Lansing's charter revision process a hot topic as first few candidates ...

Julie Vandenboom has been in the Lansing area since the third grade and has lived in the city proper since 2000. She has a son. She currently serves as one of Lansing’s representatives on the board of the Capital Area District Libraries and is an active member of Lansing Rent is Too Damn High.

Julie is a public sector professional specializing in state government policy and program management. She has worked in Michigan state government for over 15 years, where she has conducted policy analysis, led planning and evaluation efforts, and carried out program re-engineering projects.

Supports hiring local labor for housing developments.

Plans to partner with local organizations to address food deserts and ensure equitable access to healthy food options.

Supports expanding access to farmers markets and farm-to-table programs.

Supports down payment assistance programs and financial literacy initiatives for first-time home buyers.

- Supports hiring local labor for housing developments.
- Plans to partner with local organizations to address food deserts and ensure equitable access to healthy food options.
- Supports expanding access to farmers markets and farm-to-table programs.
- Supports down payment assistance programs and financial literacy initiatives for first-time home buyers.

Economy

Supports ensuring that every Lansing resident has safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.

Supports developments that hire local labor and create permanently affordable, quality housing without massive tax giveaways.

Supports creating a "compassionate campus" to provide services for the unhoused community instead of criminalizing them.

Supports preserving existing affordable housing by establishing programs to maintain and rehabilitate aging housing stock, preventing displacement.

Supports preserving existing affordable housing by establishing programs to maintain and rehabilitate aging homes.

Supports tenant protections, such as the right to legal representation, right to repair, and right to organize.

- Supports ensuring that every Lansing resident has safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.
- Supports developments that hire local labor and create permanently affordable, quality housing without massive tax giveaways.
- Supports creating a "compassionate campus" to provide services for the unhoused community instead of criminalizing them.
- Supports preserving existing affordable housing by establishing programs to maintain and rehabilitate aging homes.
- Supports tenant protections, such as the right to legal representation, right to repair, and right to organize.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports removing the 20-year felony conviction disqualification for elected officials.

- Supports removing the 20-year felony conviction disqualification for elected officials.

Public Safety

As of August 14, 2025, Julie Vandenboom’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Supports increasing tree canopy coverage, expanding parks, and creating community gardens to improve air quality and combat urban heat.

Plans to work with local schools to implement farm-to-school programs and integrate gardening into educational curricula.

Supports moving city elections to even years to increase voter turnout and save the city money.

Supports increasing the number of wards in the city to 8 or 9 to improve resident access to council representatives and make campaigning more affordable for those with limited resources.

- Supports increasing tree canopy coverage, expanding parks, and creating community gardens to improve air quality and combat urban heat.
- Plans to work with local schools to implement farm-to-school programs and integrate gardening into educational curricula.
- Supports moving city elections to even years to increase voter turnout and save the city money.
- Supports increasing the number of wards in the city to 8 or 9 to improve resident access to council representatives and make campaigning more affordable for those with limited resources.

Public Services

Supports partnering with utilities and community organizations to increase access to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources.

Supports green building codes and incentivizing retrofitting homes and businesses with energy-efficient technologies.

Supports enhancing recycling and composting programs to reduce landfill waste and promote a circular economy.

Supports enhancing recycling and composting programs to reduce landfill waste.

Supports developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce Lansing's carbon footprint and prepare for climate impacts.

- Supports partnering with utilities and community organizations to increase access to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources.
- Supports green building codes and incentivizing retrofitting homes and businesses with energy-efficient technologies.
- Supports enhancing recycling and composting programs to reduce landfill waste.
- Supports developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce Lansing's carbon footprint and prepare for climate impacts.

Energy & the Environment

Supports building and maintaining protected bike lanes, bike-sharing stations, and safe bike parking throughout the city.

Supports enhancing crosswalks, sidewalks, and street lighting to ensure safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians of all abilities.

Supports improving crosswalks, sidewalks, and street lighting to ensure safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians of all abilities.

Supports working closely with public transit authorities to integrate walking and biking routes with transit hubs, encouraging multimodal transportation.

Supports adopting "Complete Streets" policies that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit over vehicle traffic in new road projects.

- Supports building and maintaining protected bike lanes, bike-sharing stations, and safe bike parking throughout the city.
- Supports improving crosswalks, sidewalks, and street lighting to ensure safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians of all abilities.
- Supports working closely with public transit authorities to integrate walking and biking routes with transit hubs, encouraging multimodal transportation.
- Supports adopting "Complete Streets" policies that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit over vehicle traffic in new road projects.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Julie Vandenboom

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City council members may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.