How can the City further encourage smaller-scale, incremental redevelopment in our neighborhoods?

Utilizing small local builders on infill projects that incentives their projects and fill gaps. Several local builders in the 3rd District have built smaller projects with maybe 4 to 6 units of multifamily as well as duplexes that relied on support from state and city money. We need to make this development in the urban easier and more accessible.

In the 1940 city limits, we have half the population we used to have. Do you believe repopulating the urban core is a critical priority?

I know how expensive our city is due to aging infrastructure. Yes reinvesting in our urban core is definitely a priority, however to be able to continue to pay for this investment we need to prioritize suburban growth so that we can add new taxes to pay for that aging infrastructure.

Many developers planning to offer affordable housing are experiencing financial gaps in their capital stack, hindering their ability to proceed with construction. Kansas City has built the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help close this gap. Does the fund adequately address developers’ concerns? If not, how would you address this issue?

I do believe that the Housing Trust Fund should be used to fill gaps. However that $50 million we borrowed in our bond issuance is going to go fast. We need a sustainable revenue stream to keep the trust fund viable for years to come.

How do you believe the affordable housing set-aside standards have impacted new housing development? How would you increase affordable housing in Kansas City?

Poorly. We have added several new costs for builders that many are rethinking of building in KCMO. We have to encourage building affordable housing in KCMO. We have so much development going on in the northland but have no affordable housing stock and our transportation woes are exasperating employers ability to hire. The City has to find ways to offer better incentives and one way is through the Housing Trust fund.

Transit-oriented community (TOC) projects create compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities centered around high-quality transit systems. This development approach alleviates concerns your constituents may have about accessing services and the cost of living. How would you promote and support providing transit-oriented community developments to Kansas City residents?

Every area has different transportation needs. I can tell you in the northland bikes are not a viable option for transport to work, however bikes can play an important role in midtown which is a more dense area. With seasonal changes we are always going to need our autos as we traverse 315 square miles of city limits.

Crime is affecting Kansas City’s reputation on a national scale. While violent crime makes the headlines, an increase in property crime is impacting our residents and businesses. What are some specific and measurable ways with which you would address crime? (We are looking for your concrete ideas, not general positions on funding or philosophy.)

First we need to address the number of police officers patrolling our streets. We are currently down about 300 to 400 officers. We recently passed a $30 million dollar funding mechanism for violence prevention, but that is a long term goal. Today we have to look at a couple of things: 1) We need a jail locally and I have spearheaded a council priority to join with Jackson County to add beds for KCMO in their project; 2) I was happy to see new Chief Stacy Graves bringing back several components of KCNOVA, a program that reduced violent crime in our city significantly when introduced in 2013.

If elected, what issue will define your term?

I have several achievements I would like to accomplish in my next term. My most focused concern will be development in our city. We have to be a friendlier and more willing partner with our developers. They are not the enemy. Our permitting process needs to be realigned. I want to move it under Public Works. I want to see some of the ordinances approved by council that add onerous costs to development (2021 energy codes as an example) either backed up or totally reversed.