Ending homelessness in our community
As a Veteran and a human being, I am very passionate about this topic. Many veterans who have faithfully served our country are now homeless, this needs to change.
There are many successful programs and new ideas to help people who find themselves in this situation. Creative options have been put forward in public comments at City Council meetings, and those ideas should be explored.
Homelessness happens for many reasons and educating citizens on the root cause of the problem is critical to increasing empathy for those less fortunate.
Protecting our Parks and Open Spaces
Recent efforts to expand the reservoir at Bear Creek Lake Park and cut down mature trees to build "luxury apartments" adjacent to Belmar Park, highlight the ongoing threat to our green spaces. These areas are not only important for citizens physical and mental health, they are vital to sustaining ecosystems for wildlife and trees. The ability for developers to pay in lieu of fees instead of allocating park land or preserving trees is not in the best interest of the public or the environment. Citizens have no voice in these matters which is unfair and detrimental. High density housing has its merits, but appropriate locations and assessing impacts to the environment and the community need to be evaluated as part of the process.
Current zoning especially in areas adjacent to parks or sensitive areas needs to be revisited.
Environmental planning should be part of the process for any project.
Transparency and communication about projects in the pipeline, should be accessible to citizens from day one.
Many people live in Lakewood because of its proximity to parks and greenspaces, we need to make sure that is true for future generations.
Sustainable & Affordable Development
Continuing to build high end rental properties does not address the critical need for many
people in our community. It also does not provide an opportunity for citizens to purchase a
home to build equity and establish home security for the future.
New developments should be focused on LEED certified building ratings for healthy,
efficient, and cost-saving buildings. Xeriscaping, as well as planting and maintaining trees
needs to be an integral part of the planning and implementation process. This will improve
water conservation, increase absorption of emissions while providing shade and habitat for
many at risk birds, bees and other wildlife.
Transparency
Many citizens of Lakewood feel disenfranchised, and polls reflect the rating of city
government performance has steadily declined in the last 12 years. Engaging citizens and
incorporating their opinions in policies will go a long way to turning that around. Critical
decisions around budgets, planning and other key decisions should be made with the
citizens’ voice at the forefront.