Strong Neighborhoods
Though Charlotte is quickly growing, our city should still feel like home. Charlotteans deserve safe, stable neighborhoods, and an inclusive community. That’s why, in response to the national social justice movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others, I drafted Charlotte’s Re-Imagining Policing Framework, to ensure our policing reflects our community values, and that our officers are equipped with what they need to deliver high-quality service. In addition, as part of the Safe Charlotte Plan, I continue to push for violent crime prevention strategies that address systemic causes, including working with public and private partners to seize high-crime properties. When it comes to stability, I’ve advocated for the expansion of the (Aging) Staying in Place program to help long-time residents remain in the neighborhoods they’ve grown to love, even as they change. I’ve also worked alongside the West Side Community Land Trust to secure over $400K in City investment to preserve affordability in our neighborhoods, and am proud to have championed City investment in a viable future for Brookhill. Based on feedback from SW Area Neighborhoods, Steele Creek Residents Association, and the NW Community Alliance, I fought to protect the dream of homeownership in our neighborhoods in the 2040 plan. As the 2022 Great Neighborhoods Committee Chair, I’m leading the strategy for our recently launched anti-displacement initiative, the Housing & Neighborhood Services programs update, and outlining enforcement of our new policy to end Source of Income Discrimination in City-supported housing.
Engaged Community Leaders
Progress is a team sport. If we want to go far, we have to go together. Charlotte is blessed with so many passionate, committed, and talented community leaders, each contributing to our city. That’s why I’ve worked to ensure the City is investing in grassroots organizations, like partnering with the Urban League and United Way’s Unite Charlotte initiative to help community groups scale up their operations, and respond to funding opportunities. So far, we’ve committed over $300k to the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition and the Three Sisters Market grocery co-op, the first of its kind in the city.
In addition, I’ve championed increasing District 3 residents’ participation on City Boards & Commissions, including securing District 3 representation on the City’s Planning Commission, and spearheading the virtual participation ordinance to ensure equitable access for residents across the city. I’ve worked to amplify the voice of emerging neighborhood organizations like the Northwest Community Alliance through community benefit agreements as we plan for Charlotte’s Future. Through the rezoning process, in partnership with organizations like the Community Benefits Coalition, we’ve secured land to build affordable homeownership opportunities with the West Side Community Land Trust, as well as expanded the rezoning petition notification process via digital platforms.
A Connected City
Many of us have our hands full, juggling work, family, and community activities. In such a fast-paced world, every moment counts. We need a mobility network that gets you where you need to be efficiently, so you can spend more time on what matters. That’s why I championed infrastructure investment in across the city, working with my colleagues to secure $14M in congestion mitigation funds, $5M of which is set aside specifically for Steele Creek. In response to residents’ concerns, I successfully advocated to remove the petition process for traffic calming devices in our neighborhoods, ensuring equity in street improvements across the city. I continue to work with City staff, developers, and the community to take a big picture approach to development, ensuring everybody benefits from growth in our community. I support a responsible approach to implementing the City’s Strategic Mobility Plan, and am committed to improving the quality of our bus, sidewalk, and rail system.
Opportunity for All
In 2020, cities and nations around the world experienced the crippling effects of a global pandemic. Charlotte has been no exception. In particular, residents in zip code 28208 experienced the highest unemployment across the city. We’ve got to get Charlotteans back to work, and that means investing in the workforce and small businesses in our corridors. I championed the first-ever $38.5M Corridors of Opportunity initiative, kicking things off on the West Blvd in a big way. I ran for City Council to invest in our community, having helped author the West Blvd Corridor Playbook while serving as a board member for the West Blvd Neighborhood Coalition. Taking our queues from the Playbook, we’ve made direct investments in local businesses, infrastructure improvements, and more. In addition, I worked with several of my colleagues to push for a City-wide workforce development program to be applied on all City contracts. This helps ensure that companies who do business with the City are investing back in our community. Furthermore, I stood with my colleagues to unanimously support Charlotte’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance, so everyone can share in Charlotte’s bright future.
We’ve covered these and more topics in our previous District 3 Townhalls. In case you missed it, catch up below:
Steele Creek Mobility – June 2020
Community Conversation – March 2021