The new Ward 8 runs from downtown to Glenville and includes such neighborhoods as Hough, St. Clair-Superior and Asiatown. Council Member Stephanie Howse-Jones will face Charlotte Perkins in the Nov. 4 general election.

Share a bit about your previous experience in elected office, government or community work.

I was born in Downtown, raised in St. Clair-Superior, and continue to live in our Hough community. I am seeking re-election to Cleveland City Council, bringing both lived experience and professional expertise to the role.

Before Council, I served seven years in the Ohio House of Representatives, focusing on job creation, education, and building strong communities. My career includes roles as an Environmental Health & Safety Engineer, Executive Fellow, Business Owner, Substitute Teacher, and Director of Admissions and Community Outreach.

Currently, I serve on four Council committees: Vice Chair of Workforce, Education, Training & Youth Development; Development, Planning & Sustainability; Health, Human Services & the Arts; and Safety. I also represent the city on eight local and national boards focused on equity, safety, environment, and public health.

Beyond public service, I’m a wife, caregiver, mentor, and neighbor, life roles that shape my commitment to serve with compassion, boldness, and a deep connection to community members of the new Ward 8 (Asiatown/Goodrich-Kirtland Park, Downtown, Glenville, Hough and St. Clair–Superior).

What are the three most important issues facing the ward you want to represent?

The three most pressing issues facing the new Cleveland Ward 8 are:

1. Public Safety: Prioritizing violence prevention and ensuring community-responsive policing to reduce crime.
2. Affordability: Expanding access to career and business opportunities, affordable housing, and home repair programs to help residents thrive.
3. City Services: Improving quality-of-life through better traffic enforcement, housing code compliance, and regular maintenance of vacant lots, trees, and litter removal.

Council members have money set aside money from casino taxes and other sources to spend on neighborhood projects. How would you spend your share?

In the last three and half years, I have allocated casino dollars in the following manner:

• Hiring a Part-time Community Solutions Specialist, $21.33/hr. (up to 29 hours per week)
• Traffic Speed Signs = $4,000 (2022)
• Puerto Rican Festival = $1,000 (2022)
• Cleveland Asian Festival = $5,000 (2022)
• City Hall Parking for Residents = $107.25 (2022)
• Basketball Program = $1,500 (2023)
• Eighth Day of the Week – Alzheimer’s Event= $1,000 (2023)
• Cleveland Asian Festival = $7,500 (2023)
• Senior Lawn Care 2023 = $34,500 (2023)
• Grandparents Support Education Programming = $1,500 (2023)
• Pheibol Baseball Event = $2,880 (2023)
• Puerto Rican Expo 2023 = $1,000 (2023)
• Food Distribution 2023 = $20,000 (2023)
• Homeless Stand Down = $9,000 (2023)
• Cleveland Asian Festival = $7,500 (2024)
• Family Fishing Day = $1,000 (2024)
• Village Family = $10,000 (2024)
• Communications Plan = $5,700 (2024)
• Muni League Football = $2,500 (2024)
• Puerto Rican Expo 2024 = $1,000 (2024)
• African American Male Wellness Walk = $1,000 (2024)
• Beautification and Litter Program = $37,900 (2024)
• CLE Public Theatre = $5,000 (2025)
• Fatima Family Center Afterschool = $8,500 (2025)
• Asian Expo = $7,500 (2025)
• Homeless Stand Down = $2,500 (2025)

As a council member, how would you gather input and feedback from residents you represent?

As a current member of Cleveland City Council, I prioritize direct engagement and open communication with residents and community stakeholders. Over the past 3.5 years, I have:

• Addressed over 4,200 constituent cases
• Attended more than 500 community meetings and events
• Published 120+ weekly e-newsletters
• Hosted 67+ monthly drop-in hours for one-on-one conversations

Moving forward, I plan to expand outreach through social media, podcasting, hosting telephone town halls, and gathering input from residents and stakeholders in the new Ward 8 to better understand their preferred methods of communication and engagement.

Affordable housing is a critical issue for Clevelanders. How do you define affordable? And what specific plans or ideas do you have to create more housing that working class Clevelanders can afford to rent or buy?

Affordable means having enough income to cover the basics of life—housing, transportation, food, medical care, household needs, and childcare—without being financially burdened. For example, the federal government defines low income for a 3-person household in the Cleveland area as $71,550.

