Latest news with #mayoralcandidates
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Detroit mayoral candidates say they'd ramp up affordable housing, tackle homelessness
Housing took center stage as mayoral candidates shared their vision — and plans — to tackle an issue Detroiters say is top of mind. Six mayoral hopefuls answered questions about how to build housing Detroiters can afford, attract funding for services and strengthen the city's homelessness response system. Homelessness increased 16% from 2023 to 2024, according to one-night counts of people experiencing homelessness in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park that take place every January. Homelessness has many root causes, from mental health challenges to substance abuse, but experts have long pointed to housing as a central hurdle. To fully meet the need of people estimated to experience homelessness in Detroit a year, the city's homelessness response system needs to add at least 275 emergency shelter beds and 870 units of permanent supportive housing, according to a five-year plan released last year by the city of Detroit and its partners. Earlier this year, the city's homeless response system was under scrutiny after two children died while living unhoused in a van and city officials revealed that their mother had contacted city and county services several times prior to the siblings' death. Mayor Mike Duggan released a seven-point plan to improve access to services for the unhoused following the tragedy, including expanding night outreach teams. The forum, organized by a coalition of social service agencies, took place at the Central United Methodist Church in Detroit, home to Noah at Central, a nonprofit helping people experiencing homelessness. Participants included Mary Sheffield, Saunteel Jenkins, Fred Durhal III, DaNetta Simpson, Jonathan Barlow and write-in candidate Rogelio Landin. All Detroit mayoral candidates were invited. Zara Northover, a business consultant and founder of the Moving in Faith brand, and Andrew Stein, president and CEO of the Children's Foundation, moderated the discussion. Here are the top takeaways: More: Here's who is running for Detroit mayor in the 2025 election The homelessness response system Candidates said they'd prioritize homelessness services in the budget and take steps to prevent housing instability in the first place. "Some people are homeless because of addiction issues. Some people are homeless because they lost their jobs. Some people are homeless because of domestic violence issues and mental health issues and we have to address those root causes that led to homelessness in the first place. And then on the other end make sure that there is quality, affordable, appropriate housing for every one of those demographics," said Jenkins, former Detroit City Council president and CEO of the nonprofit Heat And Warmth Fund (THAW). Council Member Durhal called for an expansion of the Coordinated Assessment Model, or CAM, which directs people facing homelessness to shelter and other housing resources in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. "We do have a CAM system now that has lower wait times but sometimes the wait times are still long. We still hear folks say that when they call the CAM system that they are told that there are not enough beds," Durhal said. There's a need for more domestic violence shelters, connecting veterans with services and reaching unhoused children, he said. Simpson, a three-time mayoral candidate, said she'd create a taskforce that meets with people who are facing homelessness and find out why they are unhoused. City Council President Sheffield said prevention is key and touted the initiatives, such as the right to counsel program providing lawyers for families facing eviction, that she's pushed. Building 'truly affordable' housing Durhal said there's a difference between low-income housing and affordable housing, between 60% to 80% of the area median income (AMI), a regional measure set by the federal government to determine housing affordability. "There are not enough vouchers that are accessible to our folks here in the city of Detroit. ... We need more vouchers," Durhal said, to provide low-income housing. At the same time, there's a need to build housing, too, he said, and cited the so-called PILOT Fast Track ordinance, which passed last year to speed up development by offering property tax cuts to developers based on rent prices. In response to a moderator's question on how candidates would build affordable housing for those at 30% of the area median income and below, Landin said "we've gotta build it," but said "this is not a quick fix." Simpson said she'd forge relationships with people with lower incomes, who need affordable housing, and landlords, to gauge how far they can reduce rents. Homeowners also struggle to afford repairs, she said. Partnering with nonprofits, churches Candidates said they'd collaborate with faith-based organizations and nonprofits to bolster housing development. Jenkins said she'd use "affordable housing bonds" to ensure there's an inventory of affordable housing and work with nonprofits and the faith-based communities. Sheffield discussed a "community anchor plan" — partnering with nonprofits and churches to provide access to capital and technical assistance to develop neighborhoods. More: How a scrappy Google map tries to fill the gaps in Detroit homeless services Attracting new funding for services, housing Durhal said he'd prioritize funding by looking at the root causes of homelessness, whether that is mental health or substance abuse. He suggested expanding services at the city's health department and the housing and revitalization department. Said Jenkins: "What we have to have is a leader who is willing, able and has a track record of fighting to bring resources to the city of Detroit and to the agencies on the ground." Resources for low-income Detroiters, unhoused students Candidates addressed how they'd bring together different groups and institutions, from law enforcement and nonprofits to hospitals and developers, to support low-income Detroiters with complex needs. Sheffield said she'd create a homeless family and services department with wraparound services in one place. Simpson said she'd ensure police officers are trained to handle encounters with people experiencing mental illnesses. Businessman Barlow said coordination starts with leadership and said there are overlooked communities. "The LGBTQ+ community continues to suffer because of being unwelcome in their homes," Barlow said. Asked how they would better support students experiencing homelessness, candidates said they'd partner with schools to provide basic services, such as housing, and place counselors in schools. Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@ Follow her on X: @NushratR. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit mayoral candidates talk affordable housing, homelessness Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Baxter Springs mayoral candidates outline future visions
