Meet Charles
Veteran
Small Business Leader
Advocate
About Charles
Charles Garrison is a veteran and lifelong First Coast resident. Charles is currently the chair of the Water Committee on Jacksonville’s Environmental Protection Board, which he join after serving as the previous Secretary on Jacksonville’s Housing & Community Development Commission. He also serves on the board of directors for Changing Homelessness, a local non-profit whose vision is to end homelessness.
Charles is running for Jacksonville City Council because he knows he can be the leader the City needs to build us forward.
Early Years
When Charles was in High School, he contemplated suicide. As an LGBTQ teen, he was trying to navigate who he was and what society wanted him to be. His experience during this time led him to become an advocate for mental health, the LGBTQ community, and affordable housing, since so many LGTBQ youth face homelessness.
Passion for Progress
Over the last ten years, Charles has advocated for communities across Jacksonville. He began his work as a Big Brother through Duval’s Big Brother/Big Sister program. In 2015, he joined the board directors of JASMYN, Jacksonville’s LGBTQ youth services organization, where he soon became Chair of their property board of directors. Working in the private sector, Charles oversaw and helped families find affordable housing and access to mortgages helping eliminate barriers to homeownership, including working with his employer to change their policy as it related to applicants with prior felony convictions.
Priorities
Housing Affordability
Since 2010, I've been working with private businesses and non-profits to build access to safe & affordable housing for our Jacksonville neighbors.
Now is the time for an "all hands-on deck" search for solutions.
Public Safety
We've seen shootings and murders increase over 40% in the last year, while the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has been chronically short staffed.
We must support our First Responders, while also supporting programs that have been shown to stop violence AND increase our community's vitality.
Government for the People
Trust and transparency - these are the very basic tenets of a functional government. Over the last few years, we've seen an erosion to both of those.
We need brave leaders that will push for what's right, consistently and without exception. Our government should work for all of our neighbors.
Investing in Our Future
Flooding. Infrastructure. Septic tanks. Transportation and traffic. Trash collections. Unkept promises from consolidation. Downtown revitalization. Youth programs.
We need leaders that will listen to our neighbors and invest in our future. No more hearing about our potential, it's time to #BUILDFORWARD and see Jacksonville's potential realized.