Most funding for affordable housing in Cleveland comes from federal and state sources, not City Council. While we allocate these resources, we don’t set the rules. That’s important for residents to know.

To create more housing for working class Clevelanders, I support expanding shared housing and shared ownership models. By incentivizing residents to live and invest together, we can provide faster, community driven access to quality housing, rather than relying solely on lengthy, traditional development timelines.

Clevelanders list public safety among their top concerns. The city has taken many approaches to prevent and respond to violence and make neighborhoods safer. How would you tackle this issue? Where should Cleveland City Council push for more investment?

Public safety starts with prevention. Research shows Cleveland must invest at least $30–$40 million annually in violence prevention to see meaningful reductions in crime. Today, we currently invest only about $11 million annually in violence prevention.

As a Councilmember, I believe we must increase funding for proven violence prevention strategies. That’s why I’m championing Tanisha’s Law, which ensures the right professionals respond to crises, freeing up police to focus on crime and traffic enforcement. City Council must lead in prioritizing smart, community-centered investments that build safer neighborhoods.

Should there be term limits for Cleveland City Council members?

No. 

Council members act as resident service representatives, legislators and guardians of city spending. Which of these roles matter to you most and why?

The most important role of a Councilmember is to legislate, to create and update laws that meet the current needs of residents and businesses. Too many of Cleveland’s laws are outdated and limit our ability to respond effectively to today’s challenges. Strategic and system changing legislation is key to moving our city forward.

Please share any other information you think is important for us to know about you and your campaign.

I do not support term limits for Cleveland City Council. Looking at Ohio’s General Assembly (Ohio State Representatives and Ohio Senators), where term limits have been in place for over 20 years, Cleveland has not seen clear benefits. In fact, term limits have led to less experienced legislators and the loss of hundreds of millions in state funding for our city.

The best form of accountability is the ballot box. Elections give residents the power to choose who represents them and to make changes when needed. Clevelanders have decided who will represent them in Cleveland City Council and I believe they should continue to do so.

I hope to earn residents’ votes to serve as the next Councilwoman for Cleveland’s Ward 8.

If anyone within the new Ward 8 has a question for me, I welcome them to contact me at (216) 390-3010 or email me at stephanie@stephaniehowsejones.com.

Candidate answers were edited for clarity. We took out responses that were off topic or included comments about opponents.

Share a bit about your previous experience in elected office, government or community work.

I am an active sorority member. I work with Bessie’s Angels and multiple other community nonprofits. I have never held a political office.

What are the three most important issues facing the ward you want to represent?

Housing crisis, helping the youth and elders, and community safety

Council members have money set aside money from casino taxes and other sources to spend on neighborhood projects. How would you spend your share?

The money will be poured directly back into the community.

As a council member, how would you gather input and feedback from residents you represent?

We will hold community forums, our website has an “Ask Charlotte” feature, and we will have an office set in the ward for the community to interact with Charlotte directly.

Affordable housing is a critical issue for Clevelanders. How do you define affordable? And what specific plans or ideas do you have to create more housing that working class Clevelanders can afford to rent or buy?

Classes for financial literacy/independence

First time homeowner programs/benefits

Credit improvement classes

Job training opportunities 

Clevelanders list public safety among their top concerns. The city has taken many approaches to prevent and respond to violence and make neighborhoods safer. How would you tackle this issue? Where should Cleveland City Council push for more investment?

Though crime unfortunately is impossible to remove entirely, things like community awareness and community engagement can improve the likelihood of inter community crimes. Also providing the community improvements and resources will help as well. Investment in job resources and more police stations in higher crime areas to provide visual deterrent to criminals. Also to involve the sheriff’s department more.

​​Should there be term limits for Cleveland City Council members?

No.

Council members act as resident service representatives, legislators and guardians of city spending. Which of these roles matter to you most and why?

I feel they are equally important and one role cannot be completed without the additional roles.

Please share any other information you think is important for us to know about you and your campaign.

I am a member of the Ward 8 community, I am a business [owner] in the Ward 8 community, a board member of Hough Community Land Trust, a retired officer, and I am an advocate for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system.

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The following candidates did not advance past the September primary:

Tony Perry (write-in, primary election) 

Share a bit about your previous experience in elected office, government or community work.

Former Cleveland police officer retired. 

What are the three most important issues facing the ward you want to represent?

I want to establish a permanent ward office with designated committees addressing the needs of residents. 

