Evanston RoundTable: Gennifer Geer
FEBRUARY 19, 2025, Evanston RoundTable: As part of our ongoing coverage of the April 1 local elections, the RoundTable sent questionnaires to all candidates running for city offices and school board seats. Read on the RoundTable website.
Gennifer Geer
Candidate type: Open-seat contestant, first-time candidate.
Age: 27 years old.
Time in Evanston: Five years, moved from Houston, TX in 2020.
Occupation: Outreach Coordinator for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and self-employed policy consultant.
Organizational involvement: Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Evanston, founding member of the Northwestern University Graduate Workers union.
Platform and Policy Questions
Why do you want to serve as a council member? [Limit: 100 words]
“I want to serve my community and represent a perspective that isn’t currently on City Council. I am a member of a generation that views climate change as an existential threat, values cooperation and social responsibility, is overwhelmingly pro-union, and is renter-majority. Evanston is a great city enhanced by the diversity of lifestyles and life stages of its people. I believe our city council should reflect that diversity.”
What are the three biggest issues facing Evanston and/or the Third Ward that you would aim to address as a council member in the coming term? What about three things you think are working well and you would want to preserve? [Limit: 200 words]
“My first priority is to increase trust in city government by increasing engagement and transparency. I’d reinstate participatory budgeting, engage with businesses, regularly host town halls, expand civic education opportunities, and improve cooperation with the school districts.
Secondly, we should increase walkability and transit accessibility to be a model city for climate change resilience. More walkability and better pedestrian safety creates a closer sense of community, and we should include people with mobility needs, strollers, wagons, or luggage and grocery trolleys.
Third, I’m happy to see that vacancies have declined, but we must continue to restore the vibrancy of Evanston’s retail and rebuild our tax base. Evanston should impose a vacancy tax to incentivize adding new businesses rather than keeping storefronts vacant.
As an Evanstonian, I love that we take our lakefront responsibility seriously. I’d support a Lakefront Protection Ordinance to ensure that we keep our lakefront pristine and accessible.
I’m proud of Evanston’s great programs to spotlight the arts and aid artists, especially our young artists. I especially look forward to continuing the city’s relationship with Evanston Made.
Finally, I’d preserve our Reparations Program. I admire the committee for working through challenges in an uncharted area, and we should adapt the program to keep meeting civil rights needs.”
Envision Evanston 2045 is well underway, and at least the zoning code portion of the project will continue into the new term. Putting aside questions of process and timeline, what is your perspective on the zoning reforms being proposed, as they are written at time of writing? More specifically:
Should the city allow up to 4 dwelling units in neighborhoods currently zoned for single-family homes only?
What do you see as the key driver of Evanston’s affordability crisis, and how would you try to address it if elected?
Do you believe encouraging more housing supply to help improve affordability is a strategy worth pursuing?
[Limit: 300 words]
“Evanston needs sensible growth. Major upzoning should be limited to major transit corridors, and we should emphasize low-impact housing infill like ADUs elsewhere. Evanston also needs to create transition zones so that urban areas seamlessly transition into residential ones. By-right zoning allowing four dwelling units in all of Evanston is both counter-productive to this end, and it doesn’t fully engage Evanston’s historic districts. I do support more multifamily housing, but I think we need to be more intentional about zoning to encourage it.
To combat Evanston’s affordability crisis we need to build more housing, but it needs to be housing that will keep Evanstonians in Evanston. Allowing developers to build huge complexes with expensive, market rate studios will not help keep the young and working class families hardest hit by the affordability crisis from being pushed out of our community.
Evanston needs to encourage the creation of missing middle housing suitable to young families. I support a “right of first refusal” for renters to buy their homes when the owner sells, so we can encourage homeownership. I would fight to hold developers accountable for building more family-sized units, designated places for deliveries to avoid stopping traffic, and expanding green space alongist developments. I support increasing affordability requirements to 20% and disincentivizing the practice of paying fees in lieu of providing affordable housing to Evanston.
Additionally, I support measures that put downward pressure on rents and protect occupants; “affordable” housing should not mean poor quality housing. We should expand rental registrations, collect more data, issue fines to property managers in violation of the landlord-tenant ordinance and building code, and curb excessive fees on occupants.”
The Third Ward holds a unique geographic tension, with a residential neighborhood to the east made up largely of historic single-family homes, and the Chicago Avenue corridor to the west with its greater density, heavy traffic and access to mass transit, including the dual CTA-Metra station at Main St. [Total limit: 400 words]
Do you think greater residential development is appropriate along the Chicago Avenue corridor, particularly in transit-oriented developments near rail stations?
How should the scale, height and form of Chicago Ave. developments be balanced with their impact on the nearby neighborhoods? How is this balance different between development on the west and east sides of the street?
Given recently-discussed plans to build a protected bicycle line between Howard and Davis Streets, how would you approach balancing transportation infrastructure along the corridor between vehicle traffic, rail transit and active transportation like cycling and walking?
“Overall, the unique pressures of the historic district, transit needs, parking availability, affordability and safety call for the city to pass plans concurrent with zoning reform. We cannot do this badly, and we must be proactive about addressing the challenges of population growth. We must create a transit improvement plan to reduce dependency on cars, and we need a series of reforms and pro-affordability policies. Zoning changes alone threaten the balance we have in the 3rd Ward between urban and residential living, and we owe it to residents to consider all other necessary preparations.
