formerly citizens' greener Evanston
(as reported on the candidate's website)
A member of the Evanston/North Shore Branch NAACP’s Environmental Justice Committee
Evanston now has 25 years to achieve its carbon neutrality and zero waste goals as outlined in the Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), and Sustainability and Resilience Manager Cara Pratt has said the city has already accomplished the “low-hanging fruit” in pursuing these targets.
What climate goals and policies would you prioritize in the coming term? How should the city pursue reduction of building emissions?
Do you support phasing out natural gas use in new construction, and requiring existing buildings work toward carbon neutrality over the next 25 years?
As an Evanston resident who values sustainability and community, I incorporate walking in my daily life whenever possible. Walking allows me to connect with neighbors and enjoy the beauty of our community, it provides a healthy way to get around. As much as I value walking, and biking in my daily life, I also recognize that not everyone has the ability to use these modes of transportation, especially parents with small children and seniors with mobility challenges. That’s why I advocate for a balanced approach that supports accessible, reliable transportation options for all residents. Evanston’s infrastructure must accommodate everyone, ensuring that walking, biking, and public transit are safe and convenient while also addressing the needs of those who depend on cars. Equity and inclusivity should guide all transportation planning in our community.
Nearly 2/3rds of all households in Evanston own one or no cars, and a majority of residents do not commute via car. Each year, more Evanstonians of all ages are walking, rolling, and using bus or train service for convenience, physical fitness, cost-savings, and environmental benefits.
How do you incorporate walking, biking and public transit into your everyday life?
As an Evanston resident who values sustainability and community, I incorporate walking in my daily life whenever possible. Walking allows me to connect with neighbors and enjoy the beauty of our community, it provides a healthy way to get around. As much as I value walking, and biking in my daily life, I also recognize that not everyone has the ability to use these modes of transportation, especially parents with small children and seniors with mobility challenges. That’s why I advocate for a balanced approach that supports accessible, reliable transportation options for all residents. Evanston’s infrastructure must accommodate everyone, ensuring that walking, biking, and public transit are safe and convenient while also addressing the needs of those who depend on cars. Equity and inclusivity should guide all transportation planning in our community.
Academic research and case studies from cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and New York show that reducing car traffic and building protected bike lanes are necessary to meet climate and mobility goals. Plans such as the Chicago Ave Multimodal Project provide an example of how this can be implemented in Evanston.
Where would you want infrastructure improvements, such as traffic calming, pedestrianization/ street closures, and protected bike lanes, to encourage more walking and cycling?
In my ward, infrastructure improvements should prioritize areas with heavy pedestrian and cyclist activity, high traffic volumes, and locations that could benefit most from safer, more accessible mobility options. Specific priorities could include: We have ETHS and King Arts which produce a lot of traffic every day in the morning and in the afternoons, there’s lots of cars, buses, people walking and kids on bikes. Neighborhood Traffic: Install speed bumps, raised crosswalks, and signage in residential areas and near schools to reduce speeding and make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Commercial Corridors: Streets with local businesses, such as Hartrey/ Pitner/ Greenleaf would benefit from wider sidewalks, bike parking, and pedestrian-friendly design to encourage foot traffic and economic growth. We need studies conducted on drive thru such as McDonald’s Starbucks and Burger King. All three of these businesses are in a major corridor off a state highway Dempster, which makes very busy weekday mornings/lunch/evenings. Add protected bike lanes and better lighting along key routes that connect neighborhoods, schools, ( King Arts) (HarbertPark) and community spaces to make walking and biking more appealing. While I support these improvements, I would also ensure accessibility for seniors, families with young children, and those who depend on vehicles. Balancing infrastructure enhancements with inclusivity is essential to meet Evanston’s climate and mobility goals. Community engagement would guide every step of these projects to ensure all voices are heard.
Public transit has seen a major change in ridership trends, with 9-to-5 commuter services falling short of pre-COVID milestones while off-peak and weekend demand climbs despite infrequent and often unreliable schedules. CTA, PACE, and Metra are facing a ‘fiscal cliff’, as federal dollars to keep transit service operating run out by 2026.
While not in the position to solve this problem on its own, what can the City of Evanston do to support existing bus and train service, and how would you want to see public transportation expanded in our city in the future?
The City of Evanston can play a vital role in supporting public transit services like CTA, PACE, and Metra by advocating for funding, improving accessibility, and making public transit a central part of the city’s infrastructure planning. Here’s how I propose the city could support and expand public transit. Advocate for State Funding: Partner with neighboring municipalities to push for sustainable state and regional funding for public transit to prevent the “fiscal cliff.” Advocate for legislative solutions, like progressive transportation taxes or new funding mechanisms, to stabilize transit agency budgets. Improve Accessibility and Reliability Locally: Work with transit agencies to address gaps in off-peak and weekend service by identifying high-demand routes and advocating for increased frequency and reliability. Install more sheltered, ADA-compliant bus stops with better lighting and real-time schedule displays to make public transit more comfortable and convenient. Update Public Transit: The Noyes train station is not handicap accessible. People who live in the HACC building are forced to travel all the way to Davis where there are elevators for handicap accessibility. This must be the number one priority. Affordable Fares and Programs: Collaborate with transit agencies to expand programs like reduced fares for low-income riders, students, and seniors. Employer Partnerships: Encourage local employers to offer transit benefits, such as discounted passes to employees to promote ridership. Recently Northwestern has discontinued offering discounts for public transportation for students. Public transportation is essential for equity, sustainability, and economic vitality. As a council member, I would collaborate to work to make transit in Evanston more reliable, accessible, and resilient to meet the changing needs of our community and ensure its long-term success.
With parallels to Envision Evanston 2045, Minneapolis has modified its zoning code in the past decade to eliminate minimum parking requirements, encourage transit-oriented development, and allow the construction of more “missing middle” housing city-wide. Together, these reforms lead to a stabilization of rent prices, a drop in homelessness, reduced displacement, and increased racial diversity. Environmental benefits were also realized, as more dense and mixed-use developments encourage lower rates of car ownership and generate less embodied carbon from construction.
What changes to Evanston’s zoning code, such as the ones listed above, would you support in response to the housing and climate crises?
Preserving Existing Affordable Housing: Mandatory Affordable Housing Requirements, offer incentives for adaptive reuse rather than tearing buildings down. This is also a sustainability issue. Strengthening inclusionary zoning policies by requiring that a higher percentage of units in new developments be affordable to low-income residents. Implement programs to protect naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) and provide grants or subsidies to help homeowners and landlords maintain properties without displacing tenants. Create stronger tenant protections to prevent evictions and rent gouging, which disproportionately impact Black and Brown residents. Supporting Community Land Trusts (CLTs): Expand partnerships with CLTs to ensure land remains community-controlled and affordable over the long term. This is a proven way to prevent displacement and stabilize neighborhoods.
