Results, Not Rhetoric

Good ideas don’t matter if they don’t lead to results. Ward 8 residents are clear about what isn’t working — and tired of plans that sound good but don’t change daily life. This page reflects the priorities I hear most, and the leadership Ward 8 deserves.

Proactive City Leadership

The city too often reacts instead of planning ahead. That delays solutions and lets problems spiral. Ward 8 needs earlier action and clearer responsibility. This means:

• Identifying housing, safety, and infrastructure issues early, like recurring code violations or rising calls for service, and addressing them before they become crises.

• Setting clear plans and timelines for known challenges like housing inspections, downtown safety, and infrastructure maintenance.

• Clearly naming which department or official is responsible for resolving specific issues, so residents know where accountability lives.

Accountability & Follow‑Through

Burlington doesn’t lack ideas — it lacks follow‑through. Real progress means owning outcomes and delivering results people can actually see. You shouldn’t wonder what the city council does: you should see it, feel it, and live it. The city should:

• Publicly track progress on major initiatives, like housing enforcement and safety efforts, so residents can see what’s moving and what isn’t. We shouldn’t hide if things hit barriers - we should be transparent.

• Revisit stalled initiatives and update the public on what’s needed to move them forward.

Renters’ Representation

In a ward where most people rent, renters deserve real accountability. Representation means showing up, listening, and staying engaged until problems are fixed — not just acknowledged. Renters also deserve follow-through and transparency: when you have an issue, you should know how long it will take to solve, who’s on your side, and what your rights are. Renters deserve:

• Clear, well-communicated paths for renters to report issues and get help, without bouncing between offices.

• Established and clear response timelines for housing complaints so renters know when to expect inspections or follow-up.

Housing Quality

Many renters pay far too much given the quality of housing they receive. Put bluntly, it is time that renters stop overpaying for a sh*t box. It is an open secret that we need stronger, more consistent code enforcement. We also need increased transparency. Residents deserve to know how quickly housing complaints are followed up on and resolved. Without transparency and a rigorous commitment to holding property owners accountable for the basic upkeep of their properties, we will not make progress on this issue. We should:

• Prioritize faster responses to serious health and safety issues, like mold, heat failures, or unsafe wiring.

• Publish basic enforcement data, such as inspection response times and resolution rates, to build trust and accountability.

Affordability

We are not doing enough to address affordability in Burlington, full stop. In a ward where most people rent, renters deserve real accountability. Representation means showing up, listening, and staying engaged until problems are fixed — not just acknowledged. I support the ideas Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak laid out at her press conference on Jan. 14th:

• Revitalize inclusionary zoning

• Activate neighborhood code

• Expand public-private partnerships

Achieving these three things would be a good start, but we can never let up on the affordability issue. As a city, we have to be aggressive to continue to build new homes, find new housing options, lower utility costs, and, sometimes, do more with less.

Housing Stability

Rents keep rising, stability feels out of reach, and managing the crisis has replaced fixing it. Change requires sustained pressure until daily life improves. That means the city is doing its part to grow the housing stock. It means property owners and landlords doing their part to not pass costs on to renters. And it means residents and homeowners looking out for the 60% of Burlingtonians who are renters. I believe that we have a responsibility to:

• Protect and strengthen tenant protections

• Focus on early interventions, like rental assistance or mediation, to keep people housed before eviction becomes inevitable.

Students as Full Stakeholders

Students are real residents. Decisions about housing and downtown affect them every day, and their voices should carry real weight, just like their votes.

• Carve out and prioritize student representation on boards and commissions.

• Create a standing UVM Update agenda item at all council meetings.

• Rededicate our efforts to finding ways to make our city fun and inclusive for students.

The BOttom line:

Ward 8 deserves honest leadership, practical solutions, and results people can feel: safer streets, more stable housing, and a city that does what it says it will do.