Q and A’s with Local Groups

1. Personal Connection to Parks: During a recent visit to a public park, trail, natural area, or community center in your district, what did you learn about how well it is serving the community and where it could better meet residents’ needs?

I walked through Laurelhurst Park recently on a warm evening and found it as I always do; absolutely enchanting. Laurelhurst Park is a treasure and the PPR has always taken such good care of it. I have never even thought about it not being at its absolute best. Great work PPR! Laurelhurst Park is truly an artistic and healing resource to all of Portland and the region. If I can think of any way of improvement, I suppose, like Central Park in New York, it would be cool if there was a cafe near the pond where you can sit outside and have a drink in the daytime or into the evening hours during the warm months of the year. 

2. Equitable Access: Where do you see the greatest gaps in equitable access to parks, natural areas, or recreation programs for historically underserved communities in your district, and what specific City Council actions would you prioritize to close it?

I live east of 82nd Ave. near McDaniel High School. I see Glenhaven Park as an important resource for our neighborhood and I think it might be similar to other parks in east Portland where it doesn’t seem to have parks programming in it often or at all according to may research on this. Since my neighborhood is not close to a community center, it would be great to see more organized activities for children in these east Portland parks so that they could walk from their houses to participate in let’s say, a soccer league, summer camp, a day of games, etc. 

Now having said that, McDaniel High School is right next door to the park and more partnerships with the high school for parks programming would be really great. The reach of PPR marketing and advertising cannot be understated. If I wanted to try out an activity for myself, I would check the PPR website first to see if it was something they offered. I think others do that as well. I did read that McDaniel makes sure the facilities are available for outside groups to use, so maybe even if PPR doesn’t offer a program, it can help promote small, non-profit activities that take place at McDaniel . PPR can even help local parents and volunteers that would like to start a group at McDaniel. Getting support from PPR could make the difference to help make that activity a success. 

3. Park Partnerships: Volunteers, community groups, nonprofits, philanthropy, and businesses are important partners in Portland’s parks system. How would you strengthen these partnerships while maintaining public accountability and equitable investment across the city?

I mention in question 4 an idea about partnering with the Trailblazers. Partnerships with sports teams and athletic centered businesses is a natural partner with PPR. As a councilor I would give that kind of collaboration a larger voice as well as be conduit to creating these kind of partnerships. I think city councilors can even reach out to our large regional employers to help sponsor volunteer days for their employees or opportunities to partner with parks in underserved areas of our city. 

I think we have a robust neighborhood spirit in Portland. People want to help their neighbors. This spirit can be directed at PPR facilities and equipment in need of upgrading as well as programming, caretaking, etc. As a councilor I can strengthen networks and grant matching programs that can connect neighborhood associations, local businesses, schools, artists, and other volunteer groups to help PPR provide what residents, especially those in underserved areas need to get the benefits that PPR provides to a residents quality of life. 

4. Deferred Capital Maintenance: Portland faces a substantial deferred maintenance backlog of aging and failing park assets. If the maintenance backlog is not addressed, Portlanders will continue to be impacted by failing and closed assets in the park system over the next decade. What should City Council prioritize to reduce the backlog, prevent further closures, and secure sustainable funding for major maintenance and accessibility improvements?

I believe one of the greatest opportunities of being a city councilor is the ability to advocate for district residents and bring greater public attention to the issues and resources that matter most to their communities.

One Idea I will share is with the recent Moda Center deal in mind. The city is investing our residents funds to make sure that the organization can have higher profits for their business and to keep their NBA investment here in Portland. Most investments, such as buying a stock, result in a profit for each stock that was bought by an investor as the value goes up. These kinds of stadium deals should have the essence of the investment/investor relationship in mind. We the people invested in them, we should get a dividend for our investment like any investor would expect. 

Since that is not the nature of these deals between cities and their sport teams, the Blazer organization can get an even better deal by donating the funds to bring certain equipment and other park assets up to date in our underserved parks and community centers. If they increase their investment in us the way we increased our investment in them, this collaborative relationship will create goodwill but also higher profits and allegiance for the team from our residents as well as tax write offs for them. Blazer fans will see that the Blazer organization is in partnership and giving voice to our communities that need it the most. Win/win!

5. Parks in the Budget: The 2025 Parks Levy currently funds approximately half of PP&R’s operations, while PP&R’s share of the General Fund has declined over time. How will you collaborate with your fellow councilors, PP&R, and the community to determine what service levels the City should commit to, and what measures would you support to fund these services sustainably over the long term?

I will bring a non-partisan and collaborative spirit to my approach as a city councilor. I would work with as many as possible in PPR and city hall to identify the most important existing park assets we do not want to lose. I would focus on creating a sustainable and reliable budget amount that PPR can plan on for multiple years. Temporary financial sources for basic services need to be avoided. 

When budgeting, plans need to be crafted with a spirit of creativity, efficiency, and collaboration. Private sector, non-profit, and volunteer resources need to be included as part of the plan to add resources in addition to the basic core budget that the general fund provides. As a former parks employee I saw how important the work of PPR is. A priority of mine would be to bring resources to PPR without having residents shoulder the burden with increased fees, new levies, or taxes. 

