Princeton is one of the most extraordinary towns in America. Unfortunately, for too many people it’s becoming impossible to stay, to grow, or to put down roots here.

That isn’t the Princeton we believe in. 

In today’s Princeton :

• There are no starter homes. None! 

• Our streets prioritize cars, not people.

• Opening a business takes longer than having a baby.

• Our property taxes are sky high.

• Young people, educators, researchers, retirees, and most people who work in Princeton, can't afford to live in Princeton.

This is not the American Dream. 

Imagine a Princeton That Actually Lives Its Values

This Princeton is possible. It’s within reach. But only if we align our rules with our values.

A Princeton where:

• Young adults can buy a starter home instead of moving back into their childhood bedrooms.

• Empty nesters can stay near their friends, children and grandchildren without having to take care of a large property.

• People who work in Princeton – teachers, researchers, postdocs, service workers – can actually live close to work and put down roots.

• Kids can walk or bike to school or activities safely, and parents do not have to be full-time chauffeurs.

• Opening a business takes weeks, not years, and Princeton (the town) becomes a hub of creativity and innovation on a par with the University.

• Our neighborhoods and commercial districts are vibrant, walkable, and people-first.

This IS the American Dream. We can make it a reality. 

How Do We Get There? 

The best time to align and modernize our rules was in 2013 when the Township and Borough consolidated. We did not do it. The second best time is now. Here is how I propose we go about it:

1. End the War on Great Neighborhoods

Most of what we cherish in Princeton is technically "illegal" and would be impossible to create today. That is absurd!

Let us start by looking at the places we love. Where do we all go trick-or-treating on Halloween? Where do we take out-of-town family for a stroll when they visit?

Now ask the real question: could we make it easy to build more places like that by writing rules regular people can understand, not just lawyers?

2. Save Big Interventions for Big Problems

Local. Small. Organic. This is where resilience and sustainability flourish. Let us give small projects and businesses room to breathe, adapt, and innovate. 

3. Lead beyond our backyard

Princeton is a regional economic and cultural hub. Our choices affect our neighbors, and their choices shape us. Let us acknowledge this reality and take the lead at the county and state levels.

Fear of change got us to the stalemate we are in now. 

Let us create opportunities to build the future we say we believe in.

What I Can Do to Help :

A Professional Planner and Architect Who Understands What Is Broken

Starter homes are missing. The kinds of homes that made Princeton accessible to teachers and nurses, seniors and young families: the Jefferson/Moore duplexes, Tree Street cottage courts, Witherspoon Jackson neighborly homes, they are are nearly impossible to build under today’s rules.

I have watched residents, staff, and volunteer board members all struggle to navigate aggregate layers of unnecessary complexity. My podcast, Who Killed the Starter Home? is my way of digging into how we got here and learning from innovators and community leaders across the country who are trying to fix it.

I would like to help Princeton to create real opportunities to build homes people can afford to buy, because there is no clearer commitment to a community that to buy into it. As professional focused on housing, I can't help but to see almost every issue through that lens. Housing is not a special interest. It’s the foundation for every other issue we care about.

A Translator Between Experts and Princeton Residents

When my kids were at UNOW, I served on the board to help bridge the gap between what families needed and what consultants proposed for a new building.

On council, I plan to play that same role, making sure technical experts reflect in our new zoning code what Princetonians actually want.

A Champion for Local Businesses and a Vibrant Economy

As a resident and member of the Economic Development Committee of Experience Princeton I am thrilled to see that our storefronts are filling again, but we are also seeing a wave of franchises overshadow the small, community-oriented businesses that give Princeton its soul.

I have lived this firsthand. When Tigerlabs, our only co-working space, was pushed off Nassau Street, my partners and I had to wade through a maze of approvals just to reopen on Witherspoon St. We succeeded, but it should not be that hard.

As a council member, I will work to:

• streamline approvals

• welcome innovative local businesses

• create spaces where people meet, collaborate, and build community

Princeton should be a regional engine of creativity, not a place where good ideas get stuck in bureaucratic limbo.

Making Princeton Walkable, Bikable, and Healthy

Do you or your kids bike in town? Do you feel safe? I do not. I have held my breath too many times waiting for the “I made it” text from my husband and kids.

I decided to test a different strategy and change my own habits. I leave my car at home or parked near the kids’ drop off. With all the walking, I lost a quarter of my body weight and gained a deeper appreciation for Princeton’s hidden paths and neighborhood connections.

I brought others along in this experience by launching Princeton Future’s 'Walks to Coffee.' Together with neighborhood ambassadors, we have helped residents rediscover the walkability of their community, connect with neighbors and visitors, and envision new possibilities.

When we live and build closer together, we do not have to pave over every field for parking and driveways. We can keep more of our open spaces for recreation, kids, and the simple enjoyment of nature.

On council, I will prioritize:

• people-first street design

• safe sidewalks and bike lanes

• healthier, more active neighborhoods

Walkability shouldn’t be a lifestyle hack, it should be normal.

A Regional Perspective Our Town Desperately Needs

I have testified in Trenton to support laws that would improve life in New Jersey, only to watch them die a slow death by a thousand amendments. As my district’s municipal committee member, I’ve worked on election campaigns and met residents from neighboring towns whose futures are intertwined with ours.

No matter how smart we plan and how carefully we budget in our municipality, we cannot solve our biggest problems alone.

• Mercer County takes 30% of our property taxes, yet few residents know how that money is used.

• Outdated county and state assessment systems push us to overtax small homeowners while large landholders sit on underused, empty undertaxed parking lots.

I’ve worked with NJ Future and the Great Homes and Neighborhoods for All Initiative and seen how siloed our state’s 564 municipalities are and how little we are able to achieve, even in strong coalitions in a blue state.

When we help our neighbors, we help ourselves. 

Local issues don’t stop at municipal borders, and neither should leadership.