Incumbents in Ward 2, Ward 6 and Ward 14 are running unopposed in this election. Kevin Bishop, Blaine Griffin and Jasmin Santana are all currently elected to serve on Cleveland City Council.

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

My career has been dedicated to public service and community advocacy. For the past 7 1/2 years, I’ve been honored to serve as the Councilman for the people of Ward 2. This experience taught me how important it is to listen to people in the community, work together with others, and turn problems into solutions that can be put into action.

My experience working in government and the community has given me a strong understanding of how the city works and the problems that are specific to each neighborhood. This experience helps me fight for my people, get resources for our ward, and collaborate with others to make Cleveland a better place for everyone.

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

After spending a lot of time listening to what people in our ward have to say, I think the three most critical problems we need to solve are: safety, economic development and housing growth, and infrastructure and city services.

Safety is what makes a community strong. My main goal is to keep working with the Cleveland Division of Police to have additional patrols and faster response times. I think we need a comprehensive approach that includes both police enforcement and solutions that come from the community. This involves backing block clubs, dealing with problem properties, and teaming up with organizations that provide kids positive things to do to stop crime before it starts.

The strength of our ward depends on how well its economy is doing and how good its housing is. We need to bring in appropriate investment that creates jobs and helps local businesses, but we also need to make sure that new construction doesn’t push out people who have lived there for a long time. I am dedicated to fixing and cleaning up blighted and vacant properties. I will also keep supporting programs and organizations like Community Housing Solutions, which helps people keep their houses in good shape and raises property values for everyone.

The services we get affect the quality of life for our residents every day. This involves things like picking up trash on time, keeping public spaces clean, keeping roads in good shape, and making sure that recreation centers are accessible and offer desirable programs. I will keep fighting for our fair share of city resources so that our streets are paved, our walkways are safe, and our public parks and playgrounds are clean and well-kept for our families.

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

Money from casino taxes and other sources is vital for our neighborhoods, and I think we should spend it in a strategic and transparent way. These funds should be used for projects that improve the safety, security and quality of life in our community in a real and sustainable manner.

Direct feedback from citizens, community meetings, and collaborations with our local Community Development Corporations (CDCs) help me decide how to use these funds. I would focus on a few important things. A significant portion of the funds would go toward traffic calming measures on residential streets. This involves installing speed bumps, better crosswalks, and signs to make sure our kids can walk and bike to school safely and that our neighborhoods are safe for all pedestrians.

I would continue prioritizing programs that help our residents. Allocating funds to organizations such as Community Housing Solutions is important for home repair projects, which helps our senior citizens and low-income residents maintain their properties, prevent blight, and preserve neighborhood stability.

Investing in our parks and playgrounds is vital for the health of our ward. This could include playground equipment upgrades or new park benches to create clean, safe spaces for families to gather and for children to play, which improves the aesthetic and recreational appeal of our neighborhoods.

Every dollar is a public trust, and my commitment is to ensure these resources are spent wisely on projects that are identified and supported by the people they are meant to serve.

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

Gathering input and feedback from residents is the most important part of my job. It’s the foundation of every decision I make and every project my office pursues, as I believe a truly representative government is one that actively listens to its constituents.

The most effective way to hear from residents is to be where they are. My office is designed to be accessible and responsive to residents’ needs, and we use a multi-pronged approach to ensure no one’s voice goes unheard. My team is trained to handle calls, emails, and walk-in requests with care and urgency, and every single request for city service or concern is documented and followed up on until a resolution is reached. Furthermore, regular ward meetings are a cornerstone of our community engagement, providing a structured setting for residents to voice their concerns, ask questions, and hear directly from me and city department leaders.

You’ll often see me riding my bike through the community, attending block club meetings and homeowners association gatherings. I also make it a point to go door-to-door, talking with residents on their front porches. This is how I have informal, direct conversations and gain the most authentic feedback on specific street-level issues.

