Our nation’s capital is one of the most expensive places in the country to live, especially for entry-level workers. A legislative staffer or policy analyst in their late 20s earns roughly $58,000 a year, yet median rents in the district routinely exceed $2,300 per month — nearly half their income. Add in the rising cost of groceries, tens of thousands of dollars in student loans, and the professional expectations of life in Washington, and there is little room left in the budget.

Candidates for mayor frequently acknowledge the city’s affordability crisis, yet few have taken up the mantle of dismantling one of the most burdensome policies affecting young residents’ finances: the District’s individual health insurance mandate. With limited exemptions for those making under $35,000 a year, the city requires residents to maintain a qualifying health insurance plan or face a financial penalty.