I would like to see greater transit-oriented development along Chicago Avenue. However, the current plans in Envision Evanston do not address the differing needs on the east and west sides of the street, especially north of Lee. The current zoning along Chicago Avenue is too complicated with too many different zoning types, but we need to recognize some differentiation.
Our development plan needs to encourage a smooth transition from the most urban developments to the low impact residential. That is not achievable if 100 foot developments on the east side of Chicago Avenue directly border single family homes on Hinman Avenue. I am excited by the prospect of greater transit oriented development along the train tracks, but it has to smartly take into account the character of the adjoining neighborhoods. I also believe we should emphasize development between Chicago Avenue and Ridge, since that’s another major transportation corridor, not development closer to the lake.
I support transportation infrastructure that gives Evanstonians the greatest degree of options and decreases our car dependency. I strongly support improvements to Evanston’s bicycle infrastructure including the new bicycle lane on Chicago Avenue. However, I would like to see modifications to the new bicycle lane project that includes the needs of traffic safety and the businesses on Chicago Avenue. For example, we need crosswalks for pedestrian safety and more loading zones to avoid bottlenecks in traffic due to stopped trucks. We can improve the signs around parking lots so shoppers have options besides street parking.”
The future of the city’s major facilities remains an open question, as departments currently prepare to move at least temporarily from the current Civic Center into leased space at 909 Davis St., and the deterioration of the Police/Fire HQ continues to pose problems for emergency responders.
Long-term, where do you think city hall offices and the Police/Fire HQ buildings should be located?
Do you think the city should own its city hall facility, or would you be open to renting the space for it semi-permanently?
In any scenario, do you believe the current building at 2100 Ridge Ave. should be renovated or demolished?
[Limit: 200 words]
“We need buildings that are safe, well-kept, and adequate for the needs of staff. Long-term, I believe city hall should be downtown. It’s more accessible and is an investment in a thriving downtown. Our police and fire headquarters should be someplace that gives our first responders the space to do their jobs well. The current headquarters are insufficient, given issues with accessibility, health code adherence, space, and impact on morale. If a new building is more timely and cost-efficient than renovation, then the city should take that seriously.
My first priority for city hall is a space we can utilize and love. I’m open to renting if that is the most cost-efficient way to ensure quality. I trust city staff when they explain the options, and renting gives us financial flexibility in the face of otherwise exorbitant renovations. When we can re-evaluate the lease, we can revisit the prospect of owning property for city hall.
Determining the fate of 2100 Ridge Ave requires public engagement. That said, the worst outcome is owning a vacant, deteriorating building. If not demolished, we should prioritize using it in public life in a timely manner. I support continuing the investigation into the city’s options.”
Future city budgets will need to grapple with a structural deficit currently covered by General Fund reserve spending, and without the assistance of ARPA and potentially other federal funding as well. Do you believe the city needs to increase its property tax levy to help maintain balanced budgets going forward, or should balance be achieved some other way? [Limit: 100 words]
“I believe the City can balance its budget by smartly managing expenses while restoring and expanding the tax base without raising property taxes. As a city, we can set higher standards for projects to be completed on time and within budget. On the revenue side, we can continue to reduce retail vacancies and impose a fee for long-term vacant storefronts, and we highlight and support the small businesses and cultural events that make Evanston a destination. This can be supplemented by sensible development that increases the property tax base.”
Evanston now has 25 years to achieve its carbon neutrality and zero waste goals as outlined in the Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), and Sustainability and Resilience Manager Cara Pratt has said the city has already accomplished the “low-hanging fruit” in pursuing these targets.
What climate goals and policies would you prioritize in the coming term?
How should the city pursue reduction of building emissions?
Do you support phasing out natural gas use in new construction, and requiring existing buildings work toward carbon neutrality over the next 25 years?
[Limit: 200 words]
“I want Evanston to be a leader in combating climate change. We have twenty five years to reach our target, but we have to take action now. It’s far easier to take gradual steps over twenty five years than if we need to hurriedly try to make up for lost time.
Transportation is one of the biggest sources of emissions, and I want to start by expanding transit options. Right now there are no ADA compliant CTA Purple Line stations in the 3rd Ward. I want to implement a progressive wheel tax on very large vehicles and households that have multiple cars, then use those funds for transit improvements. I’d like to see accessible train stations, bus stop shelters, and bike parking. We can also reduce emissions by reducing speeding with traffic calming measures, like with curb extensions that double as native plant gardens.
The city should embrace carbon-reduction technologies. I support phasing out natural gas in new construction and creating a flexible, long-term plan to reach carbon-neutrality in existing buildings. I support electric vehicle charging and renewable energy generation, both by installing them as a city and by making resources for private residents easier to find.”
As a council member, how would you approach engaging with your constituents and balancing the priorities of the entire city with those of your ward? [Limit: 100 words]
“I am deeply committed to being a responsive council member. I intend to hold regular office hours both in-person and online, offering options for timing to accommodate different lifestyles. I would first and foremost be an advocate for the 3rd Ward and represent our viewpoints, but our community is less than eight square miles. Our priorities and values as Evanstonians are deeply connected across ward lines, and I want to draw on shared values as Evanstonians to move our city forward.”