I want to establish resident-owned businesses managed through a committee working out of my ward office free of political influences. These businesses would be owned by the residents as a whole. To help start these businesses, I will donate 1/4 of my salary to not only establish the businesses but also to establish a not-for-profit organization, which will also run out of my office and like the for-profit businesses will not have political influences. Both economic enterprises, the for-profit businesses and the not-for-profit organization, would establish businesses that are owned wholly or in partnership.

Profit from these entities where to help establish civilian patrol throughout the ward, not only checking on senior citizens bi-weekly, but taking and filtering residents’ complaints and suggestions. Over 95% of residents’ earned income flee to communities to establish corporation enterprises. Less than 5% remains in the community.

And the structure of the community is determined by external corporations/ entities to design the ward specifically to their desires and to make sure that residents are constantly kept in survival mode. The newly established committees working out my office, I reiterate, will be free, completely free, of political influence even from myself.

However, I would also like to add, that some of the committees will be for educational purposes, classes such as: languages, academic studies, civics, economic and financial independence, with the help of trade unions offer advanced training in electrical, plumbing, and other trades dealing with construction. 

We would also establish programs that would help inspire people, especially young people, in the different fields of science. There is, of course, much more, but this is just a small, it’s part of what I want to accomplish within the first fifteen months after I’m sworn in to office. 

I again want to make it perfectly clear that this is only the beginning and my donation of 1/4 of my salary is to help start this. Being completely transparent, I want to illustrate that many of the initiatives I’m talking about will be for registered only voters and their families living in the ward. 

Second, establish [a] communication system to communicate what’s going on in the ward in the county and throughout the state. Third, to have and establish legal counsel to help challenge corporations’ and elected officials’ complicit nature/activities to mandate civilian dependency. In other words our employees working in our government should fear us, the people, and not the other way around. 

This, as I have mentioned, it’s only a simple general outline of the things that I, along with the committees will help start. During my time in office, it is my intention to establish what I called a war chest of no less than $25 million to help continuous growth.

Council members have money set aside money from casino taxes and other sources to spend on neighborhood projects. How would you spend your share?

See above statement.

As a council member, how would you input and feedback from residents you represent?

See above statement.

Affordable housing is a critical issue for Clevelanders. How do you define affordable? And what specific plans or ideas do you have to create more housing that working class Clevelanders can afford to rent or buy?

From the profits of the for-profit businesses, along with money from the not-for-profit organization, residents of the ward will have ownership of residential property and when possible commercial property. This will establish a blanket of financial stability for the ward residents. 

Clevelanders list public safety among their top concerns. The city has taken many approaches to prevent and respond to violence and make neighborhoods safer. How would you tackle this issue? Where should Cleveland City Council push for more investment?

Crimes basically can be broken down into 2 parts. The first is intentional, the second is happenstance. Some people’s jealousy or vindictive nature inspires intentional illegal actions. If and when you can make people’s lives more comfortable, in general, the only crime they will commit will be happenstance. That does not mean making people’s lives more comfortable will eliminate crime.

​​Should there be term limits for Cleveland City Council members?

Yes.

Council members act as resident service representatives, legislators and guardians of city spending. Which of these roles matter to you most and why?

This question is just pretty words. It falls into ugly space. These elected officials, as you have outlined, do not work for the people, but rather the corporations and to keep things at a modest status quo. If they truly act as service representatives, then the program I am telling you I will initiate would have been established long ago.

Please share any other information you think is important for us to know about you and your campaign.

In order for this to really work, we must look to expand on all the initiatives I have briefly outlined, and the only way we can expand on it is to get started. And since I am the only one who is even proposing. Something like this. It only makes sense that you should vote for me.

Share a bit about your previous experience in elected office, government or community work.

My foundation is built over a decade of deep, dedicated community service. For the past 7 years especially, volunteering has been my priority commitment, dedicating 3, 4 days most weeks. While the tangible help of working at food banks, assisting with moves, or home rehab or cleanups is vital, I’ve always been focused on something equally important. And that is fostering genuine human connection and hope. I believe and lifting spirits, engaging smiles, and bringing authentic energy that empowers people beyond the immediate task. This deep, consistent engagement has given me an unparalleled understanding of our community’s true needs, character, and resilience. It’s by doing these thousands of hours, side by side with my neighbors, that I learned to recognize both the challenges we face and the incredible strength we possess.

