Meet the Candidate- Afroz Khan (At-large City Council)

This profile is part of a “Meet the Candidate” series. All candidates were given the opportunity to answer the same questions. Their responses are published verbatim, without any editing.

Why did you decide to run for office?

My husband and I moved to Newburyport in 2005 after he accepted a job here. Aside from being a beautiful place to live, it was also convenient for me to commute to my work in Boston’s North End.

Our daughters were born in 2006 and 2009 at Anna Jacques Hospital. As they grew up, I saw that even in a progressive city like ours, there were still misunderstandings about people of color, different faiths, and diverse backgrounds. I began speaking in our schools about Muslim holidays and traditions, and I spoke out when students in our community faced antisemitic comments. Those experiences taught me how important it is to bring different voices and perspectives into public life.

I never imagined serving as a city councilor. But one person changed that for me — a woman I knew through years of volunteering in our schools. She encouraged me to run for City Councilor At Large in 2017 when an open seat became available. At the time, I didn’t know much about the role, but I saw it as a chance to take representation to the next level and make sure all families in our city felt included.

Seven and a half years later, I still feel deeply committed to this work. I’ve learned how much thoughtful local leadership matters, and I know there is still more to do. I want to keep using my experience to help solve problems, guide smart growth, and ensure Newburyport remains the vibrant and welcoming community we all cherish.

If reelected, what would be your top 3 priorities?

1. Essential Infrastructure Investments
2. Housing Affordability
3. Economic Development

How has prior experience (either professional or personal) prepared you for this role?

In my thirty years of working as an engineer, I’ve learned how to bring people together to solve complex problems. In my field, progress depends on collaboration, consensus, and solutions that can stand the test of time. Those same skills of being thoughtful, open-minded, and focused on results are what I’ve carried into my work as a city councilor. I also pay close attention to following procedures while looking for ways to make them work better in practice.

Respectful communication is always important, especially when people don’t agree. But I’ve also learned that taking the middle ground isn’t always enough. Sometimes you must stand firmly for what’s right, while still keeping the door open to honest conversation. That balance of listening carefully, standing up when needed, and finding common ground when possible has guided my work on the Council.

If I am re-elected, I will continue to lead in this way: thoughtful, collaborative, and committed to making decisions that keep Newburyport strong, fair, and welcoming for everyone.

What can city government do to make local housing more affordable?

All communities are exploring this topic and have created some creative approaches through zoning bylaws as well as seeking approval for tax relief programs through home rule petitions to the state. The most obvious approach for city councilors is to review our current zoning and update them. Some examples include updating our zoning maps to allow more multifamily buildings where we currently only allow single family homes through a thoughtful review of the entire city districts to see where that would make sense. We can also update our inclusionary zoning language (adopted in the city in 2017) which currently mandates 12% affordable units for projects with six or more dwelling units.

As a member on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) I have heard about efforts by other communities to address this issue; such as creating zoning bylaws to specifically address the trend of demolishing smaller, older homes and replacing them with much larger ones that are out of scale with the neighborhood. These ordinances often use Floor Area Ratios (FAR), sliding-scale FAR, and other bulk restrictions to limit the size of new construction.

These are an example of the tools that we can use from a legislative perspective, but we also need to make sure we bring the community on board with us. The solution is not always increasing our housing stock but instead, understanding how we keep housing affordable here.

Do you think residents are getting their money’s worth in city services from taxes?

This is an important question because taxes here are high, and it is only natural to want to know how that the money is being used.

We are one of the safest communities in the commonwealth and I can say assuredly through watching my kids go through our school system, that we are very fortunate to have incredible facilities with hard-working and nurturing staff. We also see our tax dollars at work in the services we use every day. Trash and recycling are picked up regularly, roads are plowed in the winter, and the city invests in maintaining our infrastructure. Newburyport also has a citywide composting program which helps residents cut down on trash. Add in our parks, the waterfront, and community events, and it’s clear that we get a lot back in services that make life here enjoyable.

