Between COVID-19, the Karen Garner incident and polarization on the dais, Andrea Samson characterized her tenure on Loveland City Council as “drinking from Niagara Falls.”
But amid the tumult, the city also made significant accomplishments in areas such as homelessness, economic development and representation, the mother of two said. Now she is hoping voters in Loveland’s Ward 2 will give her a chance to capitalize on that momentum and continue her work building a brighter future for all Loveland residents.
“I knew when I was coming to Loveland that I wanted to put down roots here and be part of its growth and make space for my family and other families,” she said. “Yes, there’s been contention, but I feel council has come together in the last few years and that contention has brought opportunity for better solutions to be found.”
Leading Samson’s list of better solutions is City Council’s recent focus on addressing homelessness in Loveland, a cause she has been involved with since 2016, before her election. Back then, she said, the issue was very low on the city’s list of priorities, but now, City Council is not just discussing it, but also taking action and working with other stakeholders on long-term solutions.
“It just wasn’t a conversation they wanted to have,” she said. “And to fast forward seven years later, it almost brings me to tears when I vote on these things. Because these are the dreams we had seven years ago, to have St. Valentine’s and to have a shelter and to have a day center and to have these resources and all of these nonprofits that are coming together.”
Along with homelessness, Samson also praised the city’s efforts on affordable and attainable housing over the past four years, pointing to thousands of new single and multi-family residential units in the city’s inventory. She also lauded the City Council’s work on reforming its metro district policies to protect homeowners.
However, Samson acknowledged that there are still gaps in Loveland’s affordable “ownership” opportunities and said a top priority in her second term would be to boost housing in this category.
“It’s really the most effective way to regulate pricing and make things more affordable,” she said.
When it comes to her personal accomplishments on City Council, Samson said that she is proudest of her success at representing perspectives that tend to get overlooked in Loveland, including young families, women and the disabled community. She also touted her ability to find common ground with other councilors on divisive issues, a skill that came only after some hard lessons.
“I came into council really gung ho, and whatever my position was, I wasn’t going to budge if people didn’t like it,” she said. “The biggest change has been recognizing that I can get so much more done for the city if I can figure out how to work with all of the personalities on council.”
That search for compromise and representation is part of the reasoning behind Samson’s yes vote on the controversial Centerra South urban renewal plan, a move that drew criticism from constituents and other elected officials in the area.
“The biggest shift for me was seeing the need and the opportunity for my voice to be at the table,” she explained. “I thought it was important to fully understand the issue and see where I could come in and encourage compromise.”
She also came to see the Centerra South plan as “smart growth” for Loveland and a place for future generations to have a “sustainable place to live.”
Currently, Samson is the City Council liaison to the Human Services and Disability Advisory commissions, and the vice-chair of the Loveland Urban Renewal Authority board. She has also served on the executive board of the Colorado Municipal League and as a member of the Thompson School District Special Education Advisory Commission.
Samson is being challenged in Ward 2 by political newcomer Kat McManus. To make the ballot in November’s municipal election, each is required to collect 25 validated signatures from Ward 2 residents before Aug. 28.
For more information about Samson and her campaign, visit andreasamson.com or @andrea4Loveland on social media. For more information about the upcoming 2023 municipal election in Loveland, visit lovgov.org/city-government/city-clerk/elections.
