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MU
RIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
February 2, 2026
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Colu mbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 102 of the Commission on Poverty
Establishment Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021 (D.C. Law 23-184; D.C. Official
Code § 3-641.02), I am pleased to nominate the following individual:
Mr. Lamar Richards
12th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20018
(Ward 5)
for appointment as an at-large representative member of the Commission on Poverty, filling a vacant
seat formerly held by Rachael Stephens Parker, for the remainder of an unexpired term to end
November 18, 2028.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor
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2£~
at the request of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To confirm the appointment of Lamar Richards to the Commission on Poverty.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Poverty Lamar Richards Confirmation
Resolution of 2026".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
Lamar Richards
12th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20018
(Ward 5)
as an at-large representative member of the Commission on Poverty, established by section 102
of the Commission on Poverty Establishment Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021
(D.C. Law 23-184; D.C. Official Code§ 3-641.02), filling a vacant seat formerly held by
Rachael Stephens Parker, for the remainder of an unexpired term to end November 18, 2028.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
AMAR GREGORY RICHAI
EDUCATION
‘NortheasternUniversity—Boston,MassachusettsDegrees: JurisDoctor(JD),Part-TimeProgramConcentration:ConstitutionalLaw,BusinessLaw,SocialPolicy
‘JohnsHopkinsUniversity~Baltimore,MarylandDegrees: “MasterofArts,GovemmentandPublicPolicyConcentration:SocialPolicyandHousingAdvisor:DorotheaWolfson,PhD
UniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHill,HonorsCollege—ChapelHill,NorthCarolinaDegrees: BachelorofScience,HumanOrganizationalLeadershipandDevelopmentBachelorofArts,PublicPolicy(Concentration:EducationandLaborMarkets)‘ThesisAdvisors:ChristopherPetsko,PD andJulianRucker,PhD
Honors: HonorsLaureate,McNairScholar,JohnstonScholarStudentBodyPresident
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SeniorDirector,AdvocacyandPolicyEngagementCoalitionforNonprofitHousingandEconomicDevelopment(CNHED)‘Washington,D.C.
O_ RepresenttheOrganizationatKeyFunctions:Attendandrepresenttheorganizationatcommunity,state,regional,andnationalevents,providingupdatesonpolicyengagementeffortsandensuringalignmentwiththeorganization'sobjectives.
© MaintainandManageaPortfolioofPolicymakers:Overseeaportfolioofkeypolicymakersatvarious,levels,including21membersoftheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives,5U.S.Senators,seniorleadershipatHUD,contactsattheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,allmembersoftheD.C.Council,andsixstateGovemors.1 FosterStrategicRelationshipswithNationalandRegionalPartners:BuildandmaintainstrongpartnershipswithnationalorganizationsliketheNationalCommunityReinvestmentCoalition(NCRC).‘NationalLowIncomeHousingCoalition(NLIHC),NationalAllianceofCommunityEconomicDevelopmentAssociations(NACEDA),andNationalAlliancetoEndHomelessness(NAEH),alongwith,otherrelevantstakeholders.CultivateRelationshipswithKeyFederalAgencies:DevelopandmaintainstrongrelationshipswithimportantfederalagenciessuchasHUD,theDepartmentofHumanServices,SmallBusinessAdministration,andothers,tosupportpolicyinitiativesandcollaboration.DevelopandImplementCross-IssueAdvocacyStrategy:Leadthedevelopmentandexecutionoftheorganization’scross-issueadvocacystrategy,includingprovidingpolicyandlegislativeengagementtrainingto140+memberorganizationsoftheCoalition.ReviseCoalition-BuildingandDigitalAdvocacyStrategies:Overhaultheorganization'scoalition-buildingtechniquesanddigitaladvocacystrategiestoenhanceoutreach,engagement,andeffectivenessacrossstakeholders.
• Organize and Plan Community Partner Meetings: Coordinate and facilitate regular meetings with
community partners and advisory groups to foster collaboration, share updates, and align efforts with the
or
ganization’s mission.
• Provide Strategy and Professional Development Support: Offer strategic guidance and professional
development opportunities to advocacy and organizing partners, enhancing their capacity to influence
pol
icy.
