Priorities

A Safer, Healthier Olympia for Everyone

My campaign is grounded in a commitment to add housing, strong support for local businesses, public safety, and compassionate solutions for our unhoused neighbors - all rooted in the belief that we must manage Olympia’s city budget with transparency, discipline, and long-term thinking.

Thoughtful Growth

Olympia has a housing shortage and an affordability crisis. We need over 12,000 new housing units by 2045 just to keep up. I’m ready to partner with nonprofits, builders, and residents to deliver affordable housing. We need to assess and address impact fees, zoning, permitting, and development delays to build a more inclusive and livable city.

Environmental Stewardship
We are lucky to be surrounded by our city and area’s natural beauty. As a policy analyst in the shellfish industry, I’ve seen how climate change and water quality issues can devastate businesses and communities. I’m ready to bring that expertise to the City Council, working on resilient solutions that protect our resources and support eco-friendly growth.

Local Business, Local Pride

Olympia thrives because of our small businesses, farmers’ market, and community events. I’ve seen it firsthand. First as a downtown musician, then a small business owner, and now a homeowner. I understand the pressures local businesses and workers face. From rising rents to unaffordable leases, we need smart programs that tackle Olympia’s cost of living. I’m committed to making Olympia the best place to start and grow a small business by supporting both the employers and the people who power our local economy.

Small businesses are the heart of Olympia’s economy and character. I’ll champion:

• Incentives: Prioritize filling vacant commercial spaces by addressing unaffordability of leases. Provide incentives for property owners and managers to help address the vacancy issue.
• Enhanced Access to Resources: Collaborate with local organizations like the Thurston County Small Business Incubator to provide entrepreneurs with mentorship, training, and resources necessary for growth and long-term success.  
• Streamlined Permitting Processes: Simplify and expedite permitting and licensing procedures to reduce barriers for new and expanding businesses, making it easier to navigate regulatory requirements.
• Financial Support Initiatives: Expand programs such as the Business Resiliency Project to offer scholarships and funding for training programs, particularly targeting minority-owned and women-owned businesses.  

When our local businesses prosper, our community grows stronger.

Fiscal Responsibility with Purpose

Our city’s budget is tight, and we need leaders who can make smart decisions. I’m committed to investing in what matters: helping fill empty storefronts, streamlining permitting to boost housing supply, expanding crisis response teams, and upgrading infrastructure for sustainability.

Respecting Voter Choices
When Olympia residents vote to tax themselves for services, that money should be used as promised. Whether it’s the Home Fund for housing, the school levy for mental health, or public safety investments, honoring those votes is essential. Diverting funds breaks trust. I’ll work to protect public dollars and ensure transparency and respect.

Safety means more than just policing. It’s about building trust, investing in well-being, and ensuring access to help before a crisis happens. That includes mental health care, housing support, and non-police crisis response teams. True public safety means everyone feels safe in their neighborhood, especially vulnerable neighbors struggling with homelessness, addiction, or trauma.

I support smart investments in public safety that:

• Prioritize community-oriented policing and crisis response and expand programs that have demonstrated success. The Olympia Police Department notes that resources are needed to develop a comprehensive communications strategy that would help it broadly share public safety challenges and success stories, relevant data or new and/or changed programs and policing approaches. The department is also currently operating without a public-facing westside satellite station, traffic unit, or a sufficient supply of patrol vehicles. 

• Improve capabilities, coordination and communication surrounding mental health and social service professionals. The Crisis Response Unit is popular among community members familiar with them. Expanding and sharing more information about this program could enhance public safety response perceptions. Increasing their training and capabilities could also alleviate some pressure and costs associated with the Olympia Fire Department's response to these types of calls.

We must strike a balance between safety and compassion, ensuring that our first responders have the resources they need while also investing in long-term community well-being.

Addressing Our Unhoused and Drug-Impacted Neighbors

Creative and collaborative solutions regarding homelessness and substance use require sustained commitment and strategic investment. I believe in:

• Expanding access to emergency shelters, transitional and low income housing, and behavioral health support. With more than 1,000 people in Thurston County experiencing homelessness, we need to engage our partners in the building community and streamline processes to expedite construction of emergency shelters and housing.

• Strengthening partnerships with nonprofits, outreach workers, mental health service providers and substance abuse counselors to deliver resources to those in need. We need to identify and assist those at risk of experiencing homelessness and intervene early for the best possible outcomes. 

• Implementing evidence-based solutions that improve outcomes for individuals and the community. Despite significant work made to address this issue, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased since 2006 and rose 23% from 2023 to 2024.  

Olympia must lead with empathy and action, not just words.

 I believe we can build an Olympia that is safe, compassionate, and economically resilient. If we work together and bring more people to the table. Let’s get to work.