It was this very commitment, and the trust built with countless residents and respected community elders, that led them to encourage me to take my service to the next level through elected office. For the past 4 years, I’ve served diligently as a precinct committee person. For 2 of those years I’ve also had a roll on both the Central and executive committees. Those positions have been invaluable classrooms, giving me hands-on experience with party operations, local government structures, and the hard work required long before decisions reach the council floor. This journey from the grassroots volunteer to precinct and committee committee leadership has prepared me thoroughly. Now, I’m ready to bring necessary experience, this deep community connection, and the unwavering commitment to empower Clevelanders directly to the city council!

What are the three most important issues facing the ward you want to represent?

I believe many Americans feel let down by a system that often seems to prioritize powerful interest over everyday struggles of our families in Cleveland. We face real challenges of economic pressures, infrastructure, and a sense that the truth isn’t always front and center. My perspective is that we are approaching a pivotal moment, demanding greater community resilience. I foresee significant transitions ahead, potentially including disruptions to essential services. That’s why a core part of my campaign is empowering Cleveland towards a greater level of self-sufficiency and neighborhood solidarity. We must prepare together to fortify our local networks and build the community-level strength needed to navigate any future uncertainty with confidence and mutual support.

Number one, I wish to build a culture of mindful wellness. I will champion a mindful wellness movement making exercise and healthy eating the core to Cleveland’s culture. This isn’t just about living longer, it’s about sharper minds, lowering healthcare costs, and help family budgets. We’ll reinvest those savings into strengthening our communities’ health and resilience for everyone’s benefit.

I want to empower local economic collaboration. We need an economic structure built on collaboration, not just competition. I work to unite our small businesses, merging resources entitled to form 5 to 7 businesses into one larger, locally rooted enterprise. This will give unity to the scale the that tackles major local projects, create better jobs, and keeps wealth circulating right here in Cleveland. 

Revitalize Cleveland through local manufacturing. It’s time Cleveland made things again. I aggressively pursued establishing 3 core local manufacturing and production industries. This isn’t just a job, but it’s about cultivating true local wealth, fostering creativity and making tangible good that builds onto the essential self-reliance right in our neighborhoods.

Council members have money set aside money from casino taxes and other sources to spend on neighborhood projects. How would you spend your share?

My priority is investing these resources into building community resilience and local self-sufficiency.  Specifically, I would allocate funds to transform vacant properties into productive assets. Converting abandoned homes and lots into hubs for localized food production and sustainable energy production. This means creating self-sustaining properties that contribute directly to neighborhood food security and resource independence. (Create capital for the people.)

Launch an urban agricultural and local production initiative. Establish scalable urban farming systems, including advanced vertical gardening and sustainable protein sources to reduce our reliance on distant supply chains. This builds a foundation for Cleveland to produce more of what it consumes.

Harden critical community infrastructure. Proactively upgraded neighborhood resources to rest potential disruptions, whether from severe weather, grid instability or other unforeseen events. This will ensure continual essential services when they’re needed most. 

This isn’t about fear, it’s about foresight. Cleveland must lead and develop intangible, local solutions so our families aren’t solely dependent on fragile national systems or distant corporations for basic needs. This investment builds true neighborhood strength from the ground up. 

As a council member, how would you gather input and feedback from residents you represent?

I have a social media plan to connect people.

I plan to dedicate even a portion of my pay to knock on everyone’s door in my ward once a month.  Even if it’s just to let them know someone from my office is reaching out to hear them. I understand that a large amount of these feedbacks may be not so significant, but my people will be able to give a certain perspective and understanding to deliver to each and every person.

Affordable housing is a critical issue for Clevelanders. How do you define affordable? And what specific plans or ideas do you have to create more housing that working class Clevelanders can afford to rent or buy?

I define truly affordable housing as no more than 30% of a working Cleveland family’s income and providing pathways to stability and wealth building.  My plan tackles this crisis head on through 2 interconnected initiatives.  Transforming vacant properties into resilient housing. Will aggressively rehabilitate city/county land bank properties into permanently affordable sustainable homes. These won’t just be homes, they’ll be designed as integrated units promoting household resource independence, featuring on-site certain aspects to reduce the cost of living and enhance securities. 

Clevelanders list public safety among their top concerns. The city has taken many approaches to prevent and respond to violence and make neighborhoods safer. How would you tackle this issue? Where should Cleveland City Council push for more investment?