Ultimately, my goal is to meet residents where they are, listen to their concerns, and use that feedback to guide my work every day.

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

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 housing is a critical issue that requires both a clear definition and a proactive plan. The challenge is not just about producing more units but ensuring they are truly accessible to the people who need them most.

The term “affordable” must be tied to the income of Cleveland residents, not the market rate. A standard definition is that a household should spend no more than 30% of its gross income on housing costs, which includes rent or mortgage payments, utilities and taxes. We must focus on creating and preserving housing for residents at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including working families, seniors and essential workers. Without this targeted approach, new “affordable” housing often remains out of reach for the very people it’s meant to help.

My strategy to expand the number of affordable homes is multifaceted, focusing on building new homes, preserving existing ones, and helping people become homeowners.

I would support the city making more aggressive use of its land bank to acquire vacant and dilapidated properties. These parcels could then be sold to non-profit developers or community land trusts at a low cost, which lowers initial development costs and makes it easier to build new, inexpensive homes for both rent and sale.

Working with well-known non-profits is a key part of my plan. For example, I am a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity’s initiative to build 10 new homes in the Mt. Pleasant community. This kind of partnership directly creates affordable homeownership opportunities and revitalizes neighborhoods.

To prevent the loss of existing housing, I would work to increase funding for programs that provide grants and low-interest loans to long-term homeowners for crucial repairs. This keeps current residents in their homes, stabilizes neighborhoods and prevents properties from falling into disrepair.

Lastly, we must ensure that new construction includes an affordable component. I would support and expand the use of incentives and zoning policies that require developers who receive public subsidies to set aside a specific percentage of units for affordable housing. This guarantees that as our city grows, we are also creating opportunities for all Clevelanders.

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?

City Council must strategically invest in areas that both respond to and prevent violence. I believe we should push for more investment in youth and recreation programs. Investing in after-school programs, mentorship opportunities, and quality recreation centers is one of the most effective ways to prevent crime, as it provides our youth with positive and engaging outlets that serve as a clear alternative to a life of crime. 

Additionally, we must focus on blight remediation, as blighted and vacant properties often serve as hubs for criminal activity. Investing in aggressive demolition and rehabilitation programs not only improves the physical appearance of our neighborhoods but also reduces opportunities for crime. 

Lastly, we must push for greater investment in mental health and crisis response programs like the Care Response Community Engagement initiative. This program provides a non-police response to mental health crises, ensuring residents receive the appropriate care they need while freeing up our police officers to focus on more serious violent crimes.

​​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?

All three of these roles are vital and interconnected, but if I had to choose the one that matters to me most, it would be the role of a resident service representative. This is because everything else I do as a council member flows directly from this role. Serving the residents is the foundation of my work, and it’s where I gain the knowledge and understanding needed to be effective in the other two areas.

Resident service informs my decisions as a legislator. When I hear a resident’s frustration about an issue—whether it’s a lack of funding for home repair or an ordinance that’s not being enforced—that feedback impacts the legislation I propose. My legislative agenda is not created in a vacuum; it’s built on the needs and concerns I hear from the people I represent.

As a guardian of city spending, the complaints, requests and feedback I receive from residents directly guide how I advocate for our ward’s share of city resources. When I know that residents are most concerned about public safety or traffic calming, I fight to allocate our discretionary funds to those very projects. My job is to ensure that the city’s budget reflects the community’s priorities.

My top priority has always been to be a voice for the community. The resident service representative role is the most direct way to honor that commitment and ensure that the people’s concerns are always at the forefront of city government.

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

My campaign is built on the simple principle that a council member should always be a neighbor first. My commitment to this community is deeply personal; I don’t just serve Ward 2 — I live here. My family and I are part of this community, and my work is driven by a desire to make our neighborhood a better place for everyone, from our senior citizens to the youngest children playing in our parks.

What I believe is most important for people to know about my campaign is that it is focused on action, not just words. For me, public service is not a part-time job; it’s a full-time commitment to being responsive and accountable.

