Louisville Mayoral Candidates - 2022 Primary Election Survey

Louisville Mayoral Candidates Primary Election Survey Responses

AARP Kentucky invited all candidates on the ballot for Louisville Metro's Mayoral election to share where they stand on four key questions for our 81,000 members in Louisville and all 50-plus voters. On May 17, voters in Louisville Metro will go to the polls to determine which candidates will be on the ballot in November's general elections. AARP is fighting for voters 50-plus in Louisville Metro and across the nation to make their voices heard on the issues that matter – especially with rising prices, people struggling with affordable housing, paying for groceries or gas, dealing with the pandemic, and retirement savings in crisis.

Our survey asked the candidates questions on a range concerns for Louisvillians 50-plus, including:

• Increasing affordable housing options across Louisville as we age.
• Strategies to increase access to safe, affordable and dependable mobility options.
• Improving access to stable, healthy food options – especially citizens in underserved areas.
• Download a print-friendly copy of all the candidates' responses (PDF), HERE.
  

Our Voices Decide is the nation-wide theme for AARP’s 2022 voter education campaign. We have a proud decades-long history of nonpartisan voter engagement. We don’t endorse candidates or contribute to their campaigns. We do, however, encourage candidates to offer solutions on the issues that matter most to AARP members. And we provide information to our members so they can choose candidates who best fit their views and values, while encouraging everyone 50-plus to vote. For more details on voting in Kentucky, visit: How, When and Where to Vote in Kentucky

Question 1. As Mayor, what are your plans to increase the construction and renovation of affordable housing and to promote greater accessibility and independence, to enable residents to remain in their homes as they age?

Sergio Alexander
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Bill Dieruf
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Timothy Findley, Jr.
Repurpose abandoned properties and vacant lots.
Louisville currently has thousands of empty, abandoned homes and vacant lots. I will mobilize a redevelopment movement with residents across Louisville by targeting homeownership sites to be redeveloped, enlisting legal and municipal assistance to clear titles and assemble parcels, and assigning funding for innovative, energy-efficient home development meeting the residential needs of 21st-century families. This will help combat the growing houselessness crisis as well as aid in providing stable housing for our citizens.

With so many abandoned and vacant properties around Louisville, we should be taking advantage of this available space and allowing for affordable housing and rental. This reinvestment and recycling of properties, when accompanied by my rapid re-housing initiative, will prove a remedy to rising houselessness rates. This will also coexist with my rent pricing and mortgage protection plans, ensuring that nobody is forced out of their neighborhoods as property values increase.

Skylar Beckett Graudick
In our city’s discussion over affordable housing in general, and affordable housing as it effects seniors specifically, I believe we focus too strongly on the physical construction of properties, and ideas related to rent control or rent assistance. Perhaps it is because we believe that building projects, landlord policies, and rent are areas that we feel we have direct influence over, or that other areas that could affect the affordable housing calculus are beyond our control.

It is my understanding that the difficulties faced by seniors wanting to afford and remain in their own homes as they age stems from the fact that they must live on a fixed income; there are many other pieces of a person’s budget besides housing costs that significantly impacts their fixed incomes. These for example include inflation, the lack of cost of living adjustments (COLA’s) for those who have pensions, the growing cost of health-insurance to include state-provided health-insurance plans, profiteering in the prescription drug industry, and state-level attacks on Kentucky’s poor and their ability to access benefits. The tying of property values to area taxing structures is also an issue when areas begin to see more development or become gentrified, especially if regressive tax schemes are employed; in this way we may see something of a catch-22 if our goal in building quality housing and related recreational, entertainment, and dining areas for our seniors is to make these new developments affordable in the long term.

