VOTE411 Voter Guide

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Syracuse is at a pivotal moment. I believe we need clear, coordinated action to build a stable and equitable city. I am proposing stronger tenant protections, including Good Cause Eviction, fully staffed code enforcement, and real pathways to homeownership so long time residents aren’t pushed out as the region grows. I am committed to fighting poverty by aligning job training with opportunities in manufacturing, construction, technology, and supply chain work. I want to expand childcare and reliable public transit so residents can access jobs and training. I also support stronger partnerships with schools, unions, and community groups to ensure our residents benefit from new economic investment. I believe a healthy Syracuse is a safe Syracuse. I am proposing stronger neighborhood-based services, better mental health access, and more support for families and youth. These issues are connected, and I am committed to advancing policies that give residents real stability and opportunity.

Syracuse has one of the highest rates of homeless students in New York, and we all know a child can’t learn if they don’t have a safe place to sleep. Today, our city relies on shelters and scattered rapid rehousing programs run by nonprofits, but housing and education still operate in silos. We can do more. I’m proposing a Homeless Student Stabilization Fund to rapidly rehouse families before a crisis; a Housing First requirement so city dollars go to actual housing and not just beds; and a Mayoral Homeless Student Task Force for real accountability. We can pilot school-based housing navigation, lease hotel units near schools to prevent mid year transfers, expand Right to Counsel, and build a unified data system so no child falls through the cracks. One family, one case manager, coordinated across housing, schools, and health. That’s how we give every child stability and a fair shot at success.

Syracuse’s most pressing challenges are housing instability, persistent poverty, uneven economic opportunity, aging infrastructure, and strained public systems facing increased pressure as federal supports shrink.

Housing affordability and stability require a coordinated response. I support expanding affordable housing, strengthening tenant protections, supporting responsible landlords, and investing in prevention strategies that reduce displacement and keep families housed through aligned city, county, and nonprofit partnerships.

Poverty reduction must be addressed through systems change by expanding equitable access to city services, using transparent data driven budgeting, and directing resources where need is greatest while measuring outcomes and impact.

Economic opportunity expanding workforce development by strengthening training pipelines. Focus on intergovernmental awareness to align resources and respond to state and federal policy shifts.

One of the most urgent challenges facing Syracuse is the rise in homelessness among school-aged children. Between January 2022 and January 2024, the homeless child population in Syracuse and Central New York increased by 136%. Many of these children are not visibly unhoused, but are couch surfing or living in unstable temporary situations that disrupt their education, wellbeing, and sense of security.

My approach focuses on strengthening cross-system partnerships between the City, County, SCSD, and trusted community organizations to identify youth and families in crisis earlier and connect them to preventative, wraparound supports. I support expanding OCFS-licensed Interim Family Programs as a complementary response within Syracuse’s broader housing crisis. In partnership with the County and State, these programs can provide temporary placements during periods of instability while keeping young people connected to housing pathways, education and supportive services.