GROW HAMDEN
What Our Future Looks Like
My name is Dominique Baez and I am your current Legislative Council President and I am asking to become your next Mayor.
I’m not here to build my Hamden, I’m here to build ours.
Over the years, I’ve listened as residents have shared ways to improve our town. The Grow Hamden platform isn’t just my vision, it’s a collective one. Together, with a strong and deliberate hand, we’ll turn those ideas into action.
Getting Involved
Every Little Bit Helps
We need all the community help we can during this campaign! As we get closer to the election, we need lots and lots of volunteers. Check back here in a few days to learn how to get involved in the campaign.
Our Platform
to GROW HAMDEN
Business Development & Corridor Revitalization
We grow Hamden by growing opportunity for residents and businesses alike.
- Neighborhood-First Growth: Invest in walkable communities by bringing in businesses that meet residents’ needs while supporting the small businesses already rooted here.
- Corridor Redevelopment: Focus on mixed-use zones that serve both residential and retail needs, especially in our most populated neighborhoods.
- Build on Smart Planning: Hamden’s past leaders once listened to a student intern who proposed the Hamden Business Park, and that plan delivered decades of returns. Let’s listen again, plan with purpose, and execute boldly.
Beautification: Build a Greener, More Inviting Hamden
Nature is one of Hamden’s greatest assets—and we’re going to celebrate and expand it.
- New Parks Initiative: Identify and transform at least four underutilized areas into vibrant green spaces, including micro-parks and full-scale recreation areas.
- Tree City in Action: Expand our tree planting program to include renters and underserved neighborhoods. More trees, more shade, more pride.
- Green Tourism Map: Launch a visitor map that highlights Hamden’s trails, parks, and outdoor gems, inviting people to explore and invest in our town.
Partnerships for People: Addressing Social Needs
A thriving community is one where people have homes, jobs, and dignity.
- Smart Housing Development: Partner with developers to build housing on small properties, without raising taxes.
- Job Training for Real Opportunities: Launch workforce development tied directly to Hamden’s growth. Get residents into good jobs with real training.
- Support for Community Providers: Welcome back organizations offering hot meals and social services. Give them space to serve and grow.
Efficient, Equitable Education
While the Mayor doesn’t run the school system, we do have real power to support it.
- Invest in School Buildings: Ensure Hamden’s schools are safe, functional, and future-ready, just like our neighborhoods.
- Expand Vocational and Technical Training: Provide students with the tools they need for success in trades and beyond.
- Bridge Schools and Community: Grow internship programs, create mentorship pipelines, and encourage youth civic engagement through town commissions and senior centers.
Community Policing: Safety Through Connection
We will create a public safety model built on transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility.
- Neighborhood-Based Policing: Establish clear policing districts that bring officers and residents closer together.
- Regular Community Safety Meetings: Facilitate ongoing forums with neighborhood watch groups, associations, town staff, and police to share data, raise concerns, and build trust.
- Business Beat Walks: Organize walk-throughs with the Mayor and Police Chief in business corridors throughout the year.
- Youth Engagement Spaces: Invite student groups into public spaces like the plaza with incentives, video game nights, college prep workshops, food trucks, and most importantly, respect.