Craig Greenberg
Louisville’s future will be won or lost by making sure we get our housing crisis resolved. Right now, our city has too few options for working families to have affordable, safe and quality housing. I believe we are not as prepared as we should be to ensure our older residents can remain in their homes. As Mayor, I will immediately move to address these issues. On the first day of my campaign, I pledged that I would build 15,000 new, quality affordable housing units across the entire city in my first term. Through new construction, renovation and in-fill development in existing neighborhoods we can help create successful and vibrant neighborhoods that allow working families, seniors and those just starting out in life to have a safe place to call home. By promoting aging-in-place, I believe the city should see this as both a quality-of-life issue for our older residents and also a public health priority. Displacing older residents who wish to stay in their homes means uprooting lives, disconnecting from friends and neighbors and losing touch with those who know an individual best. This can put the mental and physical well being of our older neighbors in jeopardy and our city should adopt policies to prevent it whenever possible.

Chartrael Hall
I am generating an affordable housing strategy for the City of Louisville that supports further development and diversification of residencies in our community. It is imperative that we have appropriate housing options that are applicable for our youth all the way to our elders. My goal is to increase the number of rentals and propose new purpose-built rental housing options. The implementation of accessible and supportive housing options for moderate- and low-income households will be increased by collaborating with stakeholders. In addition, affordable housing for seniors and households with any member who may have disabilities or mental health issues will also be a priority to ensure they will not be forced out of their homes. Lastly, we will need to increase the number of ownership options in Louisville that are affordable for moderate-income households. Well-designed, affordable mixed-income housing is a key component of a healthy community. To build successful communities, designers and developers need to respect, relate, and respond to the people who will reside in the housing they are developing.

Colin Hardin
There is nothing more important to our golden generation than living in the homes they’ve built and enjoying the lives they’ve made. It should be a focus of the city to guarantee that. My plans involve communication with those in need of housing and accommodations as they age, so we can send our resources and funds to allow for the renovation of existing housing. We should have a portion of our city budget devoted to allowing our older generation to continue their independence, as getting older should not force anyone into a situation where they need to give up all that they have built.

Additionally, for those who do not have housing already, we should be converting abandoned properties in Louisville into affordable housing devoted to the needs of all generations. Those who have sacrificed so much for our community in their youth should always have a place to call their own in their golden years. No American should be concerned about not having a place to lay their head at night when they have worked so hard to make this country what it is. Any new properties should reflect the needs that anyone getting older would have.

Phillip Molestina
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

David Nicholson
Affordable housing for seniors is vital, and having access to affordable, age-friendly housing is critical to a senior’s ability to age in place. My administration will create and energize an Office of Senior Services. This office will work with non-profits and review issues, including affordable housing, transportation, mental health, and other social services.  The office could also assist seniors in filing for a Homestead Exemption available to property owners 65 or older.

My administration will work with private/public partners and developers to build homes and communities that cater to seniors.  Every day in this country 10,000 people turn 65.  This creates an urgency to develop affordable housing, to rent or buy, so that seniors can live safely within the community. It is important that housing options are flexible and can expand with seniors as they grow older, such as allowing a family caretaker to live with them if needed.

For those who wish to remain in an existing home, we will develop partnerships with non-profits to help seniors renovate their homes to become wheelchair accessible, install grab bars and/or turn a bathtub into a shower.   Some seniors may simply need a safe way to choose a repairperson, without being victimized.

Anthony Oxendine
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Shameka Parrish-Wright
I want to remove some of the red tape that blocks our housing efforts from being timely and efective. As outlined under CHANGES on my website (shamekaparrishwright.com), I want to work in partnership to bring adequate and affordable rentals and pathways to home ownership to every community in Louisville and Jefferson County. Renovation is key to dealing with existing structures that can be improved and converted to sustainable housing. I believe that HOUSING is a human right. As someone who was houseless at one time, I understand in a way that no other candidate possibly can, what it means to be housing insecure. I want our seniors to know that I will keep them and their needs as a priority and that starts with supporting them to keep their independence where possible and age in place. 