On term limits: I don’t believe there should be term limits. Term limits could lead to a significant loss of institutional knowledge. Experienced council members possess invaluable expertise about how city government operates, which is crucial for crafting effective legislation, navigating complex budgets, and understanding the long history of city issues. Removing this expertise could slow down progress and make it more difficult for the city to address its most pressing challenges.

The current system already includes a strong form of accountability: voter accountability. Regular elections give the community the power to decide who represents them. If a council member is doing a good job and the voters believe they are the best person for the job, they should have the right to re-elect them. This system ensures that representatives are accountable to the will of the people.

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

Most of my previous work has centered on serving the community as an outreach worker, engagement leader, and social advocate. I served with MetroHealth to educate women on breast health and connect uninsured women to free mammogram services. At the Hispanic Alliance, I worked as the Community Engagement Director, focusing on housing issues, lead poisoning prevention, and advancing women’s leadership. Across these roles, I have built strong relationships and expanded access to resources that improve health, safety, and opportunity for families.

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

The most pressing issues in Ward 14 center on housing, ranging from the need for more affordable housing to addressing nuisance properties, vacant homes, and critical home repairs. Safety also remains a major concern for many families, while language barriers continue to create challenges for residents in accessing resources and services. In addition, increasing voter turnout is an important priority to ensure our community’s voice is fully heard.

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

I allocate casino funding to support organizations and projects that improve the quality of life for families and children in Ward 14. This includes investments in workforce and economic development, community engagement, youth programs, infrastructure and street repairs, home repairs, capital projects with funding gaps, and parks.

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

I gather input from residents in several ways. I regularly host community meetings across different neighborhoods in Ward 14 and keep my office within the ward so I’m accessible to walk-ins and daily conversations. I also hold Coffee with Council, which gives residents the chance to meet with me one-on-one. Beyond that, we use social media and distribute a QR code survey to reach more neighbors. Most importantly, I make it a point to ask questions and listen whenever I interact with residents, no matter the setting.

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 housing is one of the greatest needs in Ward 14. For me, affordable means housing that truly matches the income levels of our residents typically in the range of $600 to $800 a month, not the state’s median income, which doesn’t reflect our community. To address this, I advocated for ARPA dollars to pilot modular and new construction homes at a more reasonable price point, and we’ve built over 120 affordable apartments. I also prioritize helping residents prepare for and access homeownership, because increasing owner occupancy is key to stabilizing neighborhoods and preventing displacement from gentrification.

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?

Safety is a major concern in our neighborhood, and it is a top priority for me. I believe in investing in youth by providing more resources for after-school programs, extended library and recreation center hours, and strong partnerships with CMSD schools. It’s also important to offer programming for parents so they can support their children’s growth into healthy, successful adults. Overall, my focus is on expanding opportunities, programming, and jobs for our youth to help build safer, stronger communities.

​​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?

All these roles are important, but serving residents is my top priority. As a council member, I see myself first as a public servant—listening to the needs of my community, advocating for resources, and ensuring their voices are heard in city decisions. It’s the reason I ran! At the same time, I take seriously the responsibility of overseeing city spending to make sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely. Ultimately, my focus is on using my role to improve the quality of life for families and children in Ward 14 while being a responsible  of city resources.

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

I want residents to know that my campaign is about more than just re-election, it’s about continuing to transform Ward 14 into a community where families and children can thrive. I have been able to accomplish so much in just 7 years , but the work is not done. My focus is on creating safe neighborhoods, expanding affordable housing, increasing youth opportunities, and improving access to resources and city services. I am committed to listening to residents, advocating for their needs, and ensuring every decision I make strengthens our community.  I also have a special place in my heart to ensure I’m representing the Latino community , especially during this difficult political climate. Together, I am sure we can build a Ward 14 that is vibrant, resilient, and full of opportunity for everyone.