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — The Baxter Springs community got a chance to meet the candidates running for mayor today. Sherry Brown, Shannon McDonough, and current mayor Kelly Abbott were all at the community center today for the 'Meet the Candidates' event, hosted by the Baxter Springs Chamber of Commerce. Each candidate got five minutes to talk about who they are and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Speeches touched on the city budget, growth they'd like to see, transparency, support of city employees and community, sewage and water research grants, and tourism, and even support for another candidate. Your Local Election Headquarters We asked each candidate what they hope voters will remember them for when they head to the ballot box. 'I would like to grow our town with community engagement better, support our city employees, better transparency among the local government and its residents. Continue to research grants for our sewage and our water,' said Shannon McDonough, Baxter Springs Mayoral Candidate. 'I led my years with City Council and my years as mayor and I'm going to be trying to get back on city Council in November's election and I would really like to give all my support and my vote to Casi Shaw,' said Sherry Brown, Baxter Springs Mayoral Candidate. Baxter Springs breaks ground on adoption center project 'I hope to be able to take Baxter in a good direction. Project a positive image for Baxter, because when you project positive image, you get positive results, right? So that's, uh, that's what I want to see, is somebody that's going to project a positive image for Baxter,' said Kelly Abbott, Baxter Springs Mayoral Candidate/ Running for Reelection A fourth candidate running for the position, Casi Shaw, was not able to attend today's event, but when asked the same question, she said – quote… 'When voters see my name on the ballot I want them to remember me for my honesty and loyalty to the community.' end quote. We'll have the results of the August 5 election right here at Your Local Election Headquarters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Santa Fe city councilors want say if mayor decides to fire three key city officials
Santa Fe voters in November could see a proposed city charter amendment on their ballots requiring the City Council's consent before the mayor can remove a city manager, city attorney or city clerk. Currently, the city charter requires the mayor to get the council's consent when appointing people to the three positions but not when removing people. Councilors Pilar Faulkner, Lee Garcia and Amanda Chavez presented a resolution Wednesday to the council to change this. The resolution comes as election season is in full swing in Santa Fe, with seven mayoral candidates vying to replace Mayor Alan Webber, who is not running for reelection. Faulkner and Garcia said the resolution was not prompted by concerns about any candidate for mayor, but rather the councilors' broader concerns about checks and balances in Santa Fe's governing body, which has a full-time "strong" mayor. "If you have a powerful mayor and a weak council, you don't really have a safe or effective or responsible way of managing the city," Faulkner said. Faulkner said the city manager, city clerk and city attorney work for both the council and the mayor. Therefore, she said both the council and the mayor should have the ability to fire, or say no to the firing of, people in those positions. "If you don't have that balance, then there's the potential for the mayor to be the de facto city attorney, city clerk and city manager because the mayor holds those individuals' positions and is the only one that holds those positions in a place of authority," Faulkner said. In Santa Fe, the city manager is the highest-paid position. City Manager Mark Scott makes $225,000 annually, The New Mexican reported in February. "They are charged with a lot of responsibility, and I think the governing body needs to be able to be involved with those decisions," Garcia said. In creating the resolution, Faulkner was also thinking about its long-term implications. "You can say that an individual who is a mayor is a good person, and they will not abuse the power, but we don't know if every mayor we're going to get would be a good leader and not abuse the power," she said. If the council votes to pass the resolution, and if voters approve it, it will take effect Jan. 1, Garcia said. The new mayor would then have to get council approval before removing a city manager, city attorney or city clerk. Mayoral candidate and former Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler said she believes the mayor should have the authority to appoint and remove a city manager, city attorney or city clerk without council approval. "If a City Council wants to be involved in that, you can't have several masters," Vigil Coppler said. "The city manager reports to the mayor, period." Councilor Michael Garcia said he is 'on the fence' about the proposed charter amendment. Though running for mayor, he said he is approaching the legislation from the perspective of a government administrator. Michael Garcia said he would consider supporting the resolution if it was amended to make an exception for when a new mayor first takes office. As it is currently written, Garcia said the legislation does not allow an incoming mayor to choose his or her own leadership team, something he does not think is appropriate. 'It could really handcuff an administration' to appointees who may not support the new leader's agenda, Garcia said. Faulkner said she disagrees with such an amendment. "It's not the mayor's team; it's the city's team," Faulkner said. The deadline for the council to adopt ordinances or resolutions that establish a ballot question is Aug. 26. Lee Garcia and Faulkner plan to propose two other charter amendments, they said. Michael Garcia said he has been considering introducing a charter amendment requiring the mayor to submit the fiscal year budget proposal to the council by Feb. 1 to allow more time to discuss it and make revisions, but the legislation may work better as an ordinance. Faulkner, Lee Garcia and Chavez's resolution will go to the Public Works and Utilities, Quality of Life and Finance committees before returning to the council for a vote July 9. "To me, it's like a security dilemma," Faulkner said. "When both parties are equally vulnerable and equally armed, there's less of a chance of conflict happening because everyone knows there's a balance of power." Staff writer Carina Julig contributed to this report.
