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

Reducing red-tape, speeding up the process at City Hall, streamlined processes for smaller projects.

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?

Yes. Absolutely, especially since the City has geographically gotten a lot bigger.

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 don’t know enough about it to answer this question well, but the existence of the trust fund is a strong policy that should be properly financed. 

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

The more housing we build of all kinds, the more affordable housing that will be available. We need to do a better job streamlining the permitting process.

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?

This makes a lot of sense to me. I look forward to being a part of the ATA project at Vivion and N Oak and I look forward to seeing the success of IRIS.

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.)

I spent five years in the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office so I appreciate how much of an issue crime is. The easiest solution is more police officers on patrol. I would also like to see the City work the with state to increase the options for trade schools in Kansas City.

If elected, what issue will define your term?

Reducing red tape at City Hall.