Charlottesville’s appointed City Council member will make important decisions this year.

In 2023, this Councilor will vote on a new zoning ordinance that broadly increases housing density across Charlottesville; how to spend additional money the city may receive from housing assessments surging; and whom to hire for Charlottesville’s next city manager.

Though this appointment happens outside an election — and most of the City Council’s process will happen behind closed doors — the public will have a chance to give input.

Monday night, Charlottesville City Council will hear from the six finalists for its vacant seat at its 6:30 p.m. meeting. This is the only time the candidates will meet publicly with the Council. Following Monday’s meeting, Council will privately interview them and then make a decision by Feb. 21. So, anyone who wants to voice an opinion should do so today.

With that in mind, Charlottesville Tomorrow sent questions about some key issues to the shortlisted candidates.

We hope their answers help you give feedback to your representatives on City Council.

Here’s what the candidates told us, roughly in the order we received their responses:

Alex Bryant

Leah Puryear

Kristin Szakos

Lisa Larson-Torres

Natalie Oschrin

Kathy Galvin

Alex Bryant

Bryant is the former executive director of the Ix Art Park Foundation and current director of programs for FIRST Chesapeake, a non-profit organization that “brings STEM-based leadership programs to middle and high school students.” Click here to see his application.

Are you planning to run for the City Council seat in November?

I am considering a run, however given the current make-up of Council, I would be in favor of a candidate that would make Council more representative of its constituents.

What is your opinion of the city’s goal of increasing housing density through its new zoning ordinance?

Zoning has been used as a tool to sustain inequities in communities for many years. Readers of this publication especially should understand how zoning has impacted neighborhood development and defined the fabric of how families live, work and play. I am in favor of the YIMBY [which stands for “Yes in my backyard”] movement to increase housing density and I hope that leaders can build racial equity into rezoning decisions.

We are in a moment where we can dismantle past injustices that continue to perpetuate segregation and at the same time build a more just future for all of Charlottesville.

With assessed property values increasing 12% across the city, the local government will collect more tax revenue this year. How would you propose allocating that additional money?

I will preface this response with a desire to understand the current budget to the fullest extent, but from where I currently stand, I believe that we should be reinvesting in public services, starting with the Walker/Buford redesign, which I believe was not fully funded, and then focusing on services for our unhoused population and for actively working toward transportation solutions that connect the community and champion environmentally sustainable practices — things like improved bike lanes and an enhanced sidewalk network, especially if Charlottesville kids continue to walk to school.

It is surprising to me that Charlottesville ended 2022 with a $23 million surplus [here’s more on the budget], and so I wonder what programs were not funded in 2022 that could have been and how the $11.5 million rolling into the 2023 budget impacts the property value increase.

What would you look for in a new permanent city manager?

It would be ideal to find someone who is a servant leader. Charlottesville City already has incredible staff who bring experience from all over the world. The City needs leadership that is humble, dedicated to working toward efficient and sustainable operations, and lifts up those who have been doing the work already. I do not think we need, nor will we find, a “panacea” City Manager, but rather a City Manager who is ready to dig in and make Charlottesville their legacy project.

Leah Puryear

Puryear was a Charlottesville City School Board member, from 2006 to 2021. See her application.

Are you planning to run for the City Council seat in November?

I am currently applying to fill Ms. Magill’s unexpired term. I am completely focused on the responsibilities of the council, with our upcoming budget and hiring of a permanent city manager being on my priority list.

What is your opinion of the city’s goal of increasing housing density through its new zoning ordinance?

In considering housing density, will we have more ADUs [accessory dwelling units] and/or duplexes in our neighborhoods? If so, who will be able to afford them?  We must be mindful of the implications of our new zoning ordinance to protect our current residents while allowing others to be able to move and live in our city. How we achieve this goal must be carefully thought out and be in conversations with stakeholders, especially our citizens. We must consider affordability for all.

With assessed property values increasing 12% across the city, the local government will collect more tax revenue this year. How would you propose allocating that additional money?

Our city is faced with many challenges and monetary requests. As a council we must be good stewards of these funds. I am open to reading the requests and hearing from our citizens for how they would like to see additional monies spent. I am concerned about funding for education, with the recent funding mistake for school boards throughout the Commonwealth. This may affect our educational services. It is important to me to ensure the financial health and wellbeing of the city and how these additional funds could assist financial stability for all services.

