Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
336-706-1788
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569519931950
Why are you running for Knoxville City Council?
I want the positive momentum of our City to continue - for all Knoxvillians - through smart, sustainable growth. After serving on Planning Commission for the last 5 years, working with neighborhood and business organizations, raising my family here, and helping protect our green spaces, I am prepared to lead the 1st District through an important next chapter: South Knox Waterfront Development, Gay Street Bridge, Chapman Highway improvements, UT’s Entertainment District… these are just some of the incredible projects and initiatives underway. It is critical that we have a Councilperson who understands the community and the importance of building consensus to deliver results. Doing so takes collaboration and persistence. I’m ready, day one.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing the City of Knoxville at this time?
I implemented a survey at the beginning of my campaign to make sure that I wasn’t just relying on my own gut and perspective but was listening to the community about our City’s greatest challenges. The answers were consistent, and clear – housing, affordability, and homelessness were top of the list. Additionally, creating more connections between communities via sidewalks and greenways, which are ways to support multi-modes of transport and smaller-scale, place-based development. Although not mentioned in the survey, I believe the City’s growth is made more sustainable when Knoxville is attracting more young people and keeping them here, with enough housing, jobs, and quality of life elements that make this the place they most want to be.
What will you do to positively impact transportation for the people of Knoxville?
Our roads are more congested than ever because there are few reliable and safe alternatives to driving. I will continue to support initiatives like the Transit-Oriented Development Study, which outlines ways we can grow smarter as a community and truly make transit reliable and accessible. We have a very active and engaged population that is looking for the quality of life delivered by a more bikable, walkable city that is traversable by public transit, but it must be safe and accessible. I will support these efforts through policy – expanding greenways, connecting neighborhoods, providing sidewalks, using a transit-oriented lens for development priorities, and incentivizing those who prioritize bike, ped, and public transportation options.
What is your opinion about the City of Knoxville’s proposed 0.5% sales tax increase?
My job as a candidate isn’t to persuade or convince on this issue, but to listen and learn. Since the proposal, I have been talking with voters and listening to their concerns. The one consistent thread of feedback is the need for the City to commit to the specific promised expenditures if the local option tax is passed. I agree with legally codifying uses, especially since the 5-year plan will span two mayoral administrations. Personally, I recognize the infrastructure needs, including housing, that the proposed tax could help the City address; however, the parameters of the proposal are still very fluid. I’m committed to staying open, listening to the community, and watching for the City to make the case.
What are your views on Knoxville’s current housing strategy, and do you think any changes to that strategy are needed?
I have unique visibility into the housing challenges our community faces because of my service on Planning Commission. We are experiencing exceptional demand and low inventory, which is impacting affordability, but inventory is only part of the equation to achieve a spectrum of affordability. Knoxville has long had a priority to “build out the corridors” but lacked adequate incentives to activate efforts. Strategic, positive changes will update the General Plan and codes to designate priority areas, incentivize desired development types, and include housing types missing from our recent building patterns, such as duplexes that are individually owned (not just rented), smaller homes, and mixed use developments of a smaller scale.