Occupation
City Council Member
Qualifications for office
7 years served as City Council member, 4 years as Council Chief of Staff, 9 years as environmental advocate and political organizer
Education
B.A. Environmental Studies, Minor: International Relations, Bucknell University
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/erikaforcouncil
X / Bluesky
@erikastrassburger.bsky.social
Instagram / TikTok
@estaafstrass
Creating a Pittsburgh that is welcoming, accessible, and safe: this means reinvesting in our infrastructure; this also means preventing attacks on people’s dignity as human beings.
Building a strong, inclusive, and growing economy: boosting supply and affordability of housing for people of all income levels, growing job sectors that are healthy for workers, the community, and our environment.
Getting back on sound financial footing: We must rebuild our tax base if we want to have the necessary resources to properly serve our residents.
I recognize that meeting with resident- or stakeholder-led organizations is often not enough to understand the needs of the entire community. I have and will continue to engage residents using door-knocking, open office hours, newsletters, surveys, affinity group meetings, and flyering. I work to discern between the majority position and those with less representation but a larger megaphone.
My role as a council person often involves community mediation, particularly around land use, development, and parking. I also must work to build consensus among my eight council colleagues. In both circumstances, I work to listen without judgment, build trust, bring differing sides together, and facilitate a conversation. Consensus is not always possible, and in those cases, I make the best, most thoughtful decision I can with the data and information I have.
