PLATFORM
It’s a matter of priorities: when we ensure Asheville is a safe, affordable, and sustainable home for our local families, makers, and creative workforce, we protect the very soul of our city. Supporting our residents and local industry first is how we build a future where everyone can thrive. Explore my platform below.
AFFORDABILITY
Housing Stability & Recovery
Leveraging our housing bonds and Helene recovery funds for the deeply-affordable housing our community needs to stabilize displaced, working class, poor, and disabled neighbors and their families and to prevent homelessness.
Regional Transit Expansion
Leading for a more reliable, regional transit system at the intersection of equitable access, economic mobility, and environmental sustainability.
Food & Water Security
Securing our food and water systems by supporting local farms and community gardens and addressing the cost of groceries.
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Economic Diversification
Diversifying our economy and supporting local business through Helene recovery.
Living Wage Certification
Pressing the City to regain our living wage certification so our staff that provide core services can afford to live in the communities they serve.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Community Safety & HEART Program
Implementing an Office of Community Safety and HEART Program as outlined here, deploying first responders with the right tools and training to calls for service around substance use, homelessness, and mental health crises.
First Responder Support
Prioritizing living wages and safe working conditions for first responders.
Reducing Homelessness
Following through with data-driven recommendations in the strategic plan to prevent and reduce homelessness, building deeply-affordable housing, and growing partnership through the Continuum of Care, where I currently serve on committees and the mayor’s office has an assigned seat on the board.
Safer Streets & Commuting
Advancing Complete Streets Policy and safe design speed standards so all commuters get to their destination safely.
Youth Advocacy & Grants
Reinstating the Strategic Partnership Funds for youth advocacy groups because our kids matter to us and we’re invested in a hopeful future.
Violence Prevention & Healing
Engaging the Community Health Workers organizing to prevent gun violence and intimate partner violence, and facilitating healing for residents, families and their communities.
Standing Up for Our Rights
- Leading on statewide LGBTQ+-inclusive Non-Discrimination Ordinances including veteran status, pregnancy status, and natural hair.
- Drafting and organizing to pass a resolution affirming access to full-spectrum reproductive care
- Affirming the rights of LGBTQIA2S+ residents including trans youth
- Advancing 4th amendment workplace policy and collaborating for immigrant rights
- De-Flock Asheville: Voting against AI-fueled surveillance tech that makes our community vulnerable to violation of our constitutional rights
Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency
Water & Emergency Recovery
Leveraging our recovery funds to secure our water system and bolster our emergency responses.
Climate Emergency Response
Responding appropriately to our stated Climate Emergency.
Climate Justice & Restoration
Implementing adopted neighborhood plans and aligning Neighborhood Grants to implement our Climate Justice Initiative, including tree canopy restoration, stormwater mitigation, and resiliency hubs.
Fair Water Rate Reform
Demanding fair water rates for residents instead of the steep, bulk discounts for commercial water users the City allowed.
Renewable Energy Standards
Holding the standard for renewable energy in all new residential development.
Racial Equity & Reparations
Centering racial equity and following through with our commitments to Reparations.
Transparency & the Role of the Mayor’s Office
Setting a Transparent Agenda
The Mayor Sets the Agenda: This means scheduling the hard conversations our community needs to have and inviting subject matter experts to partner with staff. To increase transparency, I’ll continue the Monday Minute; hold regular press conferences; advance open meetings policy; and increase accessibility of public documents and engagement opportunities.
Ending Behind-the-Scenes Meetings
The Mayor Oversees Council Meetings & Decorum: I’ll end the regularly-scheduled, behind-the-scenes Council check-in meetings; and shift to a public pre-meeting process.
Housing Authority Oversight
The Mayor Single-Handedly Appoints the Housing Authority Board, which oversees neighborhoods with 1,700+ deeply-affordable housing units: I’ll maintain communications with Housing Authority residents, resident councils, and staff, partnering in violence prevention and improving quality of life.
Board & Committee Appointments
The Mayor Appoints Council Sub-Committees and Liaisons: These appointments include regional boards like: the Metropolitan Planning Organization that oversees state-maintained roads; the ABC Board; and the Regional Housing Consortium.
Economic Development Integrity
The Mayor Serves on the Economic Development Coalition: I’ll bring integrity and transparency to the Mayor’s seat on the Economic Development Coalition, leveraging living wages, union-supportive jobs, infrastructure investments, and climate resilience including partnerships in carbon reduction. For example: I voted against the anticipated Amazon distribution warehouse that Council approved in closed session, but it failed at the bank, so now I’m advocating for a Costco at that location instead, which would improve infrastructure and bring living wage jobs to our community.
Leading By Example & Taking Action
Leading by Example: During Helene, I worked shoulder to shoulder in emergency response–getting the Incident Management Team here from NYC to relieve our firefighters, organizing daily communication distribution into neighborhoods, flushing toilets for disabled and elderly residents, and convening intergovernmental teams to support staff and community response. I’m committed to violence prevention, including a Mayor’s Youth Council focused on reducing gun violence, and I support bringing advisory boards back instead of dissolving them.
For more about my leadership experience on Council and my work to take better care of our neighbors and our mountain home, click here.
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