG must lead but Councilmembers must stand with and speak with their residents who the federal government is threatening relentlessly. Tearing families apart is wrong.

From buses and Metro to traffic safety and street conditions, transportation complaints come up across the city. What changes or investments would you focus on to improve how people get around D.C.?

The most serious issues is dangerous drivers – of all types be it of cars, electric bikes, ATV’s …there needs to be enforcement which notoriously lacking. There are hundreds of vehicles owing thousands of tickets many for speeding that need to be impounded and all vehicles – bikes etc, need to have identifiers so enforcement can work.

Development can involve tradeoffs between growth, neighborhood input, and quality of life. How would you approach development decisions, so neighborhoods have a meaningful voice while the city continues to grow?

ANC’s and neighborhood associations must be given great weight. There are many vacant underused and undeveloped sites in Ward 1 – long stretches of Georgia Avenue – primed for mixed use and new development. Creative entrepreneurs, the arts and nightlife communities can help on reviving these bacamt spaces.

How would you approach the relationship between the Council and the mayor, particularly with respect to collaboration and oversight?

The Council oversight of agency performance must be stronger as we are failing in delivery of basic services – the rats are winning, there is no pre-treating of streets before storms, pot holes are everywhere etc. At the same time Councilmembers need to advise the Mayor on all opportunities in the Ward for new stores, uses, and enhancements and work as a team to achieve those.

Residents continue to raise concerns about D.C.’s 911 system, from long wait times to delayed emergency response. What should the Council’s role be in fixing these problems, and what specific changes would you push for to make the system more reliable?

The city needs to hire staff that reports 311 non-emergency issues such as sidewalk repairs, missing signage, empty tree boxes. The best practices of other cities must be adopted here so tragic 911 breakdowns do not occur. There has to be weekly and monthly reviews of 911 results to improve the system.

Concerns about ethics and accountability at the D.C. Council have repeatedly surfaced in recent years. As a Council member, how would you help rebuild public trust and what should happen when members violate ethical standards?

Being visible, working every day is the key to public trust – deliver on what you say you will do. Reports by the AG, Inspector General and D.C. Auditor need to be adhered to.

Every candidate in the Ward 1 council race has said housing is the top issue, from rising rents and displacement to vacant and blighted properties. As councilmember, what is the first housing policy you would push, and how would it make a real difference for current Ward 1 residents within one term?

I believe safety is the number 1 issue – we are in a violence crisis right now with homicides and random shootings. One of my first policies is a use it or lose it law – vacant buildings after 3 years should be bought by the city at market rates and immediately put back in to use. We have a record number of vacant and blighted properties in Ward 1 -‘has never been worse since the riots.

What’s one place, tradition, or moment that makes D.C. feel like home to you?

Watching the fireworks from Meridian Hill park.

What’s something about you that voters would never learn from your résumé or campaign website?

I am most proud of being a kidney donor and champion organ donations whenever I can. We have a shortage of donors and we shouldn’t…let’s save lives give if you can.

Get to know Ward 1 DC Council candidate Terry Lynch

Follow WTOP’s team coverage of the D.C. primary and Election 2026 online, on air at 103.5 FM or on the WTOP News app.

Ahead of D.C.’s primary election in June, WTOP sent a questionnaire to all the candidates in each contested race, asking them to introduce themselves to voters, share their priorities and weigh in on some of the most pressing issues facing the District.

Candidates submitted their responses through an online form, and the answers published are verbatim.

The answers below are from Terry Lynch, who’s running for the Ward 1 seat on the D.C. Council against Aparna Raj, Rashida Brown, Jackie Reyes Yanes and Miguel Trindade Deramo.

WTOP:
Please briefly describe your professional background. What is your current job, and what experience or skills best prepare you to serve in this role?
Terry Lynch:
I have served as the Executive Director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations for over 40 years and have worked on issues of homelessness, crime and safety, housing creation and helped to author and create a Living Downtown. I have lived in Ward 1 and its issues of crime, lack of services and housing and loss of retail are ones I have addressed in downtown and will now do in Ward 1.

WTOP:
What are your top three priorities if you are elected?
Terry Lynch:
Safety, public services and blight – we must close the drug markets in Columbia Heights that cause deadly violence, get the many vacant buildings along Georgia Avenue and 14th St NW back into use, and yes stop the rat explosion and restore public services in the Ward.

WTOP:
Crime remains one of the top issues residents talk about, especially violent crime and youth‑involved offenses. At the same time, there are concerns about civil rights and over‑policing. As a Council member, what would you push for legislatively to improve public safety and how would you know those changes are actually working?
Terry Lynch:
We need to close the active drug markets in the Ward. We need police doing foot patrols not car patrols. We need parking enforcement to enforce and tow the many out of town illegally parked cars in the Ward, have the streetlights working, and have a sustained PSA campaign on safety steps for all to reduce the crime. The reduction in violent crimes and tragic homicides my top priority and easily will know if succeeding.

WTOP:
Some residents say youth‑involved crime cannot be solved by enforcement alone, while others worry there are not enough consequences when serious crimes occur. What role should the DC Council play in reducing youth‑involved crime, and how should prevention, intervention, and accountability work together? Please include where you stand on youth curfews and how, if at all, they should fit into a broader public safety approach.
Terry Lynch:
I support expanded youth activities – I helped bring lacrosse and ultimate frisbee to DC after schools. We need to dramatically increase afterschool art, academic and athletic activities while also holding youth accountable. I support curfews as large groups of youth often make mistakes and do what they otherwise would not do and parents as well must be held accountable when minors break the law.