Every zip code will have accessible, affordable rentals, funding for renovations and homeownership opportunities. Our houseless folks come from a variety of backgrounds, and, with the lingering impacts of the pandemic, we must be inclusive and offer tangible solutions. Residents’ voices will be heard for all major development decisions involving new policies and projects at the local level. Policy improvements that aim to ensure neighborhood affordability must include our aging population, repair programs, rental assistance programs, and related ongoing education efforts.

Rob Stark Reishman, Jr.
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Question 2. What would you do to ensure the creation of affordable and diverse housing options such as duplexes, courtyard apartments and townhomes?

Sergio Alexander
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Bill Dieruf
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Timothy Findley, Jr.
I will enact legislation on rent pricing protection and mortgage protection. Evictions should not be a permanent barrier for families attempting to move forward to stable housing and, longer-term, to build assets. In addition to rent pricing protection and mortgage protection, I will work with landlords, housing organizations, and the Louisville Urban League to offer second-chance housing to individuals who have been evicted. Every person in our community deserves affordable housing and rental, as well as a path to homeownership.

I have a track record of fighting for equitable investment in the city. I served as a West Louisville connector and the Faith-Based Liaison for Safe & Healthy neighborhoods in Louisville. Through my relationships with Louisvillian of all walks of life, I am in a unique position to secure the kind of investment that will not force people out of their homes and make Louisville a better, more economically thriving place for all.

Reorg Codes and Regulations:
My administration will go after absentee landlords who own vacant and or dilapidated properties in neighborhoods. I will do everything within the scope of the office to send and implement a clear message, that we are going to Fine you until you FIX UP or go Bankrupt. The need for quality housing is acute in Louisville and if these out of state property owners choose to not make the necessary investments in the property and abide by the codified ordinances, we will bankrupt them.

Skylar Beckett Graudick
I feel this and the previous question are similar, and will continue my overall response to both of them here. As a former union lobbyist, I have experience reading and analyzing complex pieces of state legislation, as well as getting legislation passed, and I believe this skillset and strategy is key to truly making our seniors’ housing and sustained quality of life affordable in the long term. State and federal legislative outcomes are certainly within our city’s realm of influence, including the issues I outlined above, and we should not focus simply on housing costs if we seek sustainable long-term solutions.

That said, our city needs affordable housing. From my cursory review of the work being done by Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together (CLOUT) and the Louisville Housing Affordable Trust Fund’s (LAHTF) annual reports, the need for 31,000 affordable housing units in Louisville has seen only approximately 3,500 units being developed in 2020-21. This work must continue to be supported, but I find CLOUT’s advocacy of the Village model to be a good intermediary measure and would add my support to that model as Mayor. This model acknowledges the desire of the majority of seniors to live independently in their homes, and provides them the assistance to do so through the creation of a volunteer network funded through a subscription service and donations. The service provides support in the form of transportation and grocery delivery, the organization of recreational and entertainment events, and vets service providers in home-improvement.

Craig Greenberg
Creating and sustaining vibrant, healthy and walkable neighborhoods will require much more diverse, mixed-use development. Single family homes are an important part of Louisville’s future but in order to help create well-connected neighborhoods and revitalize Louisville’s urban core we need to start thinking beyond single family homes. As our city grows and a larger portion of the population is composed of older adults we need to ensure other affordable housing options such as duplexes, apartments and townhomes are available. We can achieve this by prioritizing multi-unit housing and ensuring our neighborhood planning includes making changes to our zoning laws and also working with local residents and members of the Metro Council to make needed reforms to neighborhood planning regulations.

Chartrael Hall
I would perform a city-wide housing and zoning review, once the review has taken place, my administration would identify which potential properties are suitable for repairs. We will also meet with housing experts who specialize in housing options such as duplexes, courtyard apartments, and townhomes because they are extremely beneficial to our community, especially for the single income households. I would ensure the proper allocation of funds would be directed to the necessary repairs and new construction. Additionally, I would create a legislation to help streamline the process for developers to apply for state and local low-income housing tax.