What would you look for in a new permanent city manager?

I would hope our next city manager would have extensive management, financial/budgetary experience, knowledge of our city and the understanding or expertise in working in an extremely participatory community. Although Charlottesville’s population is small, we have many aspects of a larger city. Their ability to listen, being accountable, and accessibility to stakeholders and our citizens.

Kristin Szakos

Szakos was a Charlottesville City Councilor from 2010 to 2017. See her application.

Are you planning to run for the City Council seat in November?

No.

What is your opinion of the city’s goal of increasing housing density through its new zoning ordinance?

I strongly support it. Increased density is necessary for a lively, diverse community. Without it, Charlottesville threatens to become a place where only the affluent can live and everyone else must commute from areas of rural sprawl — increasing traffic and pollution and sapping the city’s vibrancy.

Although zoning is not the only tool to increase affordable housing, we will never attain housing affordability without it. City Council’s failure to approve appropriate density on a case-by-case basis over the past two decades shows that the zoning environment must change.

We must be careful, however, to avoid unintended consequences of zoning that supports density — protecting vulnerable neighborhoods from rapid gentrification and improving educational and transportation infrastructure to support additional residents.

With assessed property values increasing 12% across the city, the local government will collect more tax revenue this year. How would you propose allocating that additional money?

I don’t know that there will be a great deal of “extra” money. Inflation in prices for fuel, equipment, insurance and construction, along with increased wages and the possibility of additional benefits arising from collective bargaining, will require increases in spending to maintain existing services. The city is experiencing worker shortages in several areas, and may need to invest in training, recruitment and compensation.

Finally, several federal funding streams arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic are ending, and some of that funding will need to be replaced with local tax dollars. (I hope that the city will be able to continue to win state and federal grants for ongoing and new initiatives, such as affordable housing, bike and pedestrian safety, youth development, and environmental protection.)

Charlottesville has one of the lowest property tax rates among comparable Virginia cities, and one of the most robust tax-relief programs for low-income and elderly homeowners. Within this framework, the city needs to maintain its strong commitment to housing affordability, equity and education, and to continue to strengthen bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. A walkable, bikeable city with quality schools and services enables residents and locally owned businesses to thrive and improves the quality of life for all who live, work and spend time here.

What would you look for in a new permanent city manager?

I would look for a strong ethical core, a passion for creating excellence and equity, and good communication skills. A successful city manager must be able to support and communicate effectively with three distinct (though overlapping) constituencies: City Council, City staff, and the public.

The manager is responsible for translating Council vision and policies into action, as well as for helping Council members know what actions are possible, and what unintended consequences could arise from them.

The manager is also responsible for supervising an organization of 1,000 employees, and for creating a workplace where staff feel supported and able to be creative, all while being held accountable to the public. And the public needs to know the manager will be a truth-teller who will listen to their concerns, and will be honest in upholding the public trust.

A successful candidate will have excellent references in these qualities, as well as an eagerness to serve in Charlottesville in particular. When I participated in the City Manager hiring process in 2010, it was important that every Council member felt comfortable with the decision, and that staff and public opinion also supported the final candidate.

Lisa Larson-Torres

Larson-Torres is a Charlottesville City School Board member and former school board president. See her application.

Are you planning to run for the City Council seat in November?

At some point, yes, but undecided as to this November.

What is your opinion of the city’s goal of increasing housing density through its new zoning ordinance?

I am supportive of increased housing density but I first want to know that our current residents are being taken care of, that there are ample funds to rehab current homes and housing. And rehab means more than just external Band-Aids and cosmetic fixes, in my opinion.

With assessed property values increasing 12% across the city, the local government will collect more tax revenue this year. How would you propose allocating that additional money?

Without seeing a comprehensive list of budget requests, this is a bit tricky to answer. I know the asks always exceed the amount available to give and Charlottesville has plenty of needs. I would hope that any of my priorities would be in support of any program that would support someone who is marginalized: Charlottesville Supplemental Rental Assistance Program and Charlottesville Housing Affordability Program, evaluate the asks through the Vibrant Community Fund, support of programs that address food insecurities, health inequities and, of course, Charlottesville City Schools.

What would you look for in a new permanent city manager?

Qualities of a strong and good leader include someone who not only listens and hears but works to understand why something was said. The city manager must be willing to settle in and work hard to understand Charlottesville — the good, the not so good, and the historic and ongoing systemic inequities that affect our residents. They will be trustworthy, approachable, respectful and a good communicator.