WTOP:
The D.C. Council does not run schools directly but controls funding and oversight. How would you use that authority to improve outcomes in DCPS and public charter schools?
Terry Lynch:
We must have vigorous oversight of school maintenance. I would tour schools often to achieve that and work with parents and principals to have robust adterschool programs In arts, academics and athletics.

WTOP:
Housing costs, including rents and home prices, have increased in many cities. What specific policies would you support regarding housing affordability, and how would you balance new development with protecting existing residents and neighborhoods?
Terry Lynch:
I have committed to bringing 5,000 new units ito Ward 1. The many many vacant properties need a use it or lose it policy where the city pays market value for them and puts them back for housing and retail with an emphasis on affordable housing. Rent control loopholes need closing to preserve existing low and moderate income housing.

WTOP:
Some residents have raised concerns about response times, service consistency, and follow‑through by District agencies. What role would you, as a Council member, play in using oversight and legislation to strengthen accountability and improve city services?
Terry Lynch:
There is no replacing active hands on oversight by public hearings, public walk through ls and press attention. Legislation will not improve performance …consistent day in and day out questioning and review can. I have achieved this both with local and federal agencies by aggressive sustained advocacy exposing weak service delivery.

WTOP:
The Council has a major say in how the city spends its money. When the budget is tight, what should come first, and how would you decide which programs get protected and which don’t?
Terry Lynch:
Public health, education and safety are priorities. I also believe the city is leaving money on the table- many properties are not taxed properly but are under taxed, professional athletes’ exorbitant earnings made here should be taxed and they are not. Tax loopholes need to be closed.

WTOP:
Because Congress has authority to review and overturn District laws, what do you see as the Council’s role in addressing congressional involvement in local governance? How assertive, if at all, should Council members be in advocating for home rule?
Terry Lynch:
I believe the Mayor and AG must lead but Councilmembers must stand with and speak with their residents who the federal government is threatening relentlessly. Tearing families apart is wrong.

WTOP:
From buses and Metro to traffic safety and street conditions, transportation complaints come up across the city. What changes or investments would you focus on to improve how people get around D.C.?
Terry Lynch:
The most serious issues is dangerous drivers – of all types be it of cars, electric bikes, ATV’s …there needs to be enforcement which notoriously lacking. There are hundreds of vehicles owing thousands of tickets many for speeding that need to be impounded and all vehicles – bikes etc, need to have identifiers so enforcement can work.

WTOP:
Development can involve tradeoffs between growth, neighborhood input, and quality of life. How would you approach development decisions, so neighborhoods have a meaningful voice while the city continues to grow?
Terry Lynch:
ANC’s and neighborhood associations must be given great weight. There are many vacant underused and undeveloped sites in Ward 1 – long stretches of Georgia Avenue – primed for mixed use and new development. Creative entrepreneurs, the arts and nightlife communities can help on reviving these bacamt spaces.

WTOP:
How would you approach the relationship between the Council and the mayor, particularly with respect to collaboration and oversight?
Terry Lynch:
The Council oversight of agency performance must be stronger as we are failing in delivery of basic services – the rats are winning, there is no pre-treating of streets before storms, pot holes are everywhere etc. At the same time Councilmembers need to advise the Mayor on all opportunities in the Ward for new stores, uses, and enhancements and work as a team to achieve those.

WTOP:
Residents continue to raise concerns about D.C.’s 911 system, from long wait times to delayed emergency response. What should the Council’s role be in fixing these problems, and what specific changes would you push for to make the system more reliable?
Terry Lynch:
The city needs to hire staff that reports 311 non-emergency issues such as sidewalk repairs, missing signage, empty tree boxes. The best practices of other cities must be adopted here so tragic 911 breakdowns do not occur. There has to be weekly and monthly reviews of 911 results to improve the system.

WTOP:
Concerns about ethics and accountability at the D.C. Council have repeatedly surfaced in recent years. As a Council member, how would you help rebuild public trust and what should happen when members violate ethical standards?
Terry Lynch:
Being visible, working every day is the key to public trust – deliver on what you say you will do. Reports by the AG, Inspector General and D.C. Auditor need to be adhered to.

WTOP:
Every candidate in the Ward 1 council race has said housing is the top issue, from rising rents and displacement to vacant and blighted properties. As councilmember, what is the first housing policy you would push, and how would it make a real difference for current Ward 1 residents within one term?
Terry Lynch:
I believe safety is the number 1 issue – we are in a violence crisis right now with homicides and random shootings. One of my first policies is a use it or lose it law – vacant buildings after 3 years should be bought by the city at market rates and immediately put back in to use. We have a record number of vacant and blighted properties in Ward 1 -‘has never been worse since the riots.

WTOP:
What’s one place, tradition, or moment that makes D.C. feel like home to you?
Terry Lynch:
Watching the fireworks from Meridian Hill park.

WTOP:
What’s something about you that voters would never learn from your résumé or campaign website?
Terry Lynch:
I am most proud of being a kidney donor and champion organ donations whenever I can. We have a shortage of donors and we shouldn’t…let’s save lives give if you can.

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