I am running for County Council because I believe in a future where every Delawarean has the opportunity to thrive, not just survive. Our county is at a crossroads, and we need leadership that prioritizes working people and sustainable growth over empty promises.

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My platform is built on four pillars: Affordable Housing, Real Careers, Responsible Development, and Community Investment.

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Housing That Working Families Can Actually Afford

 

Everyone deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. In New Castle County, that promise is slipping further out of reach for too many families. Right now, rents routinely start around $1,500 a month, even for modest apartments. Home prices continue to climb, with new construction often priced well above $300,000–$400,000, far beyond what most working families, seniors, and young professionals can afford. 

 

When housing costs rise faster than wages, families are forced to make impossible choices.  They have to choose between rent and childcare, saving and staying put, or leaving the community altogether. This is a housing issue. A workforce issue. A family issue. A community stability issue. If New Castle County cannot build homes that working people can afford, then the system is failing and it’s our responsibility to fix it.

 

What’s Driving the Cost—and What We Can Do About It?

 

The high cost of housing is the result of outdated policies, slow permitting, and state-level rules that unintentionally penalize smaller, more affordable homes.

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1. Reform the Permitting System That Discourages Affordability

New Castle County’s development code and permitting process can take years, driving up construction costs before a single family moves in. Those delays are passed directly onto buyers and renters. 

 

• Streamline the permitting processes for affordable and workforce housing and modernize development codes to allow responsible density and smaller home types.

• Maintaining safety and community standards while eliminating unnecessary delays. When we make it faster and more predictable to build, prices come down without cutting corners.

 

2. Fix the “Voluntary” School Tax That Isn’t Voluntary

One of the biggest hidden drivers of housing costs is the so-called voluntary school tax.  And let me be clear, there is nothing voluntary about it. Right now, a developer pays the same ~$15,000 fee whether they build a 5,000-square-foot luxury unit or a 750-square-foot one-bedroom apartment. That flat fee makes smaller, more affordable homes disproportionately expensive to build and the cost is passed directly onto renters and homebuyers. Most residents believe this is a county tax but it’s actually controlled at the state level, even though the county collects it.

 

My Plan:

• Work directly with state leaders to reform this outdated policy and advocate for scaled or tiered school impact fees based on unit size. 

• I will ensure smaller homes and apartments are charged less, not the same as luxury builds. 

 

Simply fixing this inequity could reduce the cost of a smaller home or apartment by $10,000 or more per unit, immediately improving affordability without raising taxes on residents.

 

3. Incentivize Affordability Without Blanket Tax Breaks

I do not support giving developers broad tax breaks with no accountability. But when developers choose not to include affordable units, the County should use that leverage responsibly.

 

My Plan:

• Charge higher county permit fees for developments that do not include affordable housing and are priced above Average Median Income (AMI) levels.

• Place those additional fees into a dedicated affordability fund and use that fund to:

• Offset construction costs for developers who do build affordable units

• Lower final sale prices or rents for qualifying homes and apartments

 

This creates a system where affordability is rewarded and where market-rate development helps fund housing solutions instead of pushing families out.

 

4. Expand Down Payment Assistance for First-Time Buyers

For many families, the biggest barrier to homeownership is coming up with a down payment.

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My plan:

• Expand down payment assistance grants

• Use county tools to help bridge the gap between construction costs and what families can realistically afford

• Prioritize first-time buyers, working families, and longtime county residents

 

Homeownership builds stability, equity, and stronger neighborhoods. It should not be reserved for the wealthy.

 

Why This Matters to You

When housing becomes unaffordable: Workers can’t live near their jobs, Seniors are priced out of the communities they built, young families leave the county altogether. Traffic increases, schools suffer, and neighborhoods lose stability. Affordable housing is about keeping New Castle County livable for the people who already call it home.

 

A Practical, Action-Driven Approach

I’m running for County Council because these problems are solvable with leadership that understands how policy decisions actually affect costs on the ground. This is about fixing the systems that quietly drive prices up and using the County’s influence, locally and at the state level. to make housing work again for working people.

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Careers, Not Just Jobs

I am running because I believe every Delawarean has the right to a career that pays a livable wage. For too long, we have settled for low-paying warehouse jobs while corporations reap the benefits of our land and infrastructure.

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When companies come to New Castle County, we need more than just job fairs—we need guarantees. My commitment is to:

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Demand Local Hiring: When businesses receive county support, they must guarantee that Delawareans will be hired.

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Create Clear Pathways: We need to know exactly what skills new jobs require so we can train our workforce effectively. I want to build a direct pathways that ensures our residents get these jobs.

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Prioritize Livable Wages: We will not settle for minimum wages. We want careers that can support a family, not just low-wage labor.

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Responsible Development

I support development, but it must be the right kind of development. We need to stop allowing developers to pave over our green spaces to build speculative, empty warehouses. We also need to make sure the building code in the county attracts new industries, not scare them away because it takes 4+ years to get a shovel in the ground.

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We need a smarter approach:

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Tenant-First Policy: We should not approve massive industrial projects without a tenant in place. No more empty shells waiting for a user.

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Diverse Growth: I want to see our economy diversify beyond logistics and warehousing to bring different types of industries and opportunities to the county.

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Investing in Our Community

Our property tax dollars are an investment in our quality of life, and I want to make sure they are put to good use. This means fully funding our libraries, parks, and public safety services. 

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Supporting our First Responders: I will always stand by our first responders who put their lives second to those in need.

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Libraries as Hubs: Our libraries should be offering our kids exactly what they need to succeed, including robust after-school programs and reading initiatives.

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Fair Taxation: We need to ensure that big businesses are paying their fair share. The tax burden should not be passed down solely to the homeowner while large corporations get a pass.

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Protecting our Parks: I run through our public spaces and parks all the time. I will always fight to protect our public spaces.