I believe true public safety starts by addressing the roots of conflict before violence erupts.  Much community violence stems from toxic narratives and cycles of negativity, spread both online and social media echo chambers and offline and neighborhood gathering spots where gossip and disputes fester. 

My plan tackles this at both levels: 

1. Digital peace initiative. We’ll establish a dedicated unit focused on proactive online conflict de-escalation and positive narrative building.  This team will collaborate with local social media influencers and community groups to flood our digital spaces with constructive, unified content.   Critically, it will identify harmful online rhetoric early and engage respectfully with those spreading it, not to censor, but to offer alternative perspectives, common resources and pathways toward resolution. This counters the poison of viral negativity at its sources. 

2. Credible Messenger neighborhood intervention.   Violence thrives where positive presence is absent. We’ll strategically deploy trained teams of credible violence interruptors, primarily reformed individuals with deep neighborhood respect and live experiences, directly into the parks, street corners and gas stations where negative gatherings occur. Their mission: daily proactive engagement. They build authentic relationships, mediate simmering disputes on the spot, model non-violent conflict resolutions, and consistently project a positive vision of manhood and community. Their consistent presence disrupts the environment that breed violence and negative connotations. 

This dual approach is intelligent because it’s proactive and relational.  It targets the actual incubators of violence, toxic social dynamics online and idle negativity in physical gatherings. Investing here creates a holistic ecosystem of peace, building social cohesion and interrupting conflict cycles at their origin.

​​Should there be term limits for Cleveland City Council members?

Yes.

Council members act as resident service representatives, legislators and guardians of city spending. Which of these roles matter to you most and why?

All 3 roles are vital to me, but resident service and physical guardianship are fundamentally interconnected. My core belief is this: Wise spending must serve wise development.  First, we must invest in people’s character skills and community culture through targeting programming. This creates the foundation needed for the second critical investment:  Strategically deploying city funds to spark local manufacturing, production and true economic development. You cannot sustainably build a stronger economy without first building stronger people. Effective stewardship means invest in both.

Please share any other information you think is important for us to know about you and your campaign.

I believe WE in Cleveland must fortify Cleveland. I have us in my vision creating the example of fortifying a great community!

Share a bit about your previous experience in elected office, government or community work.

From 2022 to 2024, I served on the Community Police Commission — not to keep up appearances, but to do the work the people voted for. Independent. Accountable. Oversight that matters. Rooted in the needs of the community and the officers who serve it — not the interests of City Hall.

As Chair of the Police Accountability Committee, I oversaw the case of Antoine Tolbert, a Black community leader whose rights were trampled upon by police leadership. I understood the full playbook. I had studied the Consent Decree, learned how policing systems operate, and applied that knowledge with precision, strategy, and a commitment to justice. Together, the community and I pushed Tolbert’s case forward, even as we faced political retaliation and smears in the press. I didn’t back down because the freedom and safety of our communities is worth the effort.

That same fight for power in the hands of the people drives all my work. I stood with young activists to stop police from spying on protestors with drones. I won the Commission its first independent lawyer — and brought that legal expertise to Asiatown residents resisting a rigged development deal on the old Dave’s supermarket site. A shady covenant blocks a new grocery store, while the land is auctioned to the highest bidder.   

I’ve also walked Cleveland’s forgotten blocks for the Census, launched Glenville’s first summer youth program, and helped disadvantaged students reach top colleges. I’ll fight the same way for you. 

What are the three most important issues facing the ward you want to represent?

Affordable Housing

In Ward 8, half our families spend more than half their income just to keep a roof overhead. Affordable housing is the foundation of a strong city. Without it, people can’t plan for the future, neighborhoods lose their roots, and the city hollows out. I will start with direct property tax rebates, funded by corporate windfalls, so elders can stay in their homes. I will create a city department to buy, fix, and rent or sell houses at prices working people can afford — and will keep the rental market in check. I will also launch city-backed loans for homes under $100,000, so working people purchase starter homes.

Food Access

Too many neighborhoods don’t have a grocery store. Without a car, it’s hours on the bus to get the basics. Families can’t cook healthy dinners or pack fresh lunches. I will bring co-ops and public markets to Ward 8, backed by a guaranteed minimum income, so fresh bread, vegetables, and even a good bottle of wine are never out of reach.

Government Accountability (as a necessary precursor to Public Safety) 

When City Hall serves the powerful instead of the people, it robs us twice — first of our money, then of our say. Every quarter, department heads will face the people in open hearings, explaining how our money was used. Whistleblowers will be protected. Every meeting between a city official and a lobbyist or major donor will be made public. Our city belongs to those who build it, feed it, clean it, and keep it safe — and together, we will take it back.

