I am running with the priorities of developing a comprehensive community safety plan, taking concrete action to address our housing crisis, increasing access to quality-of-life services, and expanding economic growth opportunities.

Community Safety & Wellness

We must invest in the appropriate staffing and responses to emergency situations. By building out our Community Safety Plan we will be ensuring our first responders are equipped with relevant resources and training to respond to our community’s most pressing public safety concerns. You can expect me to:

• Serve as a bridge to connect community voices to our city’s government.
  Develop a comprehensive safety plan that clarifies essential roles and more equitably spreads the responsibility for our collective safety throughout the community.
  Work with emergency services to continue addressing staffing shortages and reduce response times.
• Work to reduce gun violence by supporting evidence-based methods of disrupting cycles of violence and through further investment in community-based programs.
  Work to secure more funding for the expansion of our HOPE program and other vital social programs.
• Advocate for an Office of Community Safety and Well-Being with a staff that can dedicate the time and resources to the safety that our community needs and deserves.
• Coordinate with city departments to address our most urgent needs.
• Work to ensure sustainability of public services through adequate streams of funding and workforce development.
• Expand access to existing substance abuse, addiction, harm reduction, and prevention services.
• Expand access to existing mental health, suicide prevention, and resource navigation services.
• Increase community awareness and understanding of local resources and how to navigate them through education and engagement.

Housing

Living in Tacoma is unaffordable for renters, working people, and families looking to become homeowners. To make Tacoma a place we can all continue to call home, we must take action to support meeting one of the community’s most basic needs: stable housing. To address our housing crisis I will:

• Seek to further invest in emergency shelters, and permanent supportive housing.
• Reduce barriers in our permitting process that hinders desired outcomes, while protecting important environmental regulations.
• Work to expand the development of affordable housing stock.
• Advocate for stronger tenant protections.
• Support community-led initiatives that aim to prevent displacement and cultural erasure.

Youth Enrichment

Communities are stronger when they nurture spaces for youth and families, invest in opportunities for youth to reach their potential, and care for one another. Let’s support the next generation of leaders with policies that:

• Advocate for affordable childcare.
• Increase investments in out-of-school programming.
• Invest in mentorship, enrichment, leadership development, and apprenticeship programs.
• Assess resource gaps and community needs to better understand where to deploy services.
• Engage in intentional investment that prioritizes the revitalization of community spaces, such as libraries, community centers, playfields, parks, urban gardens, and vacant lots.

Sustainability & Environmental Justice

A sustainable community with a healthy environment is key to the success and long-term health of Tacoma. Creating equitable policies that advance sustainability, restoration, and environmental justice can only come through centering marginalized voices and making room to assess in earnest how our current practices are hindering our environmental goals. I will:

• Prioritize environmental equity, resilience, and restoration.
• Continue to grow and nurture a relationship with The Puyallup Tribe.
• Work with the Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability to meet department goals and amplify community voices.
• Work to reduce fossil fuels in Tacoma.
  Seek to create more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods.
• Prioritize equity and accessibility as we continue to expand transportation options.
  Invest in programs to fight food insecurity and address food deserts.
• Incentivize green development.
  Integrate Health Impact Assessments into our permitting process.
• Work with community partners to protect mature trees, and plant new trees to increase our tree canopy.

Economic Development

No community can thrive without access to safe, living-wage jobs and economic opportunity for the people. Small businesses and local entrepreneurship help us to build culture and community while driving our local economy. To encourage the recovery and growth of our local economy, I plan to:

• Support entrepreneurship and small business.
• Be a fervent ambassador for opportunity in Tacoma.
• Advocate for the creative economy.
• Advocate for infrastructure development.
• Promote sustainable practices.
• Establish a Tacoma Film Commission.
• Collaborate with community partners to promote businesses that are Tacoma grown.

Transparency, Accountability, & Restorative Justice

When we work from a lens of accountability we ensure that government decisions are open and accessible to the public. Transparency fosters trust; accountability allows us to be held responsible for the decisions we make; and justice ensures policies, services, and systems are equitable and benefit all residents. To ensure this, I will:

• Propose and support policies that align with transparency, accountability, and restorative justice principles.
• Organize regular listening sessions to gather input from community members and incorporate your perspectives into decision-making.
• Collaborate with fellow council members, community organizations, first responders, and social services to create a comprehensive approach to navigating our city’s justice system.
• Continuously assess the effectiveness of initiatives, services, projects, and programs to make necessary adjustments based on feedback and outcomes.
• Remain committed to the ongoing work and open to the evolving needs of the community.