Building a Better Columbia Heights
On the council, I want to keep pushing for safer and greener streets, faster progress on Safe Routes to School, common-sense protections for renters, stronger accountability for absentee landlords, and stronger support for the diverse small businesses that give this city its character.
Columbia Heights is on the cusp of a new era. Major street reconstruction projects, the upcoming F Line rapid transit line, and several large redevelopment opportunities will shape our city for decades to come. The reconstruction of Central Avenue, 40th Street, and University Avenue are generational investments that give us a rare opportunity to guide how Columbia Heights grows and functions in the future.
High-frequency transit connecting Columbia Heights to downtown and Northtown will make our community even more attractive and accessible. Reliable transit gives residents more freedom—seniors, students, and families who shouldn’t have to rely on a car for every trip. But it benefits everyone. Even households that usually drive sometimes need another way to get across town, and strong transit keeps our community connected by giving people another option when they need it.
As these projects move forward, we must ensure they deliver their full promise: safer streets, welcoming public spaces, and better mobility while minimizing construction impacts on residents and businesses.
Large redevelopment sites like the Rainbow property at Central and 44th and the former Medtronic site near 53rd represent once-in-a-generation opportunities to shape the future of our city. With thoughtful leadership, these projects can add new housing, strengthen our tax base, attract new businesses, and highlight the parks and natural amenities that make Columbia Heights special. Having worked on many of these issues during my time on the Planning Commission, I’m excited to help guide these projects, so they reflect community priorities and help write the next chapter of our city.
Housing People Can Afford
Columbia Heights should remain a city where people at all stages of life can afford to live. As redevelopment moves forward across the city, we have an opportunity to add new housing while ensuring longtime residents are not pushed out.
That means encouraging a mix of housing types, supporting responsible property owners, and adopting common-sense protections for renters. We should also guide redevelopment in ways that strengthen neighborhoods rather than displacing the people who helped build them.
Thoughtful housing policy will help keep Columbia Heights affordable, support our local businesses, and ensure our community remains welcoming to the next generation of residents.
Safer, Greener Streets
Columbia Heights should be a place where everyone can move around safely—whether you’re walking, biking, rolling, taking transit, or driving.
We have a historic opportunity to redesign our streets so they work better for everyone. Accelerating our Safe Routes to School program means building sidewalks and physically protected bikeways so students and families don’t have to dodge cars on their way to school, parks or the grocery store. Expanding our bike network with safe, separated infrastructure will make it easier to get across town while improving pedestrian safety throughout the city.
Greener streets will also make our city more resilient. Trees, stormwater design, and improved streetscapes can reduce flooding, protect our waterways, and make our neighborhoods more beautiful and enjoyable. Our streets should invite people to walk, meet neighbors, and explore the parks and public spaces that make Columbia Heights such a special place to live.
A Stronger Business Community
Columbia Heights already has an incredibly diverse food scene, along with unique small businesses and relatively affordable commercial spaces that make it easier for entrepreneurs to start something new.
We should actively support the businesses that choose to invest here. I want to work with business owners and commercial property owners to remove barriers to opening and expanding businesses in our city. Strengthening and modernizing programs like our façade improvement program can help businesses improve their storefronts and make our commercial corridors more vibrant and welcoming.
At the same time, we should be thoughtful about the types of businesses we encourage along our major corridors. Smart planning can help ensure we attract a diverse mix of businesses that serve residents, strengthen our economy, and create lively commercial districts where people want to spend time.
Standing Up for Our Neighbors
Recent events in our community have shown how important local leadership can be when residents feel vulnerable. Columbia Heights must remain a city where everyone feels safe, respected, and protected.
That means working closely with our outstanding police department, city staff, and community organizations to ensure our policies reflect our values and protect all residents. We must learn from other cities and continue strengthening our local policies so that if federal actions threaten members of our community again, Columbia Heights will be prepared to respond thoughtfully and lawfully.
Our city government exists to serve and protect the people who live here—every single one of us.
Vote Tom Kaiser this November 3
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