Colin Hardin
My city administration would communicate with developers to continue to create new housing opportunities, with many different options for everyone, that reflect the needs our own community. There are plots of land all around Jefferson County that are being unused and forgotten, we need to acquire those properties to guarantee individual diverse housing opportunities for our people. No one type of solution will help everyone, we need direct and consistent communication to make sure that families stick together and that everyone has a place that they can call home.

That communication would come to our elder population, allowing them direct input into their housing needs so that we could have diverse voices telling us what we need to inform developers to put their focus into. My administration would be at the front of this initiative, giving everyone the opportunity to have their needs heard.

Phillip Molestina
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

David Nicholson
My administration will work with area developers to think creatively as we work to fill the missing middle housing options.  Louisville needs more affordable housing, and we should also look to existing neighborhoods – filling vacant lots with duplexes and courtyard apartments in lieu of single-family homes. As we add additional housing, we will work to enhance the entire neighborhood, such as creating green space or neighborhood gardens. Knowing the needs of neighborhoods will allow us to work with developers to help create the services and retail seniors want and need, such as a grocery store or drug store.  

We will also look to further streamline the process to allow property owners to more easily renovate an unused garage space into additional housing or build a tiny home in one’s backyard to accommodate an elderly family member.  Again, flexibility is critical if we are to address the needs of our seniors now and in the future.  Government regulations and policies must not impede our ability to provide for our aging population.   Additionally, tax incentives and public/private partnerships should be one of the tools my administration will use to create these missing middle housing options, especially affordable housing directed towards seniors. 

Anthony Oxendine
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Shameka Parrish-Wright
To ensure the creation of affordable and diverse housing options such as duplexes, courtyard apartments and townhomes, I will work in partnership with community groups, builders and investors. Everyone loves something shiny and new, they just want to have a part in its development and not have it built over them or out of their price range. As mayor I will make sure all projects, planning and decision making includes budgetary connections and regular updates with our seniors and advocacy groups. We have a large renting population in Louisville. Securing more quality units improves the lives of all Louisvillians. I will work with Louisville Metro Housing Authority, businesses, zoning and planning boards and make appointments of professionals and directly impacted people to help with solutions. My administration will also work with Metro Housing Coalition, CLOUT, Homeless Coalition and Louisville Metro Council plus have regular public meetings on progress to attain these desired housing options. We will also have quarterly meetings to update on progress and inform on priority. 

Rob Stark Reishman, Jr.
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Question 3. What are your plans to ensure a range of safe, affordable, user-friendly and dependable mobility options for people who want to walk, bike, ride public transportation and more in Louisville?

Sergio Alexander
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Bill Dieruf
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Timothy Findley, Jr.
My administration will partner with TARC to explore a fare free bus pilot program, either system wide or along some of its most popular routes. Cities such as Kansas City, Raleigh, Albuquerque, Boston, and Richmond have all experimented with fare-free bus systems for some or all of their lines. All of these programs have been carried out with great success, increasing ridership and saving both individuals and communities money. TARC already offers free or reduced fares to certain groups such as children, students, or those over 65, so the concept is already present in our transit policies.

For TARC, farebox revenue makes up between 5% and 10% of overall revenue, or about $5-$7 million a year. This is hardly an insurmountable cost for Metro Government to make up, while the benefits are numerous. Free fares mean that people have more money to spend elsewhere. It means that they will make more trips than they would otherwise. Whatever is lost in fares is more than made up for in economic growth elsewhere. Kansas City’s free fare program showed an increase in overall economic activity of between $13 and $17.9 million, for example.

Fare free transit can lead to more riders, which reduces the number of cars on the road. Fewer cars mean less traffic, which helps both car and bus riders get to where they are going faster.

Skylar Beckett Graudick
I support making TARC fare-free, which would cost approximately $10 million. This is money well spent given the many benefits the public would see, especially in comparison to the cost of other programs. Our city currently contracts taxi services, and I would be in favor of expanding that service to make it easier for seniors and those with mobility impairments to travel to their destinations safely and reliably. There are many infrastructure priorities that have gone unaddressed, but in a perfect world I believe light rail would be a worthwhile investment for our city.

