Thousands fewer immigrants in DC have access to affordable health insurance under drastic changes that District lawmakers approved to the Health Care Alliance program that began to take effect in October 2025.
Kate Coventry
(she/her)
Director of Legislative Strategy
Kate is DCFPI’s key liaison with the mayor’s office and DC Council. She focuses on a range of issues affecting residents of DC, particularly TANF, Interim Disability Assistance, and ending homelessness. She is a voting member of the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness, a body comprising representatives from the DC government, nonprofit providers, advocates, people experiencing homelessness, and formerly homeless individuals. Kate’s professional background is rooted in working with community-based organizations in the DC area. Kate holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and a Master of Public Policy from George Washington University.
Recent posts by Kate Coventry
The DC Council Can Do More to End Homelessness
While the District has made strides in ending homelessness among individuals—particularly improving voucher implementation and launching a second bridge housing program—a lack of resources, underutilized bridge housing, harsh income requirements for assisted living residents, and new roadblocks for obtaining IDs are undermining progress.
Cuts to the DC Health Care Alliance Harm DC Residents
DC lawmakers made several other changes to the DC Health Care Alliance program that will greatly reduce the number of people enrolled and disproportionately harm Black and Hispanic residents.
Repealing Harsh Income Rules Will Help Unhoused Residents Access Assisted Living
Some unhoused DC residents are rejecting assisted living because of harsh income rules that leave them unable to afford basic items and compromise their quality of life.
Delays in Implementation of Housing Vouchers Need to Be Addressed
District leaders must treat these implementation delays seriously because they have real costs for the individuals experiencing them, such as not knowing where they’re going to spend the night and struggling to receive needed services like medical treatment or counseling
Emergency Rental Assistance Reduces the Extremely Harmful Impact of DC Evictions
Chairman White and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am the Deputy Director of Legislative Strategy at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
Public Restrooms are Fundamental to Human Dignity and Health
Chairperson Nadeau and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am the Deputy Director of Legislative Strategy at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
Public Restrooms are Fundamental to Human Dignity and Health
Chairperson Lewis George and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am the Deputy Director of Legislative Strategy at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that...
Summary: Bringing It All Home: How DC Can Become the First Major City to End Chronic Homelessness and Provide Higher-Quality Services
Support for this research comes from the Abell Foundation and The Partnership to End Homelessness, an impact initiative of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Permanent Supportive Housing Is the Key to Ending Chronic Homelessness DC has one of the highest...
Bringing it All Home: How DC Can Become the First Major City to End Chronic Homelessness and Provide Higher-Quality Services
At the root of homelessness in the District are high housing costs and the structural racism that has created disparities in housing, wealth, incarceration, and health.
Mayor’s Proposed FY24 Budget Cuts Essential Funding for Programs to End Homelessness
Chairman White and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am the Deputy Director of Legislative Strategy at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
Underfunding and Implementation Delays Undermine Progress Toward Ending Homelessness
Chairman White and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am the Deputy Director of Legislative Strategy at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
End Encampment Clearings and No Camping Zones
Chairperson Henderson and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am the Deputy Director of Legislative Strategy at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
Testimony at the Public Oversight Hearing on DHS Implementation of Housing Investments
DCFPI Senior Policy Analyst Kate Coventry Testimony at Public Oversight Hearing on “The Department of Human Services’ Implementation of Historic Housing Investments,” DC Council Committee on Human Services, November 3, 2022 Chairperson Nadeau and members of the...
Testimony at the Budget Oversight Roundtable on the Department of General Services
DCFPI is here today to ask the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Council to ensure that two standalone public restrooms are constructed in fiscal year (FY) 2023…
Testimony of at the Budget Oversight Hearing on the Department of Human Services
Racism and other systemic barriers to opportunity have left Black residents at a higher risk for evictions and homelessness. We are urging the Council to add additional funding that take aim at both longstanding racial inequities and inequities related to the pandemic.
Testimony at the Budget Oversight Hearing on the District of Columbia Housing Authority
I am here today to ask the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) to change their policies to allow self-certification of identity for locally-funded vouchers.
Testimony at the Budget Oversight Hearing for the DC Department of Health Care Finance
I would like to focus my testimony on the proposed, simplified DC Healthcare Alliance recertification process and the need for services for residents with low incomes who have traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), also known as acquired brain injuries (ABIs).
Testimony at the Budget Oversight Roundtable for the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services
I am here today to ask the District to end encampment clearings and no encamping zones and to ask the Council to request the agency submits a detailed budget.
Testimony of Kate Coventry at the Board Meeting of the District of Columbia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
I am here today to ask you to reject the proposed regulations for locally-funded vouchers or amend them to allow applicants to self-certify their identity and to ensure that residents are not excluded from the program because of immigration status or involvement in the criminal justice system.