President's Page: A is for April, Affordability & Active Transportation

Happy Spring Neighbors!

Recently, City Council held our strategic planning meeting to germinate the seeds that have been planted by our ongoing conversations with many of you as well as our own experiences living in the community we serve. Not surprisingly, two of the subjects most on the minds of councilmembers are ones very often shared by residents: Affordable Housing and Safe Streets.

Financial advisors recommend spending 30% or less of income on housing, but due to wage stagnation and rising rents, 49.7% of U.S. households are forced to spend more, according to the US Census Bureau. The City adopted a long-term Affordable Housing Strategy in 2019, and we must continue to take both ambitious leaps and many small, practical steps to address this nationwide crisis affecting our local community. I was proud to introduce one common sense action with Vice President Baker and Mayor George. Ordinance 15-2025, currently before Finance Committee, would increase the number of residents eligible for discounted water/sewer rates based on adjusted gross income, excluding non-taxable Social Security benefits. 

Speaking of Social Security benefits, Lakewood is fortunate to be home to a critical SSA field office, the number of which are shrinking due to President Trump’s reduction in force orders. Trump’s proposed budget also requires huge cuts to healthcare programs. Council joined with the North Shore AFL-CIO to adopt Resolution 2025-16 advocating for the protection of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and supporting the retention and fair treatment of essential federal employees who help our residents navigate their benefits. 

Council also very much shares the community’s expressed concern about multi-modal transportation–the ability of pedestrians, cyclists, and assistive mobility device users to safely share the rights of way with motorists. Last year the City adopted the Active Transportation & Safe Streets for All Plans. Since then, VP Baker and I have been working with the Administration on a Complete Streets Ordinance facilitating public engagement in multi-modal infrastructure planning. We expect to introduce the ordinance at the upcoming full council meeting on April 21st as well as an ordinance establishing a Complete and Active Streets Education & Advisory Committee which would combine the lived experiences of residents with the expertise of our professional staff at City Hall to help us all be safer together.

Please join us for our upcoming Lakewood City Council meetings: 

Mon, April 21

6:30pm Public Works & Sustainability Committee

7:30pm Regular Meeting of Council

Mon, April 28 

6:00pm Committee of the Whole - Legal Aid

7:00pm Joint Meeting of Committee of the Whole & Planning Commission regarding Complete Streets Ordinance

Mon, May 5th 

6:00pm Finance Committee Meeting 

6:45pm Health & Human Services Committee

7:30pm Regular Meeting of Council