D.C. became a haven for LGBTQ+ people. Many young adults can no longer afford it

Washington, D.C., has the highest concentration of LGBTQ+ adults in the United States. But a new survey suggests many of the city’s young queer and transgender residents are struggling to afford housing, access mental healthcare, and envision a stable future in the nation’s capital.A report published Wednesday by the Wanda Alston Foundation and Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative found that 79 percent of LGBTQ+ young adults in Washington reported difficulty paying rent or a mortgage in the past year, nearly half struggled to afford basic necessities, and almost one-third had considered leaving the District because of housing insecurity. More than half rated their mental health as fair or poor, while more than 80 percent reported feelings of loneliness or isolation.According to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, an estimated 14.5 percent of adults in the District identify as LGBTQ+, the highest share in the nation. Nationally, the institute estimates that 5.5 percent of U.S. adults, or nearly 13.9 million people, identify as LGBTQ+.Related: This gay D.C. Council candidate wants Washington to live up to its progressive imageDistrict officials acknowledged the concerns while pointing to housing investments and LGBTQ+-specific support programs.“The findings regarding housing affordability and economic insecurity among LGBTQIA+ young adults are concerning, but they also reinforce the importance of the work underway across the District,” Gaby Vincent, communications director for the D.C. Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, said in a statement to The Advocate.The report is based on responses from 304 LGBTQ+ residents ages 18 to 30 collected in March and April. Researchers said the project comes as LGBTQ+ information has been removed from hundreds of federal data systems and as lawmakers across the country continue advancing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.Despite high rates of employment and health insurance coverage, many resp