6. Climate Resilience: Portland’s parks, natural areas, and urban forest are critical infrastructure for reducing heat, managing stormwater, improving air quality, reducing wildfire risk, and supporting habitat. As Portland develops its next climate action plan and a more comprehensive climate-adaptation strategy, how would you use City Council’s budget, policy, and oversight authority to ensure these natural assets are central to that work and that their benefits are equitably distributed?

Efficiency is the key to making our city as carbon-neutral as possible. All park facilities need to be as efficient as possible, no matter where in the city they are located. Climate change doesn’t choose which neighborhoods it will affect.

In terms of equity, we need to protect the urban forest we already have in our older neighborhoods so those trees can continue sequestering carbon. Reducing maintenance of the tree canopy in these areas because of the average income of their residents doesn’t make sense.

In my job as an operations manager, the nonprofit I work for is responsible for trimming our street trees. This costs thousands of dollars. I do not want the current Tree Equity Program to create financial burdens for residents in lower-income neighborhoods in the future. The current program maintains newly planted trees for three years, but what happens 15 years from now?

My street has very few street trees, and the difference between it and other neighborhood streets with full tree canopies is very noticeable. Street trees reduce cooling costs and make streets more attractive, but they also increase the maintenance responsibilities of homeowners. My landlord, roommates, and I don't have to rake leaves or worry about repairing our sidewalk because we don't have a street tree, but our house is fully exposed to the summer sun.

For working-class households, having a street tree may not be worth it, even if the tree is free, because of the potential future liabilities. As a councilor, I would strive to follow the example of other cities and make Portland responsible for the maintenance of its street trees. San Francisco and New York City already have municipal street tree maintenance programs, and Chicago provides citywide parkway-tree trimming. Portland can do the same.

If we adopt this system, we could also create a way to recognize wealthier homeowners who voluntarily take responsibility for maintaining their own street trees, helping free up resources to plant and maintain trees in lower-income neighborhoods. This would give residents an opportunity to contribute directly to climate change action and be acknowledged for their work to provide greater tree equity in Portland.

Venture Portland

1. Which Portland business district will be a focus area for your office and why?

If elected, I will make District Three my priority. I work on Grand Avenue and see firsthand its need for support, new development, and a compelling vision that can transform it into a vibrant, 24/7 destination for residents and visitors alike. We already have a TIF district and other grant opportunities to build upon. There is tremendous potential along Grand Avenue, and it's exciting to imagine its future with the right leadership and investment. I want to help lead the effort to turn that vision into reality for District Three.

I believe Hawthorne also deserves a thoughtful, community-driven vision for its future—one that preserves the unique character that draws people there while strengthening its role as a thriving destination for local entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, and visitors exploring District Three's walkable neighborhoods. Hawthorne's vacant lots offer exciting opportunities for beautiful, innovative, affordable housing alongside welcoming public spaces, independent businesses, and dynamic cultural destinations. With thoughtful planning and community involvement, we can ensure Hawthorne continues to evolve while remaining one of Portland's most distinctive, vibrant, and beloved places.

2. If your office had an extra $50,000, what would be the most meaningful way to spend that money to help struggling small businesses?

As a building operations manager I understand how expensive it is to run a building but also the added cost burden put on local businesses from the city to pay fees and maintain and care for street trees and sidewalks. I would love to create or support existing grant programs that help pay for sidewalk and street tree improvements so that our small businesses can focus and spend their resources on what they do best. With $50,000, we can create five $10,000 grants to help local businesses within District Three with physical improvements to their sidewalk, signs, street trees, or other needed improvement that is currently out of reach for them. 

3. What is your plan to bring living wage jobs back to Portland business districts?

I believe the most important step is also one of the least popular to discuss. The elephant in the room is that many of the business districts we most need to revitalize; Downtown, Old Town, and Grand Avenue, have developed a perception of being unsafe. And the perception of safety is often just as important as safety itself.

Human instinct plays an enormous role in how we experience places and decide where we want to spend our time, whether we're opening a business, shopping, dining, or simply exploring a city. Reputation matters tremendously. There's an old business saying that someone who has a bad experience tells ten people, while someone who has a great experience tells only one. I believe the same principle applies to entire neighborhoods and business districts.

I don't believe Portland is nearly as bad as its current reputation suggests, but changing that reputation requires consistent, visible action. People need to feel confident that if something happens while they're Downtown, in Old Town, or along Grand Avenue, they won't be left on their own. They need to know that help will arrive quickly, that their concerns will be taken seriously, and that they can return home feeling good about their experience rather than discouraged by what they encountered.

Until we address this fundamental issue, grants and financial incentives alone will have limited impact. I believe we need more consistent enforcement of existing laws governing littering and unlawful obstruction of public spaces, along with a stronger, around-the-clock presence of safety ambassadors in our most challenged business districts. These ambassadors should be able to respond to problems before they escalate, assist businesses and visitors, and connect people who are camping or struggling in public spaces with appropriate services and designated alternatives.

