We simply cannot excel as a city if we do not deliver basic city services with absolute excellent. As I’ve traveled our city, I hear, see, and experience consistent concern about the level of investment and focus on these basic city services. I will work tirelessly to strengthen our city services across a multitude of departments.
Street LightingWell-lit neighborhoods are safer neighborhoods. When I was the leader of my civic league, we had over 100 lights that were out in my neighborhood alone. I will work to find a way to increase the speed with which broken lights are repaired across our city through Dominion Energy and advocate for much more transparency into this process. I will also work to ensure our LED light replacement projects occur expeditiously, while also addressing community concerns around some of these replacement bulb intensities and glare.
Sidewalks & PotholesCrumbling sidewalks and pothole filled streets not only look terrible but they are dangerous for pedestrians, drivers, and bikers. I’ll fight for state, federal and local funding to make sure we keep our infrastructure in better shape.
Parking ServicesI’ll advocate to make sure that every City-owned parking garage has working cameras, proper security measures, are well maintained, and are inviting to our residents and guests. I will renew the focus on the user experience and I will encourage exploration of how we make our parking offerings more competitive with other cities so that our downtown businesses have more customers and visitors.
Customer Service I’ll bring a business-minded approach to customer service at City Hall. I’ll press for closely monitored Norfolk Cares response times and issue resolution rates, and work to restore in-person customer service for building permit and other planning functions. To enhance transparency and accountability, I propose implementing more public dashboards that track key performance metrics for city services, allowing residents to see how the city is performing in real time and where improvements are being made.
Parks, Beaches, & Open SpacesI’ll advocate for improved upkeep of our parks, open spaces, medians and other city property. I’ll work to make sure our beaches are combed and restroom amenities are provided and maintained. I’ll work to ensure we have funding in the budget to replenish sand where needed in partnership with our federal partners and will advocate for the proper oversight so that those projects go smoothly.
Cleanliness & Maintenance
I will not settle for overgrown grass and litter-filled streets. I will tirelessly advocate for proper care and maintenance of all City spaces. Whether it’s medians, parks, beaches, or streets. I’ll make sure we have frequent street sweeping, proper trash collection, trimmed trees, and well-cut grass. The small details make a big difference and I’ll be a strong voice for fixing them.
Code Enforcement
The quality of our neighborhoods should not be sacrificed by delinquent property owners. I’ll advocate for proper code enforcement that protects our neighborhood character and helps us develop pride of place. I will also ensure that enforcement processes are transparent and fair, providing property owners with clear guidelines and ample support to comply.
Traffic Enforcement
Effective traffic enforcement is essential to maintaining safe streets and protecting all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. I will advocate for increased resources and technology to improve traffic enforcement throughout the city. This includes the use of automated systems like speed cameras and red-light cameras to reduce dangerous driving behaviors, as well as targeted enforcement in areas with high accident rates. See more on my policies around Strengthening Safety.
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental sustainability must be a core component of our basic city services. I will work to ensure that all city maintenance practices align with Norfolk’s environmental goals. This includes using sustainable materials, promoting recycling and composting programs, and integrating green infrastructure in public spaces. By doing so, we not only maintain our city but also protect it for future generations. I know how these basic city services impact quality of life and property values and will be your advocate to make sure they get the attention they deserve.
Neighborhood Amenities
Neighborhoods that support families are ones where it’s safe to let your kid walk to the nearby playground or park. Those parks and playgrounds are clean, well-lit, and maintained. Find our more about my policies for world class "
Neighborhood Amenities".
Schools
Strong schools are also a critical basic service that our city needs to excel in. See more on my education policies in my section on "
Education Excellence".
Bikeable and Walkable Neighborhoods
We need safe streets that are bikeable and walkable. Learn more on my policies for "
Bikeable and Walkable Neighborhoods".