Council members have money set aside money from casino taxes and other sources to spend on neighborhood projects. How would you spend your share?

Assuming a $2 million pot, each council member would get about $133,333 a year for ward projects. I would use those funds to launch a city-backed public market or co-op in a Ward 8 neighborhood where corporate grocery chains refuse to operate. This pilot market would be the start of something bigger — a network of public markets and co-ops across the city, each guaranteed enough income to stay open. Their purpose would not be profit, but providing food security for their community. 

These spaces would stock pantry staples, source from regional farms and worker-led producers, and run community kitchens where neighbors share meals. They would host free cooking classes so people can move from costly takeout and processed food to nourishing themselves and each other. Public markets like these would become permanent anchors of health, culture, and independence — proving that food belongs in the hands of the people, not corporations.

And if anyone tells me this can’t be done, I’ll point to the downtown Hilton — which runs under a guaranteed minimum occupancy deal from the county. If we can guarantee income to a hotel for tourists, we can guarantee it to keep food on the tables of our own people. Public dollars should serve the public good.

As a council member, how would you gather input and feedback from residents you represent?

I will hold regular public assemblies in every corner of Ward 8 — not in boardrooms, but in places people already gather: the rec center after work, the church basement on a weeknight, the neighborhood greasy spoon over coffee and eggs. I’ll keep office hours on your turf, not just City Hall’s.

Every month, I will walk the ward — knocking on doors, standing on porches, listening with an open mind— asking people what they need and what’s been denied for too long. For those who can’t meet in person, I’ll keep the line open: phone, email, online. No barrier. No gatekeepers.

Listening to the people is the front line of good governance. It’s hearing what’s said, what’s whispered, and what people are still afraid to say. That’s where the real work begins. And it’s how I’ll set my priorities in City Council — with the people, not apart from them.

I will also hire an independent investigative journalist to follow not just Ward 8 projects, but every major city project that touches our lives — from multimillion-dollar development deals to police spending and public works. They will investigate, dig, and expose waste, corruption, or betrayal. Every report will be public. Every dollar will be tracked. This watchdog will be funded through the council’s existing ward project budget — money already meant to serve the public — and will answer only to the people.

Our community doesn’t just need someone to fight for it — it needs someone to stand in it, walk with it, and keep its truth in the light. 

Affordable housing is a critical issue for Clevelanders. How do you define affordable? And what specific plans or ideas do you have to create more housing that working class Clevelanders can afford to rent or buy?

The standard economic benchmark is that no household should spend more than 30% of its income on housing. In Ward 8, nearly half the residents pay more than half. Home values average below $90,000, and because banks often refuse loans below $100,000, people are locked out of buying or repairing their homes. Owner-occupancy is among the lowest, vacancy among the highest, and over 13% of Cleveland’s housing is in the hands of LLCs — absentee landlords who drive up prices, neglect maintenance, and outbid residents.

We can do better — and we must act now. The City should buy and repair vacant houses, place them in community land trusts, and rent or sell them at below-market rates. City-backed loans for homes under $100,000 would give working people a fair shot when banks say no. Property tax hikes should be capped for long-time residents, with rebates for low-income seniors. Subsidies now wasted on luxury housing must be redirected into repair grants, energy upgrades, and a stronger Land Bank.

Other cities prove this works. New York operates 170,000 public housing units. Austin buys properties with city bonds and rents them out affordably. Many European cities keep 30% of homes in public hands. Cleveland can do the same — even using less expensive modular construction to expand housing quickly without sacrificing quality.

Housing is not a privilege. It is the ground under your feet, the key in your door, the place where you and your family must always feel secure. A city that protects housing protects its future.

Clevelanders list public safety among their top concerns. The city has taken many approaches to prevent and respond to violence and make neighborhoods safer. How would you tackle this issue? Where should Cleveland City Council push for more investment?

Real safety doesn’t start with sirens and flashing lights. It starts with the steadiness of a home you can afford, food on the table, a doctor when you’re sick, and public spaces where neighbors greet each other by name. A community with those things is already halfway to peace.

I will direct City Council resources to what keeps people whole — violence interruption programs that stop conflict before it turns to harm, trained mental health crisis responders who bring help instead of handcuffs, and youth-led initiatives that give young people a real stake in their own future.