Natalie Oschrin

Oschrin is a former Charlottesville election officer. See her application.

Are you planning to run for the City Council seat in November?

I have not decided yet.

What is your opinion of the city’s goal of increasing housing density through its new zoning ordinance?

The city has made strides with the passage of the Future Land Use Map, and I eagerly anticipate the additional housing that is going to be developed within the city limits, from ADUs [accessory dwelling units] to missing middle complexes and larger scale, multi-family buildings. I have reviewed the current rezoning map and the first module from the Cville Plans Together team.

While I fully support that generally everywhere will be upzoned, I think we could add even more of the higher-intensity areas closer to the city center. I want to have concentrations of folks around amenities, not just nestled against busy roads. I also want to be sure that the multi-family homes truly have space for families. We have to ensure that new builds are not just one- or two-bedrooms or studios, but also have options laid out with whole families in mind so that a transition to a single-family home is not seen as a necessary objective or next step.

With assessed property values increasing 12% across the city, the local government will collect more tax revenue this year. How would you propose allocating that additional money?

One of the pieces discussed at the budget work session last week was a check-in with city departments to learn about requests they have and if there is budget available to give to these requests. There was room to approve these, and since the departments know their keenest pain points, I think it is worth exploring approving these requests to alleviate pressure within the departments.

However, I’m also concerned that the Pathways [to Housing] program budget is being cut. The program expanded with American Rescue Plan funding and proved to be a crucial stopgap, allowing people to remain in their homes with relatively low-cost patches. I would keep that funded while the city deals with the slower fix of increasing the availability of homes with new construction.

What would you look for in a new permanent city manager?

The city manager should be progressive on housing, transit and climate issues, and sensitive to racial disparities and the historic inequity of how resources have been distributed in Charlottesville.

Kathy Galvin

Galvin was a Charlottesville City Councilor from 2012 to 2019. See her application.

Are you planning to run for the City Council seat in November?

No.

What is your opinion on the city’s goal of increasing housing density through its new zoning ordinance?

First, is the primary goal to increase density or increase the supply of affordable housing in Charlottesville City? If the goal is to increase the supply of affordable housing (which it should be) then we can’t assume that simply increasing housing density through the new zoning ordinance will lead to lower housing prices. If that were the case, then Charlottesville, which has 4,634 people per square mile, should have less expensive housing than Albemarle County, which has 2,941 people per square mile in its growth area. Instead, the median home price in Albemarle County is $472,000, compared to a median home price in Charlottesville of $567,500. In fact, private for-profit developers will only build high end housing if left to their own devices in a free market.

That’s why I agree with the Affordable Housing Strategy that we must find ways to empower our non-profit housing developers to build more affordable housing for households at 30%, 60% and 80% area median income (AMI,) but most especially at or below 30% AMI (the category of greatest need as determined by the 2018 Housing Needs Assessment by Partners for Economic Solutions and the Form-Based Code Institute.) [Read more about AMI and its effect on housing here.]

We must also find ways to ensure that those units are built within the context of healthy, livable neighborhoods with access to grocery stores, parks, jobs, bus stops and streets safe for walking, cycling and taking the bus.

Second, is the primary goal to increase density or increase our transit ridership numbers? If the goal is to increase ridership (which it should be) then we can’t assume that simply increasing housing density through the new zoning ordinance will lead to more people taking the bus, when frequency today ranges between 30 to 60 minutes. [Here’s more about Charlottesville Area Transit and wait times.]

That’s why I agree with the Comprehensive Plan that we must locate density along our transit corridors, but in a way that ensures the placement of compact, inclusive, walkable centers in strategic locations along the corridors. Many of our small area plans (that have yet to be implemented) would do that. Building out those small area plans would also increase our land capacity for developing affordable housing in partnership with our non-profit providers.

With assessed property values increasing 12% across the city, the local government will collect more tax revenue this year. How would you propose allocating that additional money?

I need to better understand the city’s current operational and capital investment priorities and fiscal situation before I answer that question.

What would you look for in a new permanent city manager?

A city manager needs to be able to listen, problem-solve, employ best practices, learn continually, think strategically and inspire his or her staff to execute the community’s vision for the future in a timely manner, as articulated by the comprehensive plan, affordable housing strategy and city councilors. The city manager must also work with the council, to facilitate its own decision-making.