Advocating for
Lakewood’s Priorities
As Lakewood’s Mayor, I will work to preserve Lakewood’s heritage and address the needs of the present, while planning with a strategic vision for Lakewood’s future.
My priorities for us include:
Improving public safety:
- Lakewood and Jefferson County continue to be at the forefront of innovation when it comes to diversion programs, mobile court, mental health co-responders, and our homeless navigators and CAT team. But we still have work to do.
- I will work within and across our community with these local partners to reduce crime, increase public safety, and ensure that our streets, our stores, and our neighborhoods are safer and thriving.
Addressing homelessness and housing attainability:
- As housing costs continue to rise, we need to ensure that folks have a fair shot at affording a roof over their heads, whether it be through emergency and supportive shelter, affordable rental prices, or pathways to home ownership. There are opportunities to partner across the region to expand our innovative daywork programs that get people back on their feet and proven strategies like the “Colorado Safe Parking Initiative” that provide support and a safe place to sleep, so that folks can get back to working and back into permanent, stable housing.
- I am committed to working with our state partners to make progress toward solutions for our lack of entry-level and retirement or “right-sizing” home ownership opportunities.
- We need to work hard to develop solutions that will create more opportunities for our hard-working residents to have the choice to live where they work, and to work where they live.
Nurturing a thriving local economy:
- I am committed to building an economy that provides opportunities for Lakewood residents to work where they live and to earn livable wages that keep up with the rising cost of living.
- I believe that hard work should be rewarded with things like a fair paying job, the ability to save and live without debt, and to live out our final days in the home or community that we love.
- We need to support our small local businesses that are the backbone of revitalization in many of our commercial corridors and ensure equitable investment in our diverse small business community so everyone has a fair shot.
Protecting our parks, open spaces, and environment:
- We have a responsibility to preserve our natural resources and our clean air and water for our kids and our grandkids.
- We must continue to protect the nearly 30% of Lakewood that is parks and open spaces, while ensuring that we are doing everything possible to invest in the successful long-term management of our precious natural resources, like water. I am excited for programs like residential turf replacement and “water wise” landscaping that the City of Lakewood is rolling out.
- I want the City of Lakewood to be at the forefront of the clean energy transition by taking advantage of federal dollars available for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and by helping residents and businesses make the transition toward cost-saving energy efficiency in their homes and businesses, as well.