Since attending my first civic meeting the first month I moved to College Park in 2014, I have loved our diverse community and our welcoming neighbors. The city has grown over the last nine years and I’m proud to be a part of our smart growth that has brought more amenities, safer streets, and more affordable housing.
But there is still work to be done. As mayor my focuses will include:
Affordable Housing Initiatives that Build Generational Wealth
College Park’s proximity to DC and location inside the beltway, make it an important location for a spectrum of housing from affordable student rentals, to low-income and workforce rental housing, to first-time home buyers, to retirees looking to downsize. By focusing on affordable housing, we provide the opportunity for generations of College Park resident’s to live and build wealth in the community. I am proud of the work I’ve done to launch the Community Land Trust and will continue to support it’s growth and other affordable housing initiatives across the city by:
- Continue to support the multiple new low-income and workforce housing projects investing in the city.
- Work on innovative ways to ensure lower rents to UMD students who need it most.
- Execute and expand the work of the College Park Community Land Trust.
Smart Business Growth and Development
Our city has seen incredible investments over the last decade which have transformed Route One and beyond. It has also enabled the city to keep taxes low and make more investments in the community. I will advocate for continued transit-oriented growth that brings more of the amenities we want like better eateries and more diverse shopping.
- Continue to promote and grow the Discovery District as a national leader in research and innovation that is launching the next generation of technology ventures.
- Work with Prince George’s County to develop a faster way to provide permitting to small businesses, potentially moving the process under the city.
- Develop plans to grow and stabilize our neighborhood business districts like Berwyn and Hollywood.
Building a Welcoming, Inclusive, and Green Community
College Park is a beautiful place to live with green parks and a diverse community. As we have emerged from the pandemic, College Park has hosted more community events than ever before. I will continue to help build a strong community around these events, committees, and the initiatives below.
- Building on our recent expansions of public safety reforms, I will work with city and county officials to continue to make sure our streets are safe, focusing on the area of Route One in the southern part of the city.
- I enthusiastically supported our green initiatives including 1) Tree Ordinance that aims to keep our mid-growth trees alive in the city; and 2) the Better Bag Ordinance that prohibits plastic bags from being sold in the city. Moving forward, I will work to find solutions to tree replacements in the city as new development goes in.
- I will continue to find state, county, and city wide solutions related to noise abatement, particularly with loud cars.
- Emerging from the pandemic, supporting mental heath has been a priority of mine. I advocated for the city’s mental health reimbursement program and would like to see us consider additional ways to help struggling families.
Advocating for Educational reform
While the city does not have jurisdiction over the Prince George’s School system, the council knows how important a strong educational system is from pre-school through graduate school (and beyond). As a foster parent, I have direct experience with our local school system and know there can be challenges. As mayor, I will continue to advocate at the county and state levels for effective reforms that make our school systems stronger.
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Kate Kennedy for College Park 