Our business districts need to feel welcoming, safe, and vibrant again. Restoring that confidence is the foundation upon which successful economic revitalization can be built.

4. What types of programs or initiatives could help businesses choose to remain or relocate to underserved business districts?

At my locally owned corner store, I witnessed a theft take place in broad daylight. The owner yelled at the person as they were stealing, telling them they weren't allowed to come back. After the person left, the owner turned to me and said, "There's nothing I can do. They know the police won't come."

This presents another difficult decision about how we spend public funds. We don't want petty theft to ruin someone's life by pulling them into the criminal justice system, but if we allow a culture where theft is tolerated or justified, we won't be able to attract and retain local retailers.

Ironically, the 7-11 down the street went out of business, while this locally owned corner store remains open. This shows me that locally owned businesses have more dedication and skin in the game than big corporations. They need to be rewarded for this. The city currently offers tax exemptions to qualifying local businesses, which is helpful, but restructuring these as rebates on taxes paid could avoid discouraging businesses from growing beyond certain sales thresholds (tax cliffs). 

We could also offer locally owned retailers annual grants that increase with each year they remain in business and grow, encouraging them to stay in their neighborhoods despite the challenges of theft. Additional grants could be targeted to help businesses invest in security improvements such as stronger locks, window protections, and cameras.

If retail businesses continue to struggle, we can also attract investment by incentivizing service-oriented businesses that are less vulnerable to theft than retail.

5. What can you do to ensure city-funded events, activations and infrastructure improvements are distributed equally to business districts throughout the city?

As a city councilor, I will focus my efforts on District Three and building meaningful relationships with business owners throughout its commercial districts. I would direct resources and attention toward year-round street fairs and neighborhood events across District Three, while prioritizing a culture of support, celebration, and business incubation and retention in underserved areas such as Lents, Foster-Powell, and 82nd Avenue.

Street Roots

The city has faced criticism for its reliance on homeless encampment sweeps (removals, as the city officially refers to them), which cost the city tens of millions each year, don’t reduce homelessness and are shown to result in higher homeless mortality rates. To what degree do you support this tactic, and do you believe the city should instead spend that money on other homelessness responses? (Please provide reasoning.)

We must understand the reality of a situation before developing meaningful solutions. Allowing camps to become established on sidewalks or beside vacant buildings for days, only to sweep them away, is both unacceptable and cruel. Restricting public camping is controversial, especially when people struggling with addiction or mental illness have nowhere safe to sleep. This perpetuates a cruel cycle. I believe access to safe sleep is a human right.

We need to intervene before camps become established, offering and requiring those in the camp to move to immediate alternatives such as designated campgrounds, safe parking areas, or simple indoor sleeping facilities. These spaces should operate 24/7, with on-site staff and trained security to ensure safety and accountability.

When I was young, I lived in a run down van for awhile. I would have gladly paid for a safe parking space with access to a restroom and electricity rather than sleeping on the streets. Yet I never considered myself “homeless.”

I believe the broad label “homeless” traps us in an ideological oversimplification, preventing us from recognizing people's very different circumstances and responding appropriately to their needs as well as to the community's needs.

Some Portlanders and recent reporting question the city’s affordable housing programs, which primarily produce housing targeting earners making 60%-80% AMI — $53,940 to $71,900 for a one-person household. Data shows housing is most scarce for those making less than 51% AMI, and the current structure ensures the vast majority of affordable housing residents pay rent that is technically unaffordable (p. 140). To what degree do you support this approach, and do you believe the city should redirect its affordable housing efforts? (Please provide reasoning.)

I think too much of our housing system is being designed by the upper-middle class for the upper-middle class, rather than for Portland’s working class and working poor. We need innovative housing options that serve people at every income level. I personally could not afford, nor would I want to pay the rents required for many apartments designated for households earning 60–80% of Area Median Income (AMI).

What do I mean by innovative housing? Simple, affordable options: small cottages with site shared kitchens and bathrooms, new single-room occupancy hotels, and managed group homes where 5–10 people live together. Residents could rent or own a private bedroom within a shared household.

We should be exploring housing options at monthly price points of $100, $350, and $650, with opportunities for those unable to pay to contribute through work exchange. The tiny-home model is one of the most promising approaches I have seen because it addresses fundamental human needs for safety, independence, privacy, and security. Portland has an exciting  opportunity to lead the nation in creating a new  generation of innovative, efficient, and genuinely affordable housing.

What is the most crucial issue facing your district left unaddressed by elected officials, and how will you address it?

3. Affordable housing preservation. I am concerned that thoughtless, lobbyist-driven policies such as the Inner Eastside Rezoning Project will displace residents renting older homes and apartments while disrupting the local businesses that make our historic main streets so distinctive and vital to our economy. Neighborhood commercial districts such as Hawthorne, Belmont, 28th Avenue, Burnside, and Clinton could lose their  unique character as older, human-scaled buildings are replaced by corporation-owned, big box apartment developments. These changes could deeply affect the small businesses, tourism, and neighborhood vitality that make these districts special.