Campaign Phone
434-285-9531
Locality Name
CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY
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PO BOX 472
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Charlottesville, VA 22902
Charlottesville is facing challenges at every rung of the housing ladder — from low-barrier shelters to market-rate homes. Our transit system is costly and losing riders. We're also feeling the effects of climate change, harmful federal decisions around funding and immigration, and a slowdown in retail revenue.
To move forward, we need to respond with vision, coordination, and action — making the most of our new zoning tools, investing in real solutions for housing and transit, and backing community-led efforts that strengthen our neighborhoods and schools.
The Charlottesille zoning reform is one step toward improving affordability overall. Allowing more housing citywide, especially near transit and major employers, can help meet high demand. But we need a wide range of strategies for affordable housing. We should fully fund Inclusionary Zoning, streamline the approvals process, and expand both subsidized and market-rate housing so people of all incomes and life stages can live here. As part of a regional housing market, Charlottesville should lead by example and call on UVA to fully and quickly meet its affordable and student-housing construction commitments. We also need strong support for residents facing housing instability, including shelters and permanent supportive housing.
To advance social and racial justice in Charlottesville, we need to focus on the systems that shape people’s lives — housing, transportation, education, and economic opportunity.
That means making sure our new zoning actually leads to more homes — especially deeply affordable ones. It means improving our transit system so people can reliably get to work, school, and medical appointments. It means directing city spending in ways that expand access to opportunity for underrepresented entrepreneurs and neighborhoods.
I also believe public schools are a cornerstone of racial justice. I support investments in school facilities, wraparound programming for families, and stronger partnerships between schools and neighborhood leaders to help families meet their needs now and in the future.
I bring experience in public health and systems change. I’ve worked across government, organizations, and neighborhoods to improve health through access to transportation, healthcare, housing, and food — always in partnership with the people most affected.
I also bring an operational mindset. I pay attention to the details, ask hard questions, and help teams move from big ideas to clear action items. City Council needs that kind of focus — not just to set policy, but to make sure it gets implemented.
The City has made big investments recently: renovating Buford Middle School, completing the Belmont bridge, expanding affordable housing, raising wages for City workers, and improving our parks and sidewalks. Those projects add real value to our community. In the long term, we can help avoid future tax increases by growing the tax base — supporting small businesses, enabling more residents to live in the City, and urging UVA to contribute its fair share through a PILOT [Payment in Lieu of Taxes] agreement. We must also ensure that tax relief programs reach every eligible resident (older adults, low-income, and disabled residents, and veterans) — whether they own or rent — and keep working to prevent displacement.
UVA has enormous influence on Charlottesville’s economy, housing market, and infrastructure. I believe the City should approach the relationship like a partnership — one where we set clear expectations, pursue shared goals, and are mutually accountable for outcomes.
There are already positive efforts underway, especially around transit, where City and UVA staff are coordinating more closely. We can lean into that collaboration to build trust and expand what’s possible.
At the same time, UVA needs to invest more directly in the systems it impacts, especially public education. I'd advocate for investment in housing and land use, stronger contributions to our schools, teachers and facilities, and continued joint efforts on workforce development and community health.
Campaign Phone
434-882-1038
phone
434-882-1038
Locality Name
CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY
Biography
Brian Pinkston is a dedicated public servant, experienced project manager, and advocate for Charlottesville’s progress. A resident of the City since 2015, Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, a Master of Arts in philosophy and religious studies, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Virginia. Project managers put people, resources, and ideas together to get things done. Brian's professional background includes three decades of management experience, which he now applies as the Associate Director for Renewal & Renovation in Facilities Management at UVA. First elected to Charlottesville City Council in 2021, Brian has championed equity in housing, education, and economic development. His focus on affordable housing, enhanced transportation, and community equity stems from a commitment to seek the Common Good. Brian’s approach to leadership emphasizes collaboration, mutual respect, service, and an emphasis on strong relationships.
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1108 Saint Charles Court
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Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901
Candidate Status
Incumbent
The most emergent challenge comes from the upheavals at the federal and state levels. We must remain true to our values, protect the vulnerable, and be a shining example of a progressive city that works ... and yet do this in a way that is wise. The current Council has put the people, processes, and resources in place to weather this storm (not least of which is retaining some surplus funds as a hedge against possible funding reductions). Continuity of leadership is crucial.
