— By Tyrell Holcomb, Vice President of External Affairs
For DC, all politics is local.
That’s more than a phrase to me — it’s a reality I’ve carried since growing up in this city, and it carries an even deeper meaning for a place that should be a state. From my time as a young resident on an affordable housing property in Ward 7, to serving as an ANC Commissioner, and now in my role at Jubilee Housing, I’ve seen how policy decisions made a few miles away shape whether families can stay in their homes, whether young people have opportunities after school, and whether returning citizens truly get a second chance.
That’s why the FY2026 budget outcomes matter. This year was one of the toughest in recent memory, with competing priorities and real fiscal strain. But through coalition advocacy and persistent voices at the table, important wins were secured. The restoration of $100 million to the Housing Production Trust Fund, increases to the Local Rent Supplement Program, and more funding for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program are not abstract numbers. They are families avoiding eviction. They are seniors being able to age in place with dignity. They are providers like Jubilee being able to preserve affordable homes in thriving neighborhoods instead of watching communities get pushed out.
What encourages me further is that this budget also acknowledged the broader ecosystem our residents live in. Investments in workforce development and support for small businesses mean families aren’t just housed — they have pathways to stability and opportunity. At Jubilee, we know that housing, income, and opportunity are all connected, and when one is missing, families feel the strain in every part of their lives.
Still, budgets are never the finish line. I’m reminded of this whenever I sit with a resident who’s navigating an impossible system or a parent trying to balance rent with groceries. Cuts and freezes to programs like reentry services, after-school funding, and basic safety net supports show us how fragile progress can be. For families already carrying so much, even small reductions can feel like seismic losses.
That’s why our role remains clear. We will keep advocating, building partnerships, and lifting up resident voices to ensure the gaps are addressed. Budgets are moral documents. They show not only what we can afford, but what we choose to value. And our responsibility is to ensure those choices reflect justice, equity, and the lived realities of families who call Jubilee home — in Ward 1, Ward 7, and across every corner of our city.