I am an architect and a member of the Oak Park Zoning Board. I am also a founding member of Preservation Chicago, a nonprofit advocating for Chicago’s endangered structures.
After moving to Oak Park, I joined the board of Oak Leyden – an organization focused on improving the lives of adults and children with disabilities. I believe in public service, in using my skills and interests to better the lives of people and their communities. After my family and I moved here for the high-quality schools, I chose to contribute to the high school as a football coach.
With a zoning re-write at the forefront of voters’ minds, my qualifications are particularly suited to this moment. Architecture teaches you that a project’s success is determined before the first shovel goes in the ground. That forethought and planning seem to be missing from the board where intentions seem more important than outcomes. I believe there might be other, more thoughtful ways to add housing that may not disrupt the aesthetic of our community.
But I am not a single-issue candidate. The zoning rewrite is connected to other important issues like sustainability, affordability and economic development.
Like architecture, public service starts with listening to the needs of the people. Villagers I meet speak about a lost connection between the board of trustees and the people of Oak Park. People need to feel heard to trust that the government is serving the people.
As an action-oriented person, I don’t complain from the sidelines. I believe that you have to be the change you want to see. That is why I decided to run.
Citizens who want to help with my campaign can contact me at KIMforOP@gmail.com.
Kimberlee Smith
Oak Park