Members of the Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously . We need to accelerate the inventory of affordable housing. Includes the Avenues, Capitol Hill and Marmalade neighborhoods, Temple Square and City Creek Canyon. And honestly, everyone living west of I-15 has been marginalized in one way or the other. We have many important issues facing our city including pandemic recovery, public safety, homelessness, air quality and many others. Round. Electoral reform to get corrupting money out of politics. I support incremental development where residents have the opportunity to invest in their own neighborhoods and in that process, create value that benefits their community. We cant be ping-ponging people across the city. Of course, public safety is the other big challenge facing our city today, and recent events show that crime is not limited to just the west side. Affordable housing needs to actually be affordable, not tied to area median income. That evening, I chose to speak with voters directly at their doorsteps instead of spending time participating in a debate that wasnt even targeted specifically to viewers in the district, Perez said in a statement. I must be constantly engaged with you so I know what you are thinking and so I know you are as informed as you want or need to be. What are your ideas for investing federal pandemic aid in the city, including funds left over from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act? Cherie Wood. We can do better than that. We only have so much and it wont last forever, so I think we need to create funding sources that can capitalize on each other and then be a source for continued funding for residents and small business owners. As Im talking to residents, public safety and homelessness top the list of challenges to the city. I will take the ideas Im hearing on the doorstep to create and enact a comprehensive plan around homelessness. I decided to run after the bridge fire earlier this year. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. We are facing a housing shortage, but we must plan with purpose. Amy also served as Vice Chair and Chair for the Large Cities Council with the National League of Citiesin 2020 and 2021, respectively. SLC faces difficult issues but with determination and innovative solutions I believe were up to the challenge. To truly represent them. Water Whiskey is for drinking, but water is for fighting. My wife, Brenda, and I often enjoy live theater performances, movies, and the visual arts as well. When I see a pug or French bulldog, I go berserk with joy. Whats happened to date clearly is not working. Public safety Salt Lake City does not have enough police officers to effectively patrol our community. Whoever is elected in District 2 will only serve a two-year term. As the former chair of the Rose Park Community Council, I have a track record of delivering results that have helped to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Other than that, let the free market prevail. Creating safer and more accessible street crossings, sidewalks and bike lanes. Showing interactive content. We also need to look for creative solutions to housing. Preserving community character is not building low-income housing with an insulting option of either a kitchen or a bathroom, next to single-family homes. I wasnt canvassing, but walking, to see and learn about the district. Preserving the existing character of our neighborhoods is also critical, and that requires embracing our diversity of cultures. Help expand Ballotpedia's elections coverage - volunteer with us, The city of Salt Lake City, Utah, held general elections for city council on November 2, 2021. There is no way for us to find solutions without resources this should be a funding priority for the city for the foreseeable future. We need to stop arresting and imprisoning so many people for nonviolent and made-up crimes. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) - All week long from Oct. 11 to Oct. 15, ABC4 will host a series of debates for the Salt Lake City Council District Elections. Click here to fill out the survey. Salt Lake City has no mayoral contest this year. After a third homeless shelter was announced for the Ballpark neighborhood in August 2021, I led a community response demanding that Salt Lake City initiate zoning changes: a moratorium on new shelters until an equitable distribution and placement process is developed. . Having clean air to breathe and clean water to drink can never be taken for granted and must always be a priority. We need to recruit and retain talented, veteran officers and modernize technology for quicker response time and better outcomes. There is much to be done and our health, quality of life and environment depend on it. Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. We should look to public health experts, better comprehensive data collection and case management, and develop a unified agenda and vision within the region. For the last four years I have advocated and worked for District 7 and all residents of Salt Lake City. My expertise with land use and urban design policy makes me the ideal candidate to lead the council in these efforts. The latter two steps will reduce calls to police, reduce fires and send a message to criminals that Salt Lake is no longer a good place to do business.. Affordable housing, gentrification, and displacement. My experience as a community organizer leading important projects for our community and experience as a city staffer gaining a better understanding of our citys process will make me the best councilmember for our district.. All ballots are active in the first round. At the same time, have as few laws as possible and all of them easily understood by the general public. Crime prevention, so that we can walk the streets at night safely. To watch the full debate, click the video at the top of this story. The shelters, according to the last audit, are full of drugs and the city refuses to use the recommended drug dogs. As much as possible, give it back to the residents of our city who have been here since at least the end of 2020 on a per capita basis, with half rate for children under age 18. However, if no one wins a majority, the candidate with the least first-preference votes is eliminated. However, these measures have not been enough to retain a sufficient police force: as of August 2021, average 911 response times for Priority 1 callslife-threatening emergencieswas 17 minutes and 35 seconds. With a better presence of community involvement, we can better address other pressing issues such as economic improvement, public safety, affordable housing, the inland port and our parks and streets.. We must challenge the inland port and if the state wont negotiate with us, we must be prepared to take them to court. Historic preservation is a key quality of life issue for many voters in Salt Lake City. With unprecedented growth, there is a feeling of putting developers first and neighborhoods second. The addition of accessory dwelling units to neighborhoods has shown that added density does not destroy neighborhood character. This would offer hope to the unsheltered and security to residents. On July 20th, Mayor Mendenhall and the entire council declared racism to be a public health crisis.I know its become quite fashionable these days to blame everything on racism, but for a government to make such a declaration indicates they might have a bit of a tenuous connection with reality. My greatest skills are in building bridges and connecting people and ideas together to find solutions. That results in an increasing drug epidemic which negatively impacts the homeless first. I want to continue to build upon that momentum. About Council Member Fowler. Both lenders and insurers raised rates on such projects and now theyre not being built. This deal gives millions away at taxpayers expense, dollars that can be used for truly affordable housing. Its going to take a lot of different steps to return to a normal market. I believe communities and their members are the best developers of their neighborhoods. We need to incentivize smart development that not only has access to public transit but also encourages its use (free transit passes, Greenbike passes, etc.). Sheworkedas aPublicDefenderfor several yearsprior to openingher own law firm. There is no one perfect solution to any problem and/or tragedy no matter what anybody thinks or how bad we want it to be. As for improving quality of life, I believe we should use the concept of neighborhood nodes and the 15-minute city concept as a blueprint to make communities more walkable, sustainable, and vibrant. At the heart of the issue is density and the missing middle. Entry-level homes are gone. John Byrne Alta City Council Grade: B Carissa George American Fork City Council Grade: A Show print-friendly instead? We have a history of zoning, planning and historic districts that have protected the character of the city we love. Meet the 19 candidates running for Salt Lake City Council The following districts are up for reelection: District 1 From I-15 and 900 West to 8525 West, and from I-80 to 2500 North. Hannah A. Olsen, B.S., is a hardworking, passionate, pre-law student at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. The recent 500 East project removed bus stops to increase bus speeds but forces buses to stay behind bicyclists which have lane priority. I share the same frustrations, but offer more than a list of complaints. With ranked choice voting, I ask voters to compare all the candidates and their records, plans and endorsements. Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States.It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah.With a population of 200,133 in 2020, the city is the core of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which had a population of 1,257,936 at the 2020 census.. Salt Lake City is further situated . The debate began with talk of food deserts, with all candidates agreeing the district needs more grocery stores, and that gentrification is a big issue. We are no more than five years away from the time where a majority of commuter traffic will be autonomous electric cars. School districts | Increasing density in single-family areas will destroy community character, decrease quality of life and encourage workers to drive (and pollute) to single-family homes farther away. We should strive to provide affordable housing options at all income levels. This is happening on a national level because the cause is national. District Seven encompasses the southeast portion of Salt Lake City and includes the Sugar House, Nibley Park, Forest Dale, Westminster, Highland Park, and Country Club neighborhoods, the Sugar House and Brickyard Plaza commercial areas, Westminster College, Highland High School, Sugar