Mail & Guardian
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Mayors Morero and Nasiphi laugh off possibility of Zille becoming Joburg mayor
DA federal council chair Helen Zille. (@Our_DA/X) Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero and his Tshwane counterpart, Nasiphi Moya, have laughed off suggestions that Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chairperson Reports have emerged that some DA members have asked Zille to avail herself for the position on the party's internal leadership list. On 18 March, Zille announced that the DA had opened the first round of applications for candidates wanting to be considered for mayoral candidates in the upcoming local government elections in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, and Mangaung. The application window closed on 31 March. In a statement in March, Zille said the party is seeking the best candidates for these positions. 'The applicants will be interviewed and scored, with questions posed to them randomly drawn from a pre-approved bank of questions to ensure the integrity of the process. The successful candidate must thereafter be approved by the federal executive,' she said. 'The DA is seeking passionate, committed and skilled individuals, with excellent local government knowledge, and the willingness to do everything they can to rescue these metros from corruption and the collapse of services.' It is not known whether Zille has applied for any position in the metros. Speaking at a press briefing in Tshwane House on Monday, Morero suggested that Zille's potential inclusion on the list for Johannesburg mayor could indicate the DA's acknowledgment that the party in the region is not up to the task. He added that he would wait for the DA's list processes to commence. Morero also speculated that the statement might have been prompted by the DA recognising the efforts of the ANC and its coalition partners to address issues in Johannesburg. 'We have assembled a team of Joburgers, many of whom have served as city managers in Johannesburg and Tshwane, to help us turn around Johannesburg,' he said. 'We have extended the invitation to some among their ranks, and perhaps [the DA is] realising that something is being done to turn around Johannesburg. We are making progress, and we are beginning to see results.' Moya said it was interesting that the DA is considering Zille, who is in Western Cape, as a mayoral candidate in Johannesburg. Moya's deputy, Eugene Modise, said he viewed Zille's potential consideration as a sign of the DA's lack of confidence in its leadership in Johannesburg and Gauteng. Last week, Morero announced the deployment of what he termed the 'bomb squad' to address issues in Johannesburg. Its mandate is to identify problem areas and intervene in support of responsible units to ensure the municipality delivers efficient services. The leader of the 'bomb squad,' Snuki Zikalala, said at a media briefing last week that the group could not remain passive while the city collapsed. Zikalala emphasised that the group's main goal is to restore stability to the city. 'We come from parties that have a stronghold, and we want our councillors to take responsibility so that the needs of our people are met,' he said. 'Our people deserve to live in a clean and secure environment and to feel that they are integral citizens of South Africa. We cannot sit back and allow things to collapse.' Last month, the DA in Johannesburg submitted motions of no confidence in Morero and the speaker, Nobuhle Mthembu. DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser Echeozonjoku said that between the two of them, the council had turned into a political playground, while residents suffered the consequences of poor governance. 'We urge all councillors, irrespective of party affiliation, to support the DA's motions and join us in fighting for a city that works for all its people,' she urged. At the briefing on Monday, Morero said the coalitions in Tshwane and Johannesburg have been stable. He acknowledged the problems in Johannesburg and said they were being addressed.
New York Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
How the N.Y.C. Mayoral Candidates Plan to Solve the Housing Crisis
Seize deteriorating apartment buildings run by negligent landlords. Stop spending on new homeless shelters. Build apartments on church campuses and golf courses and on top of libraries. In the race to be New York City's next mayor, few issues have generated proposals as ambitious and sprawling as the housing crisis, a top concern for a growing number of voters. The share of available apartments is at its lowest point in nearly 60 years, rents continue to climb and high rates of homelessness remain a persistent part of city life. There aren't enough homes being built to satisfy the demand to live here, many housing experts say, while the Trump administration's plan cut to federal housing aid could upend the city's ability to help its most vulnerable residents. Mayoral candidates across the political spectrum — those running in the June 24 Democratic primary and in November's general election — agree that the situation is a threat to the city. In ways big and small, though, they differ on the best solutions. Many of their proposals would be difficult to implement. Several would require the skillful balancing of adverse political interests, including labor unions, real estate companies and pro-tenant groups. Some would only be possible with help from influential state or federal politicians who may resist development. Most candidates do not say how they would pay for their plans, which carry price tags stretching into the many billions of dollars. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
