Kathryn Franco

Kathryn is a passionate social worker and public health professional who has dedicated her life to promoting social justice in her hometown of Buffalo. Running for the University District Common Council seat, she believes that it is time for the voices and concerns of everyday people to be prioritized by city decision-makers. The University District exemplifies Buffalo's deep segregation and poverty, with high rates of eviction notices, tax foreclosures, and health disparities. Kathryn is committed to fighting for safe, affordable housing, transparent and accountable community investment, and re-imagining public safety. She is also focused on climate change and addressing the root causes of poverty, recognizing that Buffalo is slated as a future climate refuge.

Kathryn has an impressive track record of securing Community Benefits Agreements, fighting for participatory budgeting, and promoting the establishment of a public bank, all aimed at shifting power and control to communities. Her goal is to continue this advocacy and use her position on the Common Council to co-govern with University District residents. If elected, Kathryn would be the first woman in a decade to serve on Buffalo's Common Council. She and her wife Melinda reside in the Ken-Bailey neighborhood in Buffalo. Kathryn currently serves as an adjunct professor for the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo. Her dedication to promoting social justice and empowering local communities makes her a formidable candidate for the University District Common Council seat.