Priorities
Improving public safety, city services, infrastructure, and more.
Building Up Infrastructure
Continuing to make investments in Kent’s vehicle and pedestrian infrastructure and improvements to connectivity and transit.
Completed new roundabouts on Reith Road and 108th/264th, renovations to the Green River Bridge, multi-use paths, improvements to East Valley Highway, began construction to extend Meeker improvements to Kent Elementary.
Continuing to respond to KentWorks resident requests for things like potholes, dumping, traffic signal issues, worn street markings, overgrown vegetation and more.
Continuing to install Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at pedestrian crossings to improve safety and crossing improvements, particularly near schools and at intersections along BNSF tracks.
Leveraged funding from groups like the Puget Sound Region Council, Transportation Improvement Board, and the Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, alongside the city’s own allocations, to fund important infrastructure improvements.
Kicked off construction on the Kent Station Parking Access and Improvements Project with Sound Transit to build a $62.5 parking garage that will open early 2027 with 400+ new parking stalls.
Continue seeking Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities to create a pedestrian-friendly urban environment that is distinct, sustainable and attractive.
Expanding Housing Options
Ensuring diverse zoning and housing options that are affordable for all income levels and all household needs in Kent.
Launched the ReCode Kent initiative, aimed at updating zoning code citywide to improve the supply, types, affordability and quality of housing, supporting middle housing and streamlining permitting.
Following the adopted Kent Comprehensive Plan to meet the increasing housing needs of our community, encouraging mixed-use development integrating new housing, retail and commercial spaces.
Preserving existing affordable housing options in Kent while minimizing and mitigating displacement, particularly for mobile home parks, low-income and multicultural groups.
Investing in middle housing, multifamily dwelling units including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage clusters and smaller multiplexes.
Continue to invest in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and prioritize strategies which ensure equitable access to ownership and renting.
Continue to engage with the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) to improve homelessness solutions, regional collaboration, cost savings and consistent land-use policies.
Streamline development regulations for middle housing and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) while increasing development incentives.
Improving Public Safety
Everyone deserves to feel safe in Kent. I’m committed to public safety and reducing crime while building trust and serving with compassion.
Ensured the Kent Police Department was one of the first agencies in the state to implement body-worn cameras and update independent investigation procedures for situations involving uses of force.
Supporting our Police Department with the funding and resources that they need to be fully staffed to budget and able to respond to more 911 calls, reduce response times and do more preventative work.
Prioritizing trust and collaboration, building relationships with the community through programs like our Community Immersion Law Enforcement Program (CILEP), Block Watch, Community Police Academy, National Night Out and more.
Holding frequent, impactful offenders accountable through initiatives like our Targeted Accountability Program.
Continuing to build on partnerships with mental-health co-responders through Puget Sound Fire’s FD Cares program, and connecting those experiencing Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders to service providers.
Balancing accountability with compassion through crime prevention and community education programs, including partnerships to reduce gun violence for at-risk youth and reduce recidivism.
Continuing successful programs like Project Be Free (domestic violence resources), Community Court (rehabilitative services), and DUI Court (therapeutic programs).
Participated in a nationwide lawsuit against drug companies that misled the public about the addictive strength of opioids, and leveraged settlement funds to support treatment services and programs.
Stepping up Code Enforcement work to hold property owners accountable for derelict buildings, nuisance properties, or dumping and litter.
Activated a new specialized Crime Reduction Unit in 2024 to further reduce crime through intelligence-led policing, such as special emphasis on stolen vehicle recovery.
Keeping Kent Clean
Making investments to clean up and maintain our public spaces through litter picking, graffiti removal and robust code enforcement.
Continuing to invest in litter picking, graffiti removal and code enforcement, including immediate and sustainable long-term solutions.
Continuing funding for programs like our Litter Strike Team and promoting environmental sustainability and conservation through the #KeepItCleanKent campaign.
Completed the Mill Creek Canyon Revitalization Project, a historic initiative clearing trash and waste from the Mill Creek Canyon Park on East Hill.
Moved forward with the Mill Creek Reestablishment Project to dredge the creek, improve the stream channel and improve culverts to mitigate the effects of flooding and support fish habitat.
Reaching out to homeless residents, treating them with compassion and connecting them with social services, housing and programs that will help them get back on their feet.
Supporting volunteer-led litter and pollution removal programs like TeamUp2Clean Up, Adopt-A-Street, hosting more residential recycling collection events and cleanups.
Collected over 325 tons of recyclable material that won’t end up in landfills through our residential recycling events.
