About Josh
Community Service
Building Better, Together
Professional Experience
I love Iowa City and have demonstrated that love through civic engagement, volunteerism, and professional service.
I served three terms as the chair of the Iowa City Area Business Partnership's Community Leadership Program, volunteered multiple terms with United Way's Community Impact Council, and served on numerous non-profit boards, in
I love Iowa City and have demonstrated that love through civic engagement, volunteerism, and professional service.
I served three terms as the chair of the Iowa City Area Business Partnership's Community Leadership Program, volunteered multiple terms with United Way's Community Impact Council, and served on numerous non-profit boards, including Old Brick, Friends of Historic Preservation, and Preservation Iowa. I worked with Habitat for Humanity on energy efficiency and investigated the predatory practices used by some landlords at mobile home courts. My Civic Engagement earned me special recognition by the American Institute of Architects as a Citizen Architect.
Professional Experience
Building Better, Together
Professional Experience
As a good listener, creative problem solver, and articulate communicator I have a proven track record of bringing people together, building consensus, and solving problems.
As an architect I work with multiple governmental bodies -- including cities, towns, counties, and school districts -- to develop strategic plans, pass bond referendum
As a good listener, creative problem solver, and articulate communicator I have a proven track record of bringing people together, building consensus, and solving problems.
As an architect I work with multiple governmental bodies -- including cities, towns, counties, and school districts -- to develop strategic plans, pass bond referendums, and design public spaces.
As an architect, I've acted as a professional consultant to the City of Iowa City where I gained knowledge of the City's processes for Capital Improvements and developed relationships with our city’s professional staff. I have collaborated with the downtown district on building assessments, public art projects, and the CoSign effort.
Leadership with Integrity
Building Better, Together
Building Better, Together
Our city council is a body that serves the whole community and a body that demonstrates, through its actions, the way we want our citizens to treat one another: With integrity, grace, and respect. The seven people on the city council have a responsibility to listen and act with integrity.
I will leverage my lived experience as a member of
Our city council is a body that serves the whole community and a body that demonstrates, through its actions, the way we want our citizens to treat one another: With integrity, grace, and respect. The seven people on the city council have a responsibility to listen and act with integrity.
I will leverage my lived experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community to Advance Social Justice, Racial Equity and Human Rights. I will listen to diverse voices in our community and use my privilege to elevate community leaders with different lived experiences.
Our city council has well-defined strategic priorities and those have been updated in the most recent 2023-2028 Strategic Plans. Those priorities can only be achieved if we respect the work of past city councils and if the current city council prepares future councils to succeed at those goals.
Building Better, Together
Building Better, Together
Building Better, Together
Iowa City is the best city in America, but we can be better. Iowa City can plan smarter, build more resiliently, and make our public spaces more inclusive–all while retaining the uniqueness of Iowa City.
I will use my architectural knowledge and planning experience to foster compact, authentic, vibrant neighborhoods and affordable housing
Iowa City is the best city in America, but we can be better. Iowa City can plan smarter, build more resiliently, and make our public spaces more inclusive–all while retaining the uniqueness of Iowa City.
I will use my architectural knowledge and planning experience to foster compact, authentic, vibrant neighborhoods and affordable housing throughout the city.
I will share my technical knowledge as an Architect to help accelerate the decarbonization of our city and exceed our Climate Action Goals. Iowa City can become a national Leader in Climate Action. While we decarbonize, we must simultaneously develop and redevelop with resilience in mind.
I will encourage wise Investment in Public Infrastructure, Facilities, and Fiscal Reserves. Through good planning we can mitigate the negative effects of State Property Tax Reform and invest in infrastructure for the future--all while preserving our Aaa Moody's Bond Rating.
I will fight to promote inclusive and sustainable transportation strategies that Enhance Community Mobility for All Residents. Our city can continue to become more pedestrian and bike friendly and support transportation options for people who cannot bike.
Josh's Top 4 Priorities
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
City-Owned Public spaces, like rec centers, parks, pools, city hall, and the senior center, are a top priority for many Iowa City Voters. Our community values public spaces that reflect the vitality and uniqueness of our community and draw people in, but our outdated facilities fail to do that.
Act Faster on Climate Change
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
I want us to Act Faster on Climate Change and demonstrate, through our own buildings, how to do it. While I’m very pleased that our city has made major strides in Transportation, and I want to keep that momentum going, I want to shift the focus to buildings and infrastructure. This means lowering energy usage and building with Climate change and resilience in mind.
Create Desirable, Affordable Housing
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
Create Desirable, Affordable Housing
Iowa City has a housing shortage and that shortage causes high housing costs. The year 2022 had the lowest levels of residential lot creation in more than 30 years—which means the problem is getting worse. We have not been able to develop housing at the necessary rate or volume, so we’ve got to start doing things differently.
Attract Quality Jobs
Reinvest in City-Owned Buildings and Community Spaces
Create Desirable, Affordable Housing
For 176 years the University of Iowa has been our economic engine. That is changing. The University of Iowa is not growing, UIHC is investing in Coralville and North Liberty, ACT continues to shrink, Pearson closed their Iowa City Facility, Kirkwood closed their Iowa City Campus, and Mercy Iowa City filed for bankruptcy in the beginning
For 176 years the University of Iowa has been our economic engine. That is changing. The University of Iowa is not growing, UIHC is investing in Coralville and North Liberty, ACT continues to shrink, Pearson closed their Iowa City Facility, Kirkwood closed their Iowa City Campus, and Mercy Iowa City filed for bankruptcy in the beginning of August.
Our city council must attract employers that will provide great jobs to our diverse workforce - that includes both our highly educated health science workforce and our hard-working laborers.