- Drive initiatives designed to identify and eliminate inequities
- Ensure long term financial stability of the city of Hopkins
- Empower residents and businesses to engage and collaborate with the city as we guide policy and new development in our hometown
Racial Equity
By focusing on racial equity, we create a foundation that underlies other key focus areas for our hometown. One of my current goals is to establish a Racial Impact Analysis program that helps us review policies and projects through an equity lens.
I’ve been proud of the work that we, as a city, have done so far in this area:
- Establishing a Racial Impact Analysis focus that helps us review policies and projects through an equity lens.
- Creating opportunities to increase awareness and understanding of race, equity and diversity, and promote a sense of community that welcomes and values all residents through the Hopkins Race and Equity Initiative (HREI).
- In June 2017, Hopkins was one of the 12 cities selected to receive the President’s Award at the League of Minnesota Cities conference for our work with the Government Alliance on Race And Equity (GARE)
- In 2018, Hopkins was awarded the Local Government Innovation Award from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs
- Continuing to evolve and learn through the Hopkins Community Policing philosophy.
- Continually engaging with the Hopkins community to ensure that everyone feels safe and secure.
Check out just a few of the community outreach programs of the Hopkins Police Department.
As we have seen locally and around the world, the discussion and action needed around race equity is critical to ensure everyone is welcome in our hometown. I’m passionate about learning from you and your experiences. Send me a note.
Housing Affordability
Ensuring residents and perspective residents have access to all levels of housing and needs has been and continues to be a focal point. As a city that is completely developed and surrounded by other cities, preservation of our single-family homes is a commodity. Rental units make up about 60% of our housing options. Homeowners and renters alike bring a vibrancy and economic impact to our city and to our local businesses.
New Developments and Existing Neighborhoods
I will work to ensure that Hopkins continues to provide housing options for people of all socio-economic levels so that they can enjoy the benefits that our hometown offers. Focusing on creating that balance of developments with existing neighborhoods is critical. 76% of Hopkins existing housing stock is affordable to households earning 80% of or less of the AMI (Area Median Income-currently $104,900 for a family of four). And 86% of our current rental units in Hopkins is affordable at 60% AMI ($62,940) or less.
Sustainable affordability
I prioritize working with developers that build quality affordable units and manage those units to ensure they remain affordable rentals. 3 of the last 4 multi-family projects approved by the city have been 100% affordable at the 50% AMI ($52,540) or lower. That is, 37% of the total new rental units are affordable.
- Oxford Village (50% AMI affordability)
- Moline (market rate)
- Vista 44 (30% AMI affordability)
- Raspberry Ridge II (50 % AMI affordability)
Financial Stability
Hopkins has a solid financial base because of the implementation of the Financial Management Plan for the City of Hopkins in 2014. New developments and new businesses excited about our city are just one sign of what we can achieve through ensuring the economic growth of our city coincides with the economic growth of our residents.
2014 Financial Management Plan for the City of Hopkins
One of the most involved decisions that a local government makes each year is setting the annual budget and determining what that impact will be for all residents. The 2014 Financial Management Plan for the City of Hopkins allows us to forecast major expenses over the next few years and helps define the best route to get us there. With changes in economic conditions, we review this constantly to ensure budgeting decisions focus on long-term financial stability while minimizing impact to residents.
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has had and continues to have an impact on the public health and mental health of our residents. It has also had a large impact on the city’s finances. I’m proud of the resilience of the city staff and their willingness to think outside of the box to minimize the negative economic impact to the city while also having to take care of their own families and health needs as well.
What does this mean for us now?
We won’t know the full impact from the pandemic for a few years and so we need to be able to be flexible and continue to operate with resilience as we prepare next year’s budget while keeping the long-term needs in mind.
Mobility & Transportation
Our community thrives when we are able to walk, bike and drive to where ever we would like to go. Helping Hopkins become more walk-able, more bike-able and ready for transit well into the next decades is a key initiative for me. In addition to helping ensure the Southwest Light Rail has the most impact for Hopkins, I will continue to focus on enhancing our biking and walking trails.
Citizen Engagement
The true strength of our community shines when everyone becomes engaged in making our city better. When they serve on city commissions, or provide feedback on various projects and developments, or coordinate neighborhood associations, we become a community of people.