• Develop Systems for Public Input and Support: Create and implement effective processes and systems
to gather public input and build support for key initiatives, ensuring broad community engagement.
• Serve as Key Advisor to Leadership: Act as a key advisor to the President, CEO, and Board Chair on
legislative, social policy, and lending matters, providing insights and recommendations to guide
organizational decisions.
• Oversee Department Budget: Manage and oversee a departmental budget of more than $300,000,
ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently to support programmatic goals and organizational priorities.
Economic Development Program Manger
Office of the Mayor
City of Westland, Michigan
• Oversee Complex Development and Redevelopment Projects: Lead the planning, execution, and
monitoring of development and redevelopment initiatives to drive economic growth, enhance community
infrastructure, and increase property values within the city.
• Manage City's Real Estate Portfolio: Administer the city’s real estate holdings, ensuring effective asset
management, identifying opportunities for development, and maximizing the value of city properties.
• Lead Legislative Advocacy on the State Level: Advocate for economic development policies and
initiatives at the state legislature, collaborating with policymakers to secure support, funding, and favorable
legislation for city projects.
• Lead Special Projects Impacting Local and Regional Policies: Oversee and drive key special projects
that shape and influence local and regional economic policies, fostering partnerships with stakeholders to
align efforts and maximize impact.
• Serve as Lead Data Analyst for the Department and City Leadership: Collect, analyze, and interpret
economic and real estate data to provide strategic insights and support decision-making for the department
and city leadership.
• Coordinate Cross-functional Teams and Partnerships: Work closely with various city departments,
external stakeholders, private developers, and community organizations to ensure successful project
execution and alignment with broader city goals.
• Ensure Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Requirements: Monitor and enforce compliance with
all relevant laws, regulations, and policies impacting economic development projects and real estate
ma
nagement.
Election Protection Organizer
Southern Coalition for Social Justice
Durham, North Carolina
• Address Election-Related Policy Barriers: Support the organization by directly engaging on election-
related policy issues that impact voters of color, such as photo ID requirements at the polls, voter
re
gistration restrictions, cuts to election budgets, and other disenfranchising policies.
• Lead High-Impact Training for Elected Officials: Develop and facilitate the High Impact Training
program aimed at educating elected officials across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia on key
is
sues impacting voters and communities.
• Cultivate Relationships with Elected Officials: Build, maintain, and strengthen relationships with elected
officials across key target states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, and
ot
hers, to support advocacy efforts.
• Provide Trainings for College Students and Community Organizations: Offer training sessions for
local college students and community-based organizations, equipping them with the tools to engage
ef
fectively with policymakers and elected officials.
• Develop Legislative Proposals for North Carolina: Research and craft policy recommendations and
legislative responses to address key issues in the North Carolina legislature, ensuring alignment with
organizational goals.
• Support Incarcerated Voters Through Engagement and Policy Actions: Advocate for and support
previously incarcerated voters through strategic policy actions and community engagement efforts aimed at
promoting their participation in the electoral process.
Capstone Consultant
South Carolina Community Venture Capital Alliance
Charleston, South Carolina
• Contribute to the Strategic Expansion of CDFI Ventures: Actively participated in the strategy team that
successfully led the expansion of the Community Alliance into a Community Development Financial
Institution (CDFI) venture, helping to shape key strategic decisions and align project goals with broader
or
ganizational objectives.
• Conduct Advanced Market Analysis and Reporting: Performed advanced-level market analysis and
statistical reporting, including GIS mapping and modeling, to assess the targeted demographics for the
CDFI expansion, providing critical data-driven insights to inform project planning and decision-making.
• Lead Masterplan Working Group: Led the masterplan working group, ensuring all deliverables were met
on schedule, coordinating efforts across teams, and overseeing the successful implementation of the
st
rategic plan for the CDFI expansion.
• Provide Strategic Guidance to Communications Team: Worked closely with the communications team,
providing strategic input on demographic reporting for the expansion project to ensure that all
communications materials accurately represented the targeted communities and supported the overall
project narrative.
