VISION & PRIORITIES
I ran for City Council because I believe government should work with people, not just for them, and never against them. Since being elected in March through a special election, I’ve focused on rebuilding trust through transparency, accessibility, and real community engagement.
In just a few short months, I completed a Ward 3 Listening Tour, started topic-based roundtables with passionate residents, and laid the groundwork for a Unhoused Advisory Committee. This work is about staying rooted in community, not politics as usual.
I’m running for a full four-year term to keep doing this work, and to co-create the kind of Lakewood where every resident feels seen, heard, and represented.
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01 TRUST, TRANSPARENCY & ENGAGEMENT
What We've Co-Created So Far:
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8+ Ward 3 Listening Tour stops to hear community priorities
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Launch of multiple Advisory Circles:
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LGBTQ+ Circle
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Unhoused Advisory Circle
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Streets & Safety Circle
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Community Advisory Circle
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Small Business Circle
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Required zoning notices to be translated in Spanish
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Pushed for written determinations and posted hearing findings to ensure clarity in land use decisions
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Advocated for zoning code to be fully translated into Spanish
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Guided staff to break the zoning code into four parts for accessibility
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Helped shape 15 zoning amendments, including transparency-focused changes (written decisions, public findings, process clarity)
What We’re Still Co-Creating:
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Establishing a formal Youth Council
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Improving city–resident communication tools, guides, and plain language documents
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Expanding opportunities for community co-governance
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Advocating for easier public access to policy drafts and decisions
02 BALANCED & RESPONSIBLE GROWTH
What We’ve Co-Created So Far:
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8 public zoning roundtables held for community feedback
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15 zoning code amendments, including:
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Phase-in approach: Only duplexes/triplexes allowed by-right for the first year
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Discretionary projects require special permits and more community engagement
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Added guardrails and protections to prevent retroactive impacts
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Required clear findings for land use decisions to support fairness and appeals
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Advocated for small-farm support, expanded farm stand use, and inclusion of more animals in the code
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Required director to provide written explanations to ensure accountability
What We’re Still Co-Creating:
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A zoning code that supports affordability, equity, and sustainability
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Smarter land use that respects neighborhood identity
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More community-driven growth that balances housing and green space
03 A PEOPLE-FIRST ECONOMY
What We’ve Co-Created So Far:
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Laid the groundwork for a Lakewood Small Business Summit
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Began working with economic development, chambers, and business associations to build partnerships
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Launched a Small Business Advisory Circle to hear directly from local entrepreneurs
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Advocated for zoning code updates to support small farms and co-op style sales
What We’re Still Co-Creating:
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A full, community-facing Small Business Summit rooted in education, opportunity, and collaboration
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Strategies to repurpose vacant commercial properties into business and community space
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A clearer, more accessible permitting process to reduce red tape
04 PROTECTING NATURAL SPACES & INVESTING IN COMMUNITY
What We’ve Co-Created So Far:
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Met with local and regional sustainability and climate action groups
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Partnered on severe weather coordination efforts for the unhoused with Jefferson County and surrounding cities
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Continued conversations about the future of open space, urban tree cover, and equitable park access
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Included youth perspectives through early Listening Tour stops and upcoming Youth Council formation
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Protected solar access and energy equity through zoning amendments
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Supported tree preservation and added sustainability language in zoning rewrite
What We’re Still Co-Creating:
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Stronger safeguards for existing green spaces and expanded access in underserved areas
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Expanded investment in natural spaces and connectivity
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A youth-centered approach to programming, especially after the closure of the Boys & Girls Club
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Cross-department coordination for mental health and wellness access
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Policies that strengthen climate resilience, including cooling, canopy, and clean energy efforts
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The Lakewood Youth Council
PROGRESS WITH PURPOSE
“Progress with Purpose” isn’t just a slogan, it’s a promise.
A promise to lead with intention, listen before acting, and make space for voices that are too often left out.
It means building government that invites people in, not just checks a box.
It means making growth equitable, thoughtful, and rooted in what people actually need.
It means supporting the small and micro-businesses that form the heart of our community.
And it means putting sustainability and youth at the center of how we shape the future.
My promise is simple:
To keep showing up.
To lead with transparency and care.
To co-create, not control.
And to build a Lakewood that works with us, not around us.
MEET KEN
I wasn’t born into politics. I was raised in Weld County by a single mom and my grandparents, my abuelito, a World War II veteran who worked multiple jobs, and my mom, a single mother raising two boys. There was a time we relied on public assistance, Medicaid, food stamps, and housing support. But my mom used that as a launchpad, not a landing place. She went back to school, found a full-time job, and eventually bought our first home.
Then, when I was still a kid, I lost my brother to murder. That moment changed everything. But my mom taught me something I carry with me today, forgiveness, grace, and the responsibility to care for others, even when it’s hard.
I started at the bottom. I showed up early. Stayed late. I built two businesses from scratch with my partner, Jayson. I worked my way into rooms I didn’t always feel invited to because I believed that if I could just get a chance, I’d do something meaningful with it.
Now, as your City Councilmember, I carry that same work ethic and humility into public service. Since being elected, I’ve launched a Listening Tour across Ward 3, helped create Lakewood’s first Unhoused Advisory Committee, laid the foundation for a Small Business Summit, and opened the door for issue-based roundtables so neighbors can help shape policy, not just respond to it.
I believe in co-creating, not just representing.
I believe government should be a launchpad for small business owners, for families, for seniors, and for anyone who’s ever felt unseen. And I believe in building trust, not just by being present, but by proving that your voice shapes what happens next.
I’m proud to call Lakewood home. And I’m running for re-election because I’m not done showing up. Let’s keep building together.