​​Citrus Heights Strong:

 Recover. Reimagine. Rebuild.

Our Focus During the First 100 Days and Beyond

Our communities are important to us, and we strive to improve the quality of life for our residents. Citrus Heights should be proud of its accomplishments over the last decade, but we also know that more work needs to be done. We want to make our residents feel like they are part of the city's revitalization. Citrus Heights was impacted by the pandemic. Providing assistance to our residents to meet their communities' needs is a critical role for the government in the future. Residents continue to be our focus as we govern.

We will focus on the following during the first hundred days, together with my colleagues on the city council, other elected officials, residents, faith leaders, businesses, and nonprofits:

Increasing Vaccination Access: In Citrus Heights, more than eight thousand people have been infected with COVID-19. As a result of this virus, 122 residents have died. Although 49% of residents have full vaccinations, we need to do better. We will focus on increasing the number of people who receive vaccinations. It will help us deal with this pandemic faster and protect our residents from exposure to variants.  

Improving our Roads: The poor condition of Citrus Heights streets was one of the top priorities for residents in a recent survey. While the process of repairing 237 miles of city streets will take time, the city's public works and engineering departments will be tasked with developing a short-, medium-, and long-term capital plan to make it happen. Additionally, we'll work with private sector partners and representatives from the federal, state, and local governments to advance infrastructure projects.

Strengthening Our Community Policing Practices: It has been our pleasure to work with our new Police Chief, Alex Turcotte. He understands how important it is for officers to view themselves as guardians of the city, not warriors since he has been with the police department since it was created in 2006. Citrus Heights is still the safest it has been in nearly 15 years, while other cities in the region are experiencing increases in crime rates. To ensure that we continue to build strong bonds of trust with the community, the city will continue to work closely with the Chief.

Expanding Quality Housing Options for Residents: A diverse housing stock is one of the most important aspects of ensuring a vibrant and economically sustainable city. To ensure that the investment in housing has a positive impact, we will ensure that it does not displace or isolate residents who have been calling our city home for decades. Our plan will be developed in concert with residents, council members, and community development partners. As part of the housing plan developed by city staff, we will continue to ensure that all public housing developments provide quality affordable housing for Citrus Heights residents. 

Tackling Blight & Illegal Dumping: We are committed to removing blighted properties from the city quickly and aggressively. In addition, we will work with residents and community organizations to determine if blighted structures can be preserved and rehabilitated. Our city will immediately work with our law enforcement, legislative, and state agencies to monitor, stop, and penalize anyone illegally disposing of trash in the city. 

Rebuilding the Arts Economy: Citrus Heights has a rich cultural and art history. We understand that nurturing our arts economy is important for preserving our history, as well as creating a prosperous and stable community. As part of our long-term growth plan, we will work with local artists and stakeholders.

Growing Job Prospects: The unemployment rate in Citrus Heights was one of the lowest in the region before the pandemic. Unfortunately, most of that employment growth was erased by the pandemic. Although we are in the middle of a health and economic crisis, the city is committed to working with our partners to refocus our energies and sustain some gains we have made. 

Supporting and Prioritizing Small Businesses: Successful local economies are created by a thriving small business community. The impact of the pandemic on our small businesses has been devastating. A plan will be developed for securing financial support for our small businesses and systems will be implemented to ensure the success of the "Love Local" program.

Attracting New Businesses: Our city's economy must be rebuilt and put on a path to long-term success by creating an environment that will attract new businesses. Our location and access to human capital make Citrus Heights an ideal city for businesses small, medium, and large. We will work with state and local partners to promote Citrus Heights.

Investing in Senior Centers: We know how important senior centers are for our residents. However, during COIVD, many of these centers were closed to reduce the risk of transmission. In addition, several of our community centers require significant renovation. We will immediately assess the structural condition of these facilities to ensure they can safely open to our seniors so that our residents have a safe place to congregate.

Creating Opportunities for Our Youth: Youth have the right to access new opportunities that will positively impact their futures, and we are committed to helping them do so. To broaden mentoring initiatives that will build lasting bonds between young people and supportive adults, we need to encourage partnerships between community-based organizations, law enforcement, and other agencies. 

Addressing Homelessness: A persistent challenge facing the city is homelessness. Homelessness has worsened as a result of the pandemic. We will forge a stronger partnership with the state and county to develop and fund more effective methods for tackling this challenging and deeply complex social issue. The solution to this crisis will take years of continuous effort.

Ensuring Food Access: The COVID-19 shutdowns added new layers of hardship to households already experiencing food insecurity. In addition to the effects of food insecurity on children and families, food insecurity affects their time at school and work, as well as their health. Food programs should be available to our residents at a reasonable cost. To provide fresh food directly to our residents, we will take advantage of innovations in distribution and logistics to bring more resources to Citrus Heights.

We have outlined above a few issues in our governance approach, but they are not exhaustive. Residents may want to highlight different issues that are specific to their neighborhoods or the city as a whole. We look forward to addressing those issues as well.