House Park and Forest Dale and Nibley Park golf courses. Tuesday, November 2, 2021. Councilman James Rodgers stepped down in early October to focus on his family, leaving a seat open. The Salt Lake City Council is badly lacking in diversity of thought and thus does not represent the interests of many constituents. Salt Lake City has a long history of leading on sustainability initiatives that improve air quality, protect our watershed, and invest in green infrastructure. Furthermore, zoning laws need to be examined as these are often an unnecessary barrier to housing creation. So we all have to try our best. We must use these funds to focus on supporting those who are suffering from the consequences of the still ongoing pandemic. These are vital elements that make our city unique and bring people here from around the world. The discussion then moved to homelessness, acknowledging that the district doesnt have a homeless shelter but still grapples with homelessness. We need to have conversations about what we mean by affordable housing. District 7 From 500 East to Foothill Drive and parts of 1700 South to parts of 3000 South. Please select me as your number one, or at least number two choice on your ballot., I am from New York, but grew up as an Army brat in Europe. The city has several entities that play a role in affordable housing, including the citys Redevelopment Agency and the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City. Economic development District 1 is home to the most innovative (and most delicious) entrepreneurs in the city. For those who are going to get mad at me for suggesting this, I remind you that those experiencing homelessness are already living in your park, trails, rivers, bridges, alleys and sidewalks. First and foremost, aid should be used for its intended purpose of getting the city and our residents through the pandemic. There is no one, single fix to the problem. These topics can intertwine and benefit from public-private partnerships in cases like a program I am creating with SLC Parks, Advantage Services, and the VOA Homeless Outreach Program to use carts from the Glendale and Rose Park golf courses to travel the Jordan River Parkway Trail. Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR). Back the blue. There are facilities to build and upgrade, transit lines to enhance, and professional services to engage. Shortly after moving here in 2013, I realized I wanted to put down roots in SLC. We need to be sure to maintain the citys character and all of the reasons we love it as we see this growth. This would allow us to focus our housing funds to be used only for deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing. I also am able to write peoples names in the ancient Viking runes (alphabet). My top priority is better representation by getting more community involvement. Im more interested in talking about how to fix the issues we are experiencing than I am in finding someone to blame. Do we need to add a streetlight where neighbors are requesting one? In addition to working as the Business & Community Engagement Liaison for Volunteers of America, Dennis served as the chairman and the vice chairman of the Poplar Grove Community Council for over 10 years, and was a founding member of the Westside Coalition, bringing together all six west-side community councils to work together on issues. She was recently appointed RDA Vice Chair in January 2023. Huck called his homeless campus a perfect solution, while Fowler cautioned there is no one-size-fits-all solution and said the city needs more funding. On July 20, Mayor Erin Mendenhall and the entire council declared racism to be a public health crisis. I know its become quite fashionable these days to blame everything on racism, but for a government to make such a declaration indicates they might have a bit of a tenuous connection with reality and invites future disaster. Equitable access to resources We are going to continue to see an increase in resources and if we are not creating policies now, we will continue to see inequitable access to those resources. State and local courts | She was elected by her peers to serve as the 2021 City Council Chair. Defunding the police was a severe mistake. Youll find I have the longest history serving our west-side neighborhoods. Includes the Sugar House neighborhood, Brickyard Plaza and Sugar House and Tanner parks. Amywas elected to her first term by DistrictSevenresidents in November 2017 and took her oath of office in January 2018. The city lacks over 100 officers to answer 911 sometimes resulting in 50 calls on hold and doubled response time., WE WANT TO ALLOW HOUSING IN MORE AREAS OF THE CITY and open up for housing, the tens of thousands of acres/80% of Salt Lake that does not allow housing. District 2 From I-15 to 7455 West and from I-80 to 2100 South. 1 just add or change a few words like respect, honesty, courage, commitment. Amyis achampionand serves as a voice for many who areunderrepresentedand has spent her career defending the rights of those whoendup in the criminal justice system. Occupation: Deputy director of the Central Wasatch Commission. Public safety: Homelessness and public services. We are pissing neighbors off, and we are retraumatizing people who have little to their name. We also need to be realistic about our natural resources as we face a climate crisis. 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