I believe our city’s bike lanes are very dangerous and unfriendly, and are simply parts of the road that have been striped differently. True bike lanes protect cyclists from vehicular traffic. I would be in favor of analyzing the most frequently used cycling areas in our city to see what can be done to reinforce them.

One of the main reasons I am running for office is because I have direct experience as an LMPD officer, and believe that public safety is our city’s top priority. Car-jackings, robberies, and high-speed chases through residential areas are becoming too common. Average citizens in our city are becoming apprehensive of enjoying our city’s parks and entertainment areas as a result. As Mayor I will invest in more upstream solutions like afterschool programs and substance abuse treatment, as well as in our police and judicial services to ensure our city is a safe place for all to enjoy.

Craig Greenberg
A vibrant and healthy neighborhood is made possible by many different modes of transportation. I will prioritize the development of walkable and bikeable neighborhoods and strong public transportation cooridors. While we cannot completely eliminate dependence on cars, our city can require that new developments embrace other types of mobility and transportation in their planning and also prioritize bringing new bike paths, walking paths and safer road crossings. This is especially important in Louisville's urban core and surrounding areas as we build denser, more connected neighborhoods. These changes will not only benefit those looking for healthier transportation options but also residents who face challenges with mobility.

Chartrael Hall
My plans for ensuring a safer, more affordable, user friendly, and dependable mobility options include embracing a Universal Mobility as a Service Framework. Universal Mobility as a Service offers customers a single platform through which they can identify all available transportation options, evaluate their cost in terms of dollars and time, schedule a ride, and even pay for a trip. The ideal outcome of this approach is that while services tailored to the needs of populations will be available, they will be part of a single, coordinated system, which if designed well has the potential to meet the needs of everyone in the community, regardless of income, geographic location, disability, or age. Our city needs services that maximize individual mobility needs as individuals progress throughout their life stages, the goal is to maximize independence as early and for as long as possible. Additionally, I want to commit to a universal design that supports everyone, not just the “average” person.

Colin Hardin
The Mayor of Louisville has a far reach in Jefferson County, so much of this city is different from each other. The mobility options that someone in Fairdale needs is far more different than something that someone living in Portland or Downtown would need. The mayor would need to be able to help every single one of these groups by creating a diverse option of opportunities for everyone. Our immediate priority should be in fixing our streets. Many of the roads in Louisville have been neglected by the city, which only create hazardous conditions for anyone driving, and the last thing we need is for anyone to be hurt because of the forgetfulness of our city government.

Beyond that, we need to expand public transportation in Louisville, make it more appealing to travel by TARC when possible, through ideas such as cutting or removing fees, to cut down on traffic overall. This could also include making new and innovative public transportation options available. If someone lives in a locality where walking or biking is possible then we need to make sure that the maintenance on bike lanes and sidewalks are kept up to standards.

Phillip Molestina
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

David Nicholson
We will conduct a review of the current public transportation system and the services it provides. We will determine if the existing bus routes are providing services to those who need it the most and if we are using these vital services equitably throughout our city.  Louisville must have safe, accessible, affordable public transportation. This review will include specific use by seniors and underserved communities. Transportation is critical for many seniors to remain socially connected.  Lack of social connection and loneliness diminishes physical and mental health.

Paratransit services must be improved to keep up with the need.  This includes allowing more to use this vital resource as well as enhancing the quality and the dependability of these services.  No vulnerable senior should have to wait hours for a ride to and from a healthcare appointment or be stranded waiting for a bus that doesn’t show up. Also, many seniors who have mobility issues and need this level of transportation don’t meet the eligibility criteria for paratransit. For this population my administration will work with private ride share providers and others to bring more affordable and reliable options for transportation. 

