POLICY PRIORITIES
"Every day, I work to ensure that voices of marginalized communities have a seat on the table to advocate for information and resources that they need to better their situation. The work that I do as a community organizer gave me an opportunity to learn about the needs and the diversity of East Portland"
Public Safety
With the current drug epidemic and increase in crime, public safety has been put to the test on their ability to effectively serve their communities. Currently, citizens are feeling vulnerable, unsafe, and fearful more so now than in any of the time I have seen while living in Oregon.
Communities need to feel safe and secure in their own homes and neighborhoods. In District I, many households are working class income level and cannot afford to suffer these consequences of crime.
We must make sure our first responders including police, firefighters, and paramedics/EMTs are getting the support they need to do their jobs. Our front-line workers are left underfunded, under resourced, and short staffed. This is costing community lives and safety.
We need to implement programs to help provide long term services for substance abuse and mental health. We also need to be certain that these programs can provide holistic wrap around services where individuals receive the necessary support and resources to sustain their success. The key to this is quality, not quantity.
Transportation
I see a lot of potential in the new projects that our city has planned whether that is creating employment opportunities, fixing sewer and water infrastructure, creating more efficient transit routes, creating safe pedestrian walkways, or doing major repairs on big infrastructures such as bridges and freeways. All of these directly lead to safety, livability, and efficiency for our residents.
Houselessness Epidemic
We have too many that are experiencing chronic houselesness, and some are one personal hardship away from losing their homes. I believe in a community approach to addressing this issue. We have programs in place that we need to meaningfully invest in and build on our current policies.
We must look at how we can give help those that want the assistance. We must find solutions that are non-reactive and think longer term on how we can help individuals succeed and maintain that success. Finding housing for people is only a fraction of the solution.
Environment/Climate
Everyone wants a healthy and clean environment. Investment in our environment is not an option, it is a must. District I is surrounded by local farm businesses, natural wooded areas, community gardens, parks, and home to some of the busiest transit lines.
People need to be able to access information, education, and resources on how to be good stewards of the environment. Businesses also need to have the same support. Far too much, we create expectations for our community and businesses without any support. Being environmentally friendly should not be an affordability or an accessibility issue.