Priorities
Housing Affordability
Our residents are the heart and soul of our city - and buying or renting a home should not be too expensive to afford. We need to create and implement a comprehensive housing plan that would identify current and projected gaps in housing at varied income levels, and match strategies & funding streams to those needs. Let’s make better use of current mechanisms available, with oversight and close enforcement of programs such as the Houston Housing Authority’s existing tax exemption (PFC) option, maximizing its use for impact at lower income levels. Let’s also continue to improve the permitting process and the City’s process for stakeholder input on proposed regulatory changes, to reduce costs associated with delays in development that ultimately drive up prices.
Safer Communities
We deserve a City that is safe. My experience working in Fifth Ward shows me that public safety requires a comprehensive approach, investing in what police need to do their jobs, and investing in addressing the root causes of crime, including trauma, mental health challenges, neighborhood blight, and economic despair. I support partnerships like the City of Houston’s MCOT partnership with the Harris Center for Mental Health, and community-based mediator response programs, addressing targeted 911 calls and saving police time. Initiatives like these are important to address the complexities of our City for long-term public safety.
Improving Our Infrastructure
Our infrastructure is dangerously aging, and now is the time to invest more in improving these systems. Let's strengthen our efforts to acquire funding for upgrading our roads, drainage and water systems, sewers, and mobility projects. This will not only improve daily life for many impacted by breaking pipes and flooded neighborhoods, for example, but also mitigate the impact of future disasters and make our city more sustainable for future generations.
A Functional Politics
Our politics is increasingly polarized and dangerously vitriolic. I want to build spaces in our city where we can work together on the challenges facing us, despite strong differences in opinions and life experiences. Let’s design mechanisms in politics where we welcome differing viewpoints because we realize this makes us stronger and more likely to build solutions that will last. Let’s encounter each other as neighbors in this great city.
Cost of Living
Let’s make it easier for people to earn a living and support their families and dreams. This means supporting Houston’s vibrant business community while strengthening job seekers’ access to good-paying skilled jobs, affordable housing, and a public transit system that Houstonians can rely on to get to work.
Financial Health & Transparency
It is critical that our government is more efficient, responsible and transparent. I support creating a City Checkbook page where people can see how much is actually spent by line-item, and contracts awarded. I support streamlining the City bids process so that it is easier to use, especially for small businesses, and reduces conflicts of interest. Greater transparency is a prerequisite to help us address the financial challenges facing our City, and will set us on a more sustainable path for the future.