Partnership with King County Hazardous Waste Management to provide free hazardous waste collection events.
Improving Kent Parks
Renovating and improving Kent’s beautiful parks and green spaces while providing fun and accessible programs and events.
In 2024, we estimated over 1.5 million visitors to our 33 most visited parks, and serviced tens of thousands of youth and teens, adults, and seniors who participated in programs or events across our parks and recreation offerings.
Continued construction and improvements to the Kent Commons Community Center, completed major renovations at Glenn Nelson Park, and minor improvements at several other parks around the city.
Kicked off the redevelopment projects for Campus Park and Springwood Park. Kiwanis Tot Lot 4, Garrison Creek Park, North Meridian Park and Kent’s first spray park at Uplands Playfield all began design and community engagement in 2024.
Last year, we secured $4 million in regional grants, the State Recreation & Conservation Office has made a commitment of $6 million for future renovations to Uplands Playfield Park and Clark Lake Park, and we received grants from the EPA and King County Flood Control Board to help protect our critical wetlands and important habitats
Maintaining full schedules to ensure thousands of youth, adults and seniors can participate in Kent Parks sports leagues, programs, classes and events.
Keep promoting the hundreds of city facilities, programs, classes, services, engagement opportunities and fun community events that our Parks Department offers.
Smart Budgeting & Spending
Making smart investments, eliminating wasteful spending and budgeting responsibly to ensure long-term stability of services.
Proposed the Adopted 2025-2026 Biennial Budget, maintaining our levels of service with no significant cuts or reductions while ensuring the city is being fiscally responsible and allocating funding sustainably.
Worked with legislators to advocate for a legislative fix to address the revenue disparity that Kent has faced for several years due to changes in State sales tax sourcing laws.
Continue partnering with regional organizations like the Puget Sound Regional Council, Transportation Improvement Board, King County Flood Control District and others to secure state and federal grant funding.
Considering the overall health of the economy, our revenue, expenditures and investments to grow a healthy fund balance supporting our strategic goals.
Prioritizing our existing funding to ensure our departments and staff have the resources they need to deliver high-quality public services and programs to residents.
Fighting back against excessive or unnecessary property tax increases and ensuring we maintain local control of newly-imposed taxes by the County and State when possible.
Strong Local Economy
Supporting workers, businesses and industries while capitalizing on our regional innovation and competitiveness.
Supporting the 415 new businesses that filed in Kent in 2024, and supporting the 73,000 workers in Kent.
Continue positioning Kent as a global aerospace, advanced manufacturing and distribution cargo hub with a long legacy of innovation—we’re critical to nationwide supply chains and global trade.
Continue investing in workforce development to ensure Kent is a top competitor to attract highly skilled and specialized workers as well as cutting-edge businesses and industries.
Continue partnerships with business accelerator programs and Main Street Tax Credit program to support local small businesses and start-ups.
Attract good-paying jobs to Kent while improving our commercial and industrial spaces through our Rally the Valley plan, which will attract scalable employers and opportunities for residents.
Open doors for businesses to access capital and markets, help unemployed residents transition to available jobs, allocate discretionary funding for long-term, scalable investments in Kent.
Adjusting permitting requirements and make them more accessible to promote our start-up economy, entrepreneurial spirit and business-friendly climate.
Modernizing downtown through the ReDiscover Downtown Kent Plan, which encourages downtown as a dense, mixed-use urban center that complements transit and supports new development.
Partnering with neighboring cities, Kent Industrial Valley manufacturers, Kent School District, and AJAC to improve awareness and participation in apprenticeship programs and STEM education while maintaining apprenticeship utilization for projects.
Community Engagement
Keeping you informed about what the city is working on through regular updates while providing direct access for questions and concerns.
Celebrating the cultural diversity and spirit of our city through community events and recognitions.
Continuing to expand public communication efforts through social media, newsletters, public notices, and civics courses like Kent 101 and more to keep you informed of what we’re working on.
Maintaining our frequent schedule of public information content: weekly streams, video updates, town halls, public comment periods, neighborhood meetings, and presence at community events.
Expanded the City of Kent Neighborhood Program, maintained Drinks in the Driveway and launched Sidewalk Sessions to better communicate with and engage various communities around the city.
Recruiting diverse perspectives to our local Boards & Commissions to ensure the advisory role they play helps us consider the lived experience of multicultural and multilingual communities.
Empowering residents to hold their local government accountable with frequent public information and opportunities for public comments and feedback about ongoing projects, services and programs.