Anthony Oxendine
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Shameka Parrish-Wright
I will ADVOCATE for QUALITY JOBS, support UNION rights, robust EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, stronger TRANSPORTATION infrastructure, and social services with adequate MENTAL and PHYSICAL HEALTH supports. As we lift up the least of us, we’ll all rise a little higher. We will do so by re-imagining public health, criminal justice and policing, and moving toward living wages for all working families. As Louisville’s mayor, I will work to restructure our budget to ensure we fund what works for our youth, seniors, Louisville Metro Government employees, entrepreneurs, and infrastructure. I will find creative solutions to fill in gaps and work hard to prevent layoffs for our public servants. My plans are to help improve TARC as a safe, on time and quality option that meets the needs of our seniors, youth and disabled. Improved routes, longer hours of operation, free fare months to encourage more drivers to leave their cars at home, broadband wifi, well lit at night with places to charge devices, plus adequate shelter and seating will help make our public transportation more viable. While we work to make Louisville more walkable, strengthening Tarc is vital to our climate change actions. I want to also connect our TARC better with our beautiful parks, farmers markets and work with LG&E and others to make light rail a reality. 

Rob Stark Reishman, Jr.
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Question 4.How would your administration increase access to stable, healthy food options in Louisville Metro’s neighborhoods – especially citizens in underserved areas?

Sergio Alexander
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Bill Dieruf
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Timothy Findley, Jr.
Piloting a Universal Basic Income (UBI)
This administration will bring a renewed focus to investing in our working class, which is the backbone of our great city. That includes exploring the viability of a universal basic income to cover basic living costs. A UBI program creates a system where residents of an area are given a direct cash payment at regular intervals to alleviate poverty, grow the economy, and improve the lives of people just barely getting by.

As our poverty rate in Louisville, and especially our child poverty rate, is so high, clearly our current policies are not working. In Louisville, 11.4% of our residents live in poverty. For children, that rate is 19.5%, and 16.2% are food insecure.

According to Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, there have been 28 UBI pilot programs in cities across the country. The most famous of these programs was in Stockton, California, championed by former Mayor Michael Tubbs.

In the Stockton program, 125 random people living in low-income neighborhoods were given $500 a month with no strings attached. The results were clear. Money tended to go towards essentials like food, utilities, and gas. Households receiving the payment paid down debt and even helped family members living in poverty. And the number of participants with a full-time job actually increased 12% versus 5% in the control group.

Poverty has proven to be cyclical and has held many in our community down for far too long. We seek to end this unnecessary cycle and give Louisvillians the support they need and deserve.

Skylar Beckett Graudick
The lack of grocery stores in our city’s most underserved neighborhoods means that those who already struggle with financial security must travel further (paying more in transportation costs), and pay more for lower quantities of less healthy foods. In a city that prides itself on economic development and that chose to use public subsidies to give $110 million for the Omni hotel and $10 million for the Marriott, as well as build more than one entertainment arena, the lack of development at the neighborhood level is clearly a matter of priorities, not of means or know-how. My administration would prioritize using our public tax dollars to benefit the public, not for the entertainment of tourists or enrichment of our community’s elite. It is part of my previously written public platform to put our communities first and end food deserts in Louisville. Our entire city deserves attention and economic development support, and I believe disparities in educational, financial, and justice-related outcomes for our community members are directly tied to decades-long policies of focusing only on developing certain areas in Louisville- As Mayor I will change that.

Craig Greenberg
Louisville has been studying the disparity in availability of fresh, healthy food in our community for too long; the time has come for the city to act. I have been a strong supporter of the Louisville Community Grocery and am fully committed to finally bringing badly needed new grocery stores to West Louisville and increasing healthy food options throughout the city. Additionally, part of the problem with access to healthy food options can be addressed by improving our city’s public transportation system. I have advocated for not only increasing TARC’s reach with new routes but eliminating paid fare for our city’s public transportation, allowing more residents to move safely and efficiently to wherever our residents need to go.

