Issues for our future
Howard County, like communities across the country, is feeling the impact of national political turmoil, rising costs, and an affordability crisis. The choices we make about our schools, our safety, our housing, and our environment will shape the community our children inherit. Janssen is running for County Council because he believes District 4 deserves a servant leader guided by integrity who puts the community first, knowing that a strong future depends on trust, opportunity, and our shared commitment to one another. He brings senior experience in economic development, housing, land use, and community safety along with lived experience as an immigrant, a parent, and an engaged community member to deliver a future where neighbors are supported, economic opportunities are within reach, and people of every age and background can thrive. This unique combination of experience and perspective is what our community needs in a time of rapid growth and change.
His vision is simple: every child should have opportunity, every family should feel safe, and every neighbor should belong. His service in government and across the community has shown him what is possible when people come together with a shared purpose. He is ready to bring that spirit of collaboration and care to the County Council.
Strong Schools & Thriving Students
Great schools are the bedrock of a great community. As the son of an educator and a father of two HCPSS students, Janssen knows that children thrive when educators are supported and every child is seen, valued, and safe.
Opportunity gaps remain, and without decisive action they will widen. Janssen will work for a school system where every student has access to a high quality education and a path to succeed.
Janssen will:
Protect Our Schools & Promote Inclusive Excellence
Stand against book bans, expand mental health resources, and ensure every child from every background feels seen, safe, and supported.
Modernize Our Schools & Build for Growth
Invest in facility repairs, eliminate the maintenance backlog, and build new schools to alleviate overcrowding.
Close the Digital Divide & Expand Technological Equity
Guarantee every student has the technology and connectivity they need to learn and excel.
Provide Students the Building Blocks for Professional Careers
Extend and expand vocational, technical, and post secondary opportunities for students including scholarship, internship, and career services in partnership with the library system.
Fully Fund Our Schools
Reduce class sizes, recruit and retain top educators, and provide the resources our classrooms need to succeed.
Safe, Connected, and Healthy Communities
True safety is more than the absence of crime. It is the presence of trust, opportunity, and support. As the first Executive Director of the Anne Arundel County Office of Police Accountability, Janssen helped build new systems that strengthened transparency and trust between residents and law enforcement.
Howard County is one of the safest places in Maryland, thanks in part to the strong relationship between HCPD and the community. Sustaining that success requires continued attention to community health, youth support, and collaborative problem solving. Janssen believes safety is built when residents are connected to resources, when young people feel supported, and when public institutions work hand in hand with the community.
Janssen will:
Support Youth and Strengthen Community Wellbeing
Invest in youth mentorship, expanded after school programs, and community-based mental health supports so young people and families have what they need long before a crisis occurs. Prevention saves lives, strengthens families, and keeps communities safe.
Address Hunger and Strengthen Local Support Systems
Reduce food insecurity by expanding partnerships with community organizations, food access programs, and human services agencies. Stability and safety are linked, and no family should face hunger alone.
Expand Community Policing and Behavioral Health Response
Build on HCPD’s strong community relationships by supporting community policing efforts and expanding behavioral health crisis response so trained professionals can assist residents in moments of mental health or substance-use crisis.
Support Survivors and Strengthen Community Safety
Improve access to preventive health care and expand supports for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trauma. A safe community ensures its most vulnerable neighbors are protected and supported.
Advance Transparency and Community Trust
Promote practices that keep public safety agencies open, accountable, and engaged with residents. Janssen will bring his experience in police accountability to support policies that enhance transparency and build long-term trust.Advance transparency and accountability in public safety.
Attainable Housing, Community Centered Placemaking, and Economic Opportunity for All
When the cost of living rises faster than what families earn, our entire community feels the strain. To build stability, we must connect residents to good jobs, support local businesses, and expand access to attainable housing.
As Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Janssen works every day on the issues that shape local incomes, housing availability, and business growth. He understands how policy translates into real outcomes for families — and what practical steps are needed to make communities more livable, affordable, and welcoming.
By prioritizing local contractors who pay a true living wage and helping residents navigate today’s job market, we can build an economy that works for everyone. Together, we can create a community where every family can afford not only the essentials, but also the joys of life in Howard County.
Janssen will:
Invest in Ourselves
Support small and minority-owned businesses, strengthen the local workforce, and expand access to job training and apprenticeship programs. By keeping public dollars circulating within the community, we grow an economy that lifts everyone.
Champion Smart, Inclusive Placemaking
Promote inclusive, mixed-use development that turns underused properties into walkable community hubs. Prioritize environmental design, green space, and accessible public amenities that bring people together and support local prosperity.
Expand Attainable Housing for Every Stage of Life
Increase housing options so educators, first responders, healthcare workers, young families, and older adults can live where they work and age in place with dignity. Attainable housing strengthens neighborhoods and keeps our community connected.
Strengthen Wages and Keep Local Dollars Local
Encourage development that pays true living wages and invests in local labor. When residents earn more and businesses hire locally, our community becomes more resilient, more prosperous, and more equitable.
A Sustainable Environment for Our Shared Future
As President of the Howard County Conservancy and an avid community gardener, Janssen understands that environmental stewardship starts with community stewardship. Protecting natural spaces, promoting sustainability, and engaging the next generation are essential to a strong and healthy Howard County. Much like our natural ecosystem, our community flourishes when every individual is supported, valued, and able to play their part. Everyone deserves the chance to grow, contribute and find their place in the shared ecosystem of District 4. We can nurture that growth by protecting the spaces we inhabit while meeting the needs of our neighbors. By uplifting the next generation of environmental stewards, we plant the seeds for a stronger and healthier future.
Janssen will:
Cultivate and Protect Our Natural Spaces
Invest in the maintenance, protection, and improvements of our local green spaces while reducing pavement in neighborhoods and village centers.
Environmental Stewardship for Our Children, Our Planet, and Our Future
Bring together community organizations to expand youth development in environmental stewardship and provide students and youth groups with the capital funds for environmental projects that benefit all of Howard County.
Protect Our Natural World and Confront The Impacts of Climate Change
Establish a Howard County Resilience Authority to secure the needed funding for green infrastructure, renewable energy, climate adaptation, and transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly development that connects neighborhoods and reduces emissions.
Manage Food Waste and Expand Public Gardens
Fund food rescue and redirection programs as well as public garden expansions to tackle food insecurity and expand our composting and recycling capabilities.
Support our campaign
This Campaign is built by neighbors and friends who believe that with the right leaders, our community can work for everyone. If you’re able, will you chip in $25, $50, or whatever feels right to help power this work? Every contribution strengthens our shared push for a more connected, more affordable District 4 and Howard County.
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