Candidate: Beka Venturella
Office: Longmont City Council, At Large
Website: bekaforlongmont.com
QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES:
Yes/No Questions – Please answer only with yes/no.
Are you a homeowner? YES
Do you think your City should have a homeless shelter? YES
If the City police force was fully staffed, would you advocate for adding more officers? NO
Do you believe there’s a need for more housing? YES
Do you believe the City should spend more money on homelessness services? YES
Longform Questions – Please limit responses to 300 words or less.
Why do you want to be a council member?
I want to be a council member because I believe in the power of local government to effect positive change and bring all parts of our community together. My cousin was murdered this February at the Michigan State University shooting. This tragedy shook me to my core and instilled in me a deep commitment to addressing community gun violence prevention. While many gun violence prevention policies have been passed at the state level, Longmont has failed to enact these policies locally.
Beyond my personal connection to gun violence prevention, I am committed to improving mental health access and affordability here in Longmont. Many children, young adults and families are struggling with finding and affording comprehensive mental health supports. It’s important we invest in these services as our population grows.
By serving as a council member, I will channel my personal experiences, passion for community, and drive into policies that will make a real difference in the lives of Longmont residents. I want to contribute to a safer, more inclusive, and healthier community while supporting local businesses and ensuring smart, sustainable growth. As the second largest city in Boulder County with thousands of young people and new families, Longmont deserves a council member who truly understands what it means to live under a rising cost of living; who knows how hard it can be to balance a family budget each month.
That’s why I want to be a city councilor — to uplift the voices of all residents of Longmont; to make sure that people from all walks of life, from all backgrounds and communities, can have a voice in their city government who will listen and work their hardest to bring the support they need and the changes we deserve.
When was the last time you paid rent, and where was that?
The last time I paid rent was about 7 years ago in Gunbarrel.
When considering new developments, which is more important: density and affordability or preserving neighborhood character?
They are both important and I don’t believe they are mutually exclusive. Longmont has many historic homes that give our city a rich character and highlight our history. These homes should be appreciated and protected. When it comes to development and housing availability, I do not support the removal of these homes for the sake of density.
What I do support is promoting high-density developments in our future projects. New developments should be designed with a focus on density and affordability. Longmont is a growing city with many new families and young people looking to call it home. With this growing economy and population, we need a greater supply of affordable housing to keep both new talent and businesses here in Longmont instead of moving out-of-state. What truly strengthens a neighborhood’s character is the people living there; people who are happy, healthy, and able to afford a high quality of life.
Boulder County has experienced extreme natural disasters over the last decade, including flooding and wildfire. How do you plan to address these challenges?
Firstly, we must prioritize sustainability policies in the form of renewable energy and resource management. Cutting down our emissions will help Longmont and all Front Range communities reduce our risk of natural disaster in the long-run. It’s also important we look at sustainable management of our water and open spaces. This kind of land management is critical to preventing the droughts that lead to flooding and wildfires.
However, this is not enough. It’s important Council focuses on weatherizing new developments here in Longmont. By making sure our structures are better able to withstand natural disasters and extreme weather, we can better protect our homes and businesses. On Council, I welcome working with our County Commissioners and city staff to find new solutions to our environmental challenges.
How do you think you stand out from other candidates?
I stand out from other candidates as both a gun violence survivor and a strong relationship builder. Since my cousin was murdered, I have dedicated myself to making sure no other family has to go through what mine has. I have spent his past legislative session at the Colorado Capitol testifying in support of common-sense gun violence prevention policies and working with State Senator and Representatives to make sure the voices and needs of survivors were centered in these committees. Bringing people together and making all voices heard has been a part of who I am my entire life.
What question would you ask a fellow candidate on the ballot?
What brought you here and what is it you’re fighting for?
What are your solutions for the growing population of people experiencing homelessness?
I would invest funding into additional shelters and housing support services like assistance in applying for housing, jobs, and navigating these systems. I would also focus on increasing our supply of affordable housing so folks trying to get back on their feet are able to afford a home here in Longmont, rather than having money or even employment and still being unable to afford high rent.
What’s your plan for creating more affordable housing in Longmont?
I plan to look at our zoning here in Longmont to see where we can ease, or tighten, regulations that would allow more development in our city. However, I also believe that development must be sustainable and work within the framework of our city. New developments must fit our existing infrastructure and land use. To balance these goals, I would like to look at how we can support more multi-family homes being built and where we can place these higher density units on land Longmont already owns, rather than spending on obtaining more land.
How will you address climate change? How do you plan to meet some of the City’s climate goals?
I want to invest in local renewable energy, look at grants and outside funding for more affordable solar installation on homes & apartments, and boost public transportation to reduce emissions.
What are your goals for transportation and how will you achieve them?
Transportation expansion is key for the health and growth of our city. With more people moving into Longmont, we need to make sure our infrastructure is able to keep up. This includes investing in our public transportation to ease traffic and emissions, as well as make Longmont a more connected and navigable city. I support proposed microtransit policies, as well as examining bringing a front-range rail stop here to Longmont to keep commuters from having to leave our city to find work.
How do you plan to engage non-English speaking constituents?
Longmont is fortunate to be such a diverse community. With that diversity comes the need for City Council (and all levels of government) to appropriately engage with non-english speaking and multilingual residents. On Council I will support policies to expand language services to make sure residents who do not speak or understand English can still access our city’s services and stay in-touch with their local government. The same is true for individuals who do not speak English as their first language – multilingual services are critical to bringing our community together. As an elected official, I believe it would be my responsibility to reach out and provide information & services to constituents who do not speak English, rather than expecting them to come to us. We must be proactive in making Longmont a city everyone can call home.
How does diversity factor into your policy making?
Diversity will be a huge factor in my policy making. Many voices in Longmont, especially from our communities of color, are not brought to the table in city decisions. Policies like housing affordability, zoning, new development, public transit, and local taxes have a disproportionately large impact on our communities of color.
How will you reach residents who have different lived experiences than you?
By focusing on community outreach and engagement. It’s not enough for City Council to wait for people to come to us, we have to take the time to prioritize reaching out to our constituents. I am knocking thousands of doors and having conversations in every neighborhood in Longmont and on Council I want to do much the same. I will work to connect members of our community with the resources they need and take the time to listen to the needs and struggles of my fellow Longmont residents.
We have to make space for new voices in our decision making; to hear the needs of people who have not been brought into the conversation. Much of this engagement is simply showing up and being an engaged member of all parts of our community.
Rank your top 5 issues in priority.
Community gun violence prevention,
mental health access and affordability.
expanding affordable housing,
strengthening public transportation,
maintaining strong community connections within our diverse city.
