Challenger running for City Council for the first time

The candidate’s Twitter | LinkedIn

Background: Writing, politics | Focuses: Housing, homelessness 

Q&A

Edited and condensed from recent public forums.

What other ideas besides the Affordable Housing Overlay can be used to create affordable housing, and how can you create more housing while protecting existing tenants?

I would like to expand the mission of the CHA and have it take on issues of homelessness and monitoring and managing shelters.

What are your ideas about, and approach to, climate change policy?

Just put a 100 percent cap on plastics in this city. If Berkeley, California, can do it, we can do it. I empathize with the whole issue about trees, but I empathize more with people who are sleeping in doorways between Harvard Square and Kendall Square. I did that myself for six months, and that had an incredible impact on my life and on on on my approach to public policy in my embrace of people still sleeping on those streets. Perhaps as this campaign unfolds, I’ll be more enlightened about trees.

Which City Council vote from the past do you wish you’d present for to cast the deciding vote?

I am still trying to figure out this whole thing about taking the state flag out of the City Council chambers. That same logo is on the papers we had to file to run for office. So why did you take that flag out of there and still sign this paperwork?

All our city managers have been older white men. What would you do to ensure the next search is done better? Or do you want another Healy administration holdover?

I want a city manager with vision, passion and appreciation of public-private partnerships.