Sarah Michniewicz: ‘You Don’t Have to Leave Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One‘
Every month, Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month, she caught up with Sarah Michniewicz, the new District 1 City Councilor.
Congratulations on your win! Tell me a little about yourself.
Thank you! Living in Bayside has given me a unique perspective—it’s a neighborhood that deals with almost every major issue: homelessness, public safety, housing development, and even sea level rise. Bayside has it all, and unfortunately, not always in a good way.
Despite this, the neighborhood’s challenges are often underrepresented at City Hall. As far as I can tell, it’s been over 50 years since a District 1 City Councilor came from Bayside.
I’ve lived here for 27 years. I rented for nine years before buying the house next door. The previous owners were longtime residents and part of Bayside’s Armenian community. They wanted someone who genuinely cared about the neighborhood to take over, and I’m grateful for that opportunity. I’m a seamstress, and my husband is both a musician and a tech worker.
Living near the Oxford Street Shelter, I’ve had a front-row seat to the challenges of homelessness and the opioid crisis and how the city was struggling to address the associated needs. That’s what got me interested in city affairs. I got involved with the Bayside Neighborhood Association, and successfully advocated for replacing the old, inhumane shelter, as well as the recent surge in tree planting.
What made you decide to run for office?
I first ran in 2021. It was a big leap of faith, but I received a lot of encouragement from people I respect. Running for office felt like a natural next step in the work I was already doing. Some people doubted that someone from Bayside could win, but I was inspired by a TED Talk by Majora Carter, “You Don’t Have to Leave Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One.” That message resonated deeply with me.
In 2021, I lost by just 300 votes. It was close enough that I knew I wanted to try again.
What issues are you prioritizing?
I serve on the Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee and one of my first proposals is to create a homelessness strategic plan through asset mapping. Too much of what we’ve done in the past has been reactive. We need a long-term, comprehensive approach.
Are we using funds effectively? A strategic plan could help taxpayers understand why we’re making certain investments and guide us in choosing programs with the greatest impact.
A couple of years ago, I participated in Statewide Homelessness Council meetings planning a redesign of the state’s homelessness system through Community Solutions, an organization focused on the data-driven “Built for Zero” framework which aims to end homelessness by building systems that transition people out of homelessness as quickly as possible. It’s a tangible, understandable goal.
Here’s how I see it. If there’s a hole in the roof, you need to both fix the roof and put a bucket under the leak. With homelessness, we have to address immediate needs and also tackle systemic issues. Asset mapping will help us prioritize and connect resources.
I’m also concerned about sustainability. We’re not on track to meet our climate plan targets. Policy is important as are smaller steps. Recently, I co-led the Portland Window Dressers build, where volunteers create window inserts to prevent heat loss in the winter—a simple, practical step toward energy efficiency.
Trees are another passion of mine. Bayside has historically lacked tree coverage, with only 3% tree canopy a year ago. The city often prioritizes “easy” planting locations, which perpetuates inequities between neighborhoods. But last year, we planted 150 trees in Bayside, increasing our canopy to 7%. It’s progress, but we need to keep pushing. As we develop taller, denser buildings, we must prioritize green spaces.
What can the council do to address the housing crisis?
We need to examine the 25% inclusionary zoning requirement. While well-intentioned, it may be too high and impeding new development. Recent projects have relied on subsidies to create those units and concentrated them in separate buildings, which isn’t ideal.
The city has creative options, like issuing RFPs (requests for proposals) for land it owns, as it did with the Barron Center property. I’d also like to see more focus on rehabbing existing housing to improve energy efficiency.
Unfortunately, current funding mechanisms prioritize large-scale developments, which can face resistance. I’d love to see more incremental, community-driven building efforts.
Recode recently allowed for greater density, but I’m concerned about creating units that don’t support families or the generational diversity that makes communities vibrant. Right now, we do a good job supporting the economic extremes, but we need more housing options for the middle class. I’m eager to learn more about how we can address that gap.
What’s your plan for the next few months? Who will you be talking to?
My main goal is to be accessible. I’d like to start a newsletter or blog to keep people informed. Community engagement is key, and I want to make it as easy as possible for people to reach me.
Anyone can contact me at smichniewicz@portlandmaine.gov.
This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