The second most significant challenge has to do with the unhoused in our community. Of everything we’ve faced over the last 3+ years, I have found this the most intractable. We have struggled to stand up a so-called low barrier shelter -- both in terms of funding it and in the willingness of neighborhoods to host it. If re-elected, I will work with the City Manager to stand-up and make operational a low-barrier shelter at an appropriate location.
The third most significant challenge concerns the ongoing stability of the City. Juandiego and I came on to Council at a time of real instability -- both on Council and in the City Manager’s office. That instability then infected the remainder of the organization. This has changed: Together with our colleagues on Council, as well as with some superb people like City Manager Sanders and his Deputy City Managers and their direct reports, the City is in a vastly different place than it was 3+ years ago. It has been a remarkable turnaround. We are actually funding and staffing and getting done a host of things that we’d previously only talked about. Yet, I am very concerned that this needs to be made more permanent. We need to create a resilient culture -- both on Council and in the organization -- of professionalism, of putting the City above particular agendas, and of managerial excellence. This is the main reason I seek reelection: to complete the work of the turnaround and to make this culture more permanent.
Charlottesville has one of the most ambitious Affordable Housing Plans in the nation -- investing over $10M a year. Yet, it still feels like we’re only scratching the surface. People -- especially young people like my adult kids -- simply aren’t able to live here. The City is just too desirable a destination for folks from DC, retirees, and well-paid faculty and staff at UVA.
I am optimistic that the Zoning Ordinance, passed with great fanfare, will eventually move the needle in terms of housing supply. I know that The Verve and The Blume (2117 Ivy Road) weren’t popular with a lot of people. But between those projects and the second-year housing initiative at UVA, several thousand new beds will be coming online in the next couple of years -- which should, again, move the needle in terms of supply.
If reelected, I will continue to advocate for meeting our commitments to the Affordable Housing Plan. This includes: planned investments in public housing and other low-AMI developments; deployment of a so-called land back; enforcement of rules around homestays; funds for anti-eviction efforts; enforcement of rules around inclusionary zoning; and hiring sufficient staff to manage our housing efforts.
We will continue to do the work of lifting up everyone in Charlottesville -- especially those most in need -- by living out our values of empathy and compassion. It’s important to say this out loud, these days.
We really do try to center justice in all our decisions. It informs everything from Police oversight to the Human Rights Commission to the Dogwood Memorial to having ADA accessible facilities.
A particular focus for me, if reelected, will be transit. I’ve made a commitment to get wait times down to less than 30 minutes. This would be transformative for people who don’t have access to reliable transportation -- especially those least well off. This initiative will require substantial investment in drivers and other staff. I want to get this done.
I now have three-and-a-half years of service on Council. That is on top of over thirty years as a project manager. So, what I bring, right now, is demonstrated leadership.
I am part of a team that stabilized the City and then set it on the path toward a viable future.
This job is a lot. Not only the Council work directly -- but all of the boards and commissions (I’m on around eight of them) as well. It takes time to get up to speed, to be able to contribute. And continuity is important.
Project managers put people, resources, and ideas together to get things done. I have done that for my City. If re-elected, I will continue to do so.
I have come to believe that most concerns about inadequate infrastructure -- in terms of utilities, schools, roads, and so on -- are not as alarming when you get down to actual brass tacks. I say this as someone who sits on RWSA and the MPO.
Take water and sewer: RWSA is a fantastic organization which is well funded by the City and the County. It has a plan that it’s been executing against for long-term, reliable water supply and wastewater treatment for our region. On the distribution side, our City utilities do a solid job keeping piping and sewers up to scratch, to include modernizing out-of-date systems.
As to schools, the School Board just voted on rezoning the schools. This was necessitated by changes in population growth throughout the City. It was a challenging process for sure and some parents aren’t happy with the outcome. That said, it does show that we can periodically rebalance our schools and not have to do massive, expensive school additions. That said, we have also demonstrated that we can do large school projects -- i.e., the new Charlottesville Middle School -- when those are necessary.
As to road infrastructure and traffic, this is certainly complex. That said, I’ve come to believe that we need to invest in different ways of getting around -- bus and bike and walking -- rather than in larger capacity roads. It is often the case that larger roads actually induce demand rather than mitigate congestion. We also need to do a neighborhood-by-neighborhood assessment of roads, speed limits, traffic calming measures, and so on. Staff is actually working on that now. And I’ve already discussed transit.