• Collaborate Across Teams for Project Success: Fostered strong collaboration among cross-functional
te
ams, including strategy, communications, and data analysis, ensuring alignment and timely execution of
pr
oject deliverables to support the successful CDFI expansion.
Public Fellow
State Employees Credit Union
Durham, North Carolina
• Administer and Develop County Projects: Manage and oversee projects in Edgecombe, Halifax, and
Nash Counties to drive local improvement and community impact.
• Collaborate with Government and Community Leaders: Partner with federal, state, and local
governments, allied organizations, and community leadership to support initiatives and secure resources.
• Identify Emerging Trends for Low-Income Residents: Monitor trends affecting low-income residents in
areas like recreation, workforce, and digital inclusion to inform program strategies.
• Foster Cross-Sector Collaboration: Build partnerships across sectors to enhance community development
and improve quality of life.
• Monitor and Evaluate Program Impact: Assess project effectiveness through feedback and adjust
strategies to ensure success and sustainability.
Policy Intern
ACLU Capital Punishment Project
Washington, D.C.
• Analyze Relevant Case Law: Conducted in-depth analysis of previous case law, identifying key
pr
ecedents and legal arguments that informed case strategy, ensuring a strong foundation for current and
fu
ture legal proceedings.
• Develop Client Profiles: Created detailed potential client profiles by gathering relevant background
information, assessing client needs, and identifying pertinent legal issues to tailor case strategies and
recommendations.
• Conduct Client Interviews: Interviewed clients to gather necessary information, understand their
per
spectives, and identify critical details that would impact case outcomes, ensuring thorough and accurate
cas
e preparation.
• Prepare Content Reports for Legal Cases: Compiled and produced comprehensive content reports that
summarized key findings, case law, and client information, presenting this data in a clear, organized
manner to support legal arguments and case development.
• Collaborate with Legal Teams for Case Strategy: Worked closely with legal teams to ensure that all
client data, case law analysis, and reports were integrated into cohesive case strategies, providing valuable
in
sights that supported case advancement and decision-making.
RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
Working Papers
Richards, Lamar. “The Critical Role of Safe and Secure Housing: Examining the Role of Housing Security in
Health Outcomes.” January 2025. (In-Progress).
Richards, Lamar. “Elevating Community Voices: A Case Study on Implementing D.C.’s Comprehensive
Community Development Model.” November 2024. (Submitted).
Richards, Lamar. “A Compensatory Approach to Race-Based Admissions: Reframing the Equal Protection Clause
to Remedy Racial Bias in College Admissions.” June 2024. (Submitted).
Ongoing Research
• Advancing a Participatory Model of Community Development as a Preventative for Negative Health
Outcomes for People of Color (Dorothea Wolfson, PhD, Johns Hopkins Center for Data Analytics, Policy,
and Government)
• Evaluating the Role of Resident Capacity Building Programs on the Local Economy in Washington, D.C.
(Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development)
E
xecutive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
L
amar Richards
M
r. Lamar Richards most recently served as the first Community and
Economic Development Director for the Village of Dundee. Before that
role, Mr. Richards served as Senior Director of Advocacy and Community
Engagement at the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic
Development (CNHED) in Washington D.C. In this role, he worked with
CNHED to coordinate collaborative efforts to engage national leaders.
Mr. Richards also worked on the Comprehensive Community
Development Model (CCDM) with the DC Deputy Mayor for Planning
and Economic Development’s Office, alongside the Office of Planning,
to lead the Deanwood small-area planning engagement efforts.
His policy and professional expertise is focused on structuring tax incentives, business attraction
and development, long-term economic development strategy, grant applications, and affordable
housing development.
A Ward 5 resident, Mr. Richards earned his Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Economics at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Master of Government and Policy from
Johns Hopkins University.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: January 13, 2026
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolution s nominating David Schultz, Isaac Harris,
YaVonne Boyd, Lamar Richards, Cesar Toledo , Elijah Moses, Khadijah
Williams, Marla Dean, Debra Kilpatrick Byrd, Patricia Stamper, and Nechama
Masliansky as members of the Commission on Poverty
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above -referenced resolution s and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-
724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish