WHY CHRIS?
What qualifies Chris to be your next City Councillor?
Vice-Chair of Salem's Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board
Communication Officer for the Historic Derby Street Neighborhood Association
Former Chair of Salem's Democratic City Committee
Lead Outreach Coordinator for Phase 1 of Salem's Resilient Together: The Point
Years of Volunteer Service in our Community
SEPTEMBER CANDIDATE FORUM WITH THE LWV
CHRIS' PRIORITIES FOR WARD 1
INCREASED ENGAGEMENT WITH WARD 1 RESIDENTS
The biggest priority of all Ward Councillors should be working towards increased engagement with the Ward Residents. With projects that will have significant impact on our Ward currently in progress, such as the Offshore Wind Marshalling Yard and Shetland Park Redevelopment, it is essential we have a Ward Councillor dedicated to continuous, active engagement with residents to ensure they are adequately represented during the project timelines. As your Councillor, I will commit to exactly that level of engagement, maintaining a consistent presence in our neighborhoods, offering "office hour" times where folks can come to me with questions/concerns, and creating a regular newsletter to email out to residents with updates about our Ward and city.
SUPPORTING A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT FOR OFFSHORE WIND
The Salem Offshore Wind Alliance (SOWA) is a group of local stakeholders who are working to create a Community Benefits Agreement to negotiate with the City of Salem and Crowley to ensure that there is community consideration and a reinvestment in the community from the Offshore Wind Marshalling Yard. As your Councillor, I will commit to working in partnership with SOWA, giving my support where needed to make sure Crowley and the City are providing a good deal for my Ward. I also intend to advocate for a Community Benefits Ordinance to cement the importance of community input and reinvestment for all similar projects as a matter of law.
CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS & SUSTAINABILITY
Ward 1 consists of a large portion of Salem's coastline, and is particularly threatened by climate change both from sea level rise and storm surge. As your Councillor, I will work with the City's Sustainability and Resiliency Department to provide any necessary support for their Resilient Together projects that are leading the way in the City's long-term climate resiliency plans. The project is currently focused on The Point neighborhood in Ward 1 and I will provide whatever support I can to help expand this project to create a plan for the rest of our Ward.
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
Affordability is something on people's minds with increasing frequency nowadays. As your Councillor, I'm committing to continuing the work I've engaged with on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board: passage of a Condo Conversion Ordinance to help offset the reduction in our affordable rental stock, development and passage of a new Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance to help solidify and expand affordability requirements for new development, pushing for an increase in the creation of housing units at 30% AMI and lower to help support our working-class base of residents, and following Boston's steps for reasonable rent control policies guided by data from our specific rental market.