So, to return to the question: I don’t see a real conflict between economic development and potential impact on infrastructure. I think we can manage issues as they arise, as long as we continue to support RWSA, the MPO, and staff efforts noted above.
This is a fraught topic, especially given recent events. So much is being vented into social media right now -- often without a lot of evidence -- that perhaps the less I say, the better.
What I will say is that at the level of the City Manager and his counterparts in the County and at the University, there continue to be substantive conversations about how the region can work together better. I feel like actual relationships are in a healthier place than they were just a few years ago.
There are also good, practical results coming from UVA’s efforts at community relations and partnerships.
I pledge to continue to encourage the University to be a good neighbor.
Campaign Phone
(434)8822187
Locality Name
CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY
Biography
Juandiego Wade was born in Richmond, VA. One of six siblings, he was raised by his father James Richard Wade, a minister and Richmond City Public School teacher, and his mother Marian Wade, a homemaker and Virginia Extension worker. After graduating from Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe High School in 1984, Juandiego went on to attend Norfolk State University, where he joined the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, an organization in which he is still actively involved. After graduating from Norfolk State with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning, Juandiego went on to obtain his Masters degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, where he met his wife, Claudette Grant. Juandiego and Claudette were married in 1993, and have one daughter, Gabriella Ruby Lee Wade, who graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Civil Engineering in December 2024. Juandiego has worked for Albemarle County since 1991, first as a transportation planner, then as a career co
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909 Saint Charles Ave, Charlottesville, VA 22901
Candidate Status
Primary
There are many challenges that a progressive city like Charlottesville faces. I will identify two of the most pressing for this setting.
Homelessness: The City is currently working with community partners such as PACEM, The Haven, Piedmont Housing Alliance, and Salvation Army to address this issue. Additionally, we are seeking community partners to establish a no barrier/low barrier shelter.
Financial Future: Future funding from the State and Federal governments is uncertain. We must continue to provide a high level of service with this cloud of uncertainty. I have full confidence in our staff, but Council is responsible for the City to remain fiscally fit.
The major action that I took to support affordable housing is the adoption of the new Zoning Ordinance. The new Ordinance will provide for additional housing and housing types. It will take time to see the full impact of the ZO, but I believe it will have a positive impact on affordable housing. I will be supportive of the appropriate new housing development.
Social Justice has been intertwined in all my policy work since I have been on the School Board. As a Councilor, I will continue to support the efforts of the Deputy City Manager for JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion). I will continue to support her efforts. I have been a strong supporter of several of the decisions that Council has made to promote and maintain including purchasing Dogwood Housing, Carlton Mobile Home Park and the 0 High Street property. I was the chief advocate for the major renovation of Buford Middle School and the School Board budget.
I believe that I am uniquely qualified to serve on Council because of my background for serving the City in various capacities for the past 30 years. I have served on numerous nonprofits boards. I was elected to the School Board for Charlottesville where I served for 16 years. I served as Chair and Vice of the School Board. I also served as President of the Virginia School Boards Association. I also have been an employee of Albemarle County for 34 years where I was a Transportation Planner and Career Counselor. I work closely with Region 10 clients to find meaningful employment. I am a long time member at Olivet Presbyterian Church where I am a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, and Youth Volunteer. I believe my service as a mentor to the youths in the community for the past 35 years separates me as well. I have long and deep relationships in the African American community and I have a history of assisting those that are most in need.
I believe that we must support our business community. A strong business tax base will give the City the resources it needs to address issues like traffic, schools, and affordable housing. I talk with shop owners regularly. I visit their business and talk with their customers. A strong business tax base will also reduce the pressure to increase the residential tax rate.
I have had the pleasure of working with many staff at the University of Virginia in my professional capacity as a Career Counselor. I see daily the positive impact of the partnerships between the City and the University. I have established many personal friendships with the leadership at the University. These relationships will help to facilitate the expansion of existing and new partnerships. Additionally, I have helped to coordinate annual meetings between the County, University and the City to discuss mutual and regional issues.
I must add that the recent FEI building transfer will have an impact on the City/University relationship. It will take time for it to heal.