Chartrael Hall
Under my administration creating access to healthy food options is a top priority for the people of Louisville. Having access to local farmers markets would be very beneficial for families with a lack of access to nutritional food supports. These markets could be set up in the needed districts within walking distance of those in need. Also, having community supported agriculture (CSA) is another way to provide quality and healthy options to underserved communities. These could be produced by partnering with local agencies or churches. To those open to it, community gardens are a way to not only offer food options but promote a sense of belonging and friendship in neighborhoods. Finally, a healthy corner store option for residents in these communities would be beneficial. We have many corner stores across the districts but a healthy one with available fruits, veggies and sources of protein would assist in giving people options. All the mentioned options can happen through partnerships involving the community, the government, grassroots organizations, churches, etc. It is a chance to build a sense of community while promoting healthy, nutritious eating. 

Colin Hardin
My campaign has developed an idea for an Urban Agriculture program. Beyond creating jobs through hiring the unemployed into trade positions renovating abandoned properties into affordable housing, we want to create long term employment opportunities while removing Louisville’s healthy food deserts at the same time. Urban Agriculture would allow for these housing units to have spots devoted to small farms and gardens within the city, hiring people to maintain these plots and create fresh healthy food options. This would change the game in parts of the city where it proves difficult to get yourself and your family healthy food.

Not only would we be able to create that fresh food but by combining it with inspiring entrepreneurs, we can create a new line of farmers markets across the city. Attempting to modernize that age old idea, we can also deliver that food straight to the doorsteps of anyone who may not be able to travel far. If we can provide healthy cheap alternative food options to all our people, then we can cut down on long-term medical costs and keep our golden generations with us for years to come. We must take the steps to protect our people by making these innovative ideas possible."

Phillip Molestina
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

David Nicholson
We know there are many food deserts in underserved areas of Louisville, where there are no grocery stores or stores with fresh produce and healthy food options. This impacts everyone but particularly children and seniors.  We will work with private retailers and developers to fix these gaps with public/private partnerships.

It is estimated that approximately 30% of seniors live alone making them more reliant on outside assistance.  My administration will work to expand the availability of meals on wheels and will work to expand our safety net of food pantries that are vital to so many. I will also work with these food pantries, retailers and other food providers to create more ways for seniors and others to access needed food items.  Innovations will be explored such as developing a system of online “click list” requests to our food pantries be delivered directly to those in need who request items or by creating mobile food pantries to deliver free or reduced-price food options directly to neighborhoods of highest need and/or highest number of seniors who do not drive.

Anthony Oxendine
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

Shameka Parrish-Wright
My family and I have lived in the West End and experienced food insecurity and food desserts. My administration will increase access to stable, healthy food options for all Louisville Metro's neighborhoods, especially citizens in underserved areas, by creating the first office of Food Justice in Louisville and Kentucky. The focus is to deal with a major poverty issue in our city....access to good and healthy food. We get there together means we can pool our resources and make sure no one starves no matter how much they make or receive monthly. We will support and connect with groups doing the work and help build capacity. Working with groups like Dare to Care, Meals on Wheels, Feed Louisville, Hip Hop Cares, HopeBuss, local farmers, Faith Leaders and Churches to increase outreach and direct services weekly with monthly check ins.  PROGRAMMING and COMMUNITY CENTERS help us combat violence and build community. As mayor, I will advocate for free food options, free sports and activities to connect seniors and youth, Martial Arts, and Yoga lessons offered every week. I support community swimming pools, and will keep them open, fully staffed and where free meals are provided. We need 4 to 6 community centers in the South, East, West and Downtown that are open 24 hours and turn to emergency food pantries with respite and triage centers after 9pm. Most of them already have kitchens, and bathrooms and will be staffed with people from the neighborhood who are elected by their community members to one year positions and are paid livable wages.

Rob Stark Reishman, Jr.
The candidate was invited to participate but did not respond by the deadline.

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