Safety also rests on strong foundations: good jobs with living wages, affordable childcare, strong schools, reliable transit, and an electrical grid ready for storms and heat waves. Police discipline must be fair, consistent, and free of favoritism so the Division can stabilize its ranks. Our Fire Department must have modern equipment — including drones for faster, safer rescues — to do its job at the highest level.

When public safety systems are more efficient and accountable, we can put the savings where they belong — into housing, health care, education, and programs that prevent harm before it happens. And we must end dangerous practices like high-speed police chases through crowded neighborhoods that put lives at needless risk.

The real work of safety is prevention — steady, patient, and often unseen. It’s what lets children walk home without fear, and it tells a community it matters enough to  be cared for before harm ever comes.

​​Should there be term limits for Cleveland City Council members?

Yes.

Council members act as resident service representatives, legislators and guardians of city spending. Which of these roles matter to you most and why?

These roles all matter and are contingent, but right now Council must be the clear-eyed guardians and planners of our city’s spending. A budget is not a neutral ledger — it is the sharpest statement of whose side a government is on.

Under decades of neoliberal economic thinking, public money has been treated as bait to “leverage” private investment — pouring subsidies into corporations and politically connected projects, with promises that prosperity will “trickle down.” It never does. These giveaways bleed resources from the very things that make a city worth living in.

City spending must not chase private profit — it must meet public needs. That means directing funds into housing people can truly afford, dependable public transit, safe and lasting neighborhood infrastructure, and community services that strengthen the social fabric. Every public dollar should stay in our local economy, building stability and opportunity — not padding the returns of absentee landlords or multinational developers who will never set foot on our streets.

As a council member, I will guard our budget against capture by private interests. I will intervene on “market forces” to make sure every investment produces the greatest public good — not the highest private return.

A just budget is one that keeps people housed, nourished, and connected. It is one that invests in the hands who build this city, the minds that keep it running, and the hearts that make it home. Our city’s wealth belongs to those who live and work here — and together, we will reclaim it.

Please share any other information you think is important for us to know about you and your campaign.

Additional comment for Question 8. Should there be term limits for Cleveland City Council members?

Yes. Term limits throw open the door to new leadership, bold ideas, and a surge of energy in city government. Public office should be a duty, not a lifetime privilege. Even the most well-meaning leaders are shaped — and sometimes softened — by the political and economic pressures around them. Over time, closeness to power can narrow their vision and dull their urgency for change.

In a healthy democracy, the surest safeguard is to tear down the barriers that keep fresh voices from running and let the people decide. Until those barriers are gone, term limits remain a powerful tool to keep the system open, responsive, and accountable.

When political structures regularly bring in new representatives, the public is protected from the calcified networks of career politicians and the heavy hand of corporate donors and lobbyists. Term limits, paired with real public engagement and transparent, public-first budgeting, ensure the work of the city is constantly renewed and rooted in the needs of its people — not the comfort of its officeholders.

Fresh leadership doesn’t weaken stability; it is the condition for it. The best way to protect our democracy is to keep its doors unbolted, its halls filled with debate, and its decisions made by those still close to the struggles of everyday life.

The people’s business belongs in the people’s hands — and when leadership changes often, so does the chance to rise, to challenge the old ways, and to keep the city’s future as open and alive as its streets.

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I came to the Community Police Commission as an outsider and left with an insider’s knowledge of how City Hall works, when the doors close and the public is kept in the dark. I saw how political power can be used to stall justice, silence voices, and protect the wrong people. I saw that Cleveland does not have a unified master plan or strategy framework for its future. And I saw how much stronger Cleveland could be if its government actually put the people first.

Ward 8 — one of the most diverse in the city, both racially and economically — deserves a representative who listens with patience, acts with courage, and never forgets who they work for. That means putting public money where it is needed most: into homes families can truly afford, food that is fresh and nearby, streets and buses that are safe to travel, and public spaces where neighbors can gather without fear.

It means pushing back when corporate developers and political insiders try to dictate our future and our neighborhoods — and fighting for budgets that meet real needs instead of corporate wish lists. It means keeping the doors of government open, with public assemblies, transparent spending, and decisions made in the light of day.

My campaign is about restoring the essential role of local government: to meet the needs of its people and protect the common good. Together, we can build a Cleveland where stability and dignity are not privileges, but the ground we all stand on — solid, shared, and just.