That said, it’s also true that living in Newburyport is expensive. The rising costs are a real challenge for seniors, young families, and working residents. We also have aging roads, seawalls, and pipes that need regular attention, which means careful planning for the future.

So, are we getting our money’s worth? I believe we are, but we must keep working at it. That means stretching every tax dollar, seeking state and federal funds, and planning wisely for the future. Every dollar should support safety, reliability, and growth that prioritizes protecting critical services, like our water system, and our aging facilities that keep the city running every day.

How would you balance historic preservation with more practical concerns like safety and accessibility?

Balancing historic preservation with safety and accessibility means respecting Newburyport’s character while making sure everyone can get around safely. The best approach is finding middle ground. Our brick sidewalks are a good example. They reflect the city’s history and add to its charm, but they can also be uneven and difficult for seniors, parents with strollers, or people with mobility challenges. I personally know this when I walk with my 90-year-old mom around the neighborhood in the south end. She tripped a few years ago on the bricks during one of these walks which was a terrifying experience. A passerby helped me get her up and we then started walking on the street instead which is not a good solution.

Solutions include exploring approaches that can preserve the look and feel of the brick while finding practical ways to improve safety. That could mean using smoother, flatter brick in repairs, making sure sidewalks are maintained more often, or blending brick with other materials in high- traffic areas. This way, we honor our history without creating barriers for residents and visitors.

Historic preservation shouldn’t mean freezing things in time. It should mean adapting our history for the future so that Newburyport stays both beautiful and accessible for everyone.

How do you think Newburyport schools stack up against others in Essex County?

According to Niche.com, Newburyport Public Schools rank in the 44th percentile among schools in Essex County. By that measure, we are slightly above average compared to our neighboring districts. But numbers only tell part of the story.

My husband and I both grew up attending public schools, so when we moved to Newburyport in 2005, one of our first questions was about the schools. A colleague who lived here with three children at the Brown, Molin, and Nock had nothing but positive things to say about their experiences. The main criticism he shared — and one that still stands out today — was the lack of diversity. Even Niche gives Newburyport a C+ in that area.

Our daughters have experienced these schools firsthand. Our younger daughter is now entering her junior year at Newburyport High School. She started preschool at the former Brown School and was part of the first kindergarten class at the new Bresnahan Elementary School. Our older daughter attended Newburyport schools through middle school before moving on to the

Governor’s Academy for high school. Both of them benefited not only from dedicated teachers who sparked their love of learning, but also from the mental health support that is so critical for young people today.

I’ve seen firsthand the strengths of our schools as well as the challenges. As a city councilor, I don’t set the curriculum, but I do believe local leadership plays a role in supporting strong schools. That means advocating for smart budget decisions and ensuring facilities remain well-maintained. I truly believe that resilient, supported youth build a resilient, supportive community. This means supporting strong academics, multiple pathways for students and a school environment where every child feels welcome, encouraged, and ready to succeed.

What else should voters know about you?

I am not just a woman in politics or an electrical engineer. I am also the daughter of immigrant parents who came to this country from India. My formative years growing up outside of Chicago in the late 70’s were spent balancing the traditions of an eastern culture at home with the realities of growing up in the West. In my youth I was mercilessly teased and mocked from the way my mom dressed me, to the amount of hair on my arms or simply the color of my skin. All of this resulted in me being a very shy, insecure and withdrawn teenager.

However, that quiet, introverted self was tested in Fairbanks, Alaska, where I studied in a male- dominated field. I was the only woman in the entire electrical engineering department. Later, after earning my master’s degree in Electric Power Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York, I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee for my first job. There, I faced a new challenge—working with male colleagues who were not shy about decorating their offices with posters of barely clothed women.

I had to find my voice and learn to speak up, even when it didn’t come naturally to me. And that is why it is still unbelievable to me that the quiet, withdrawn girl I once was—the one who spent her teenage years quietly observing the world yet afraid to be part of it—now has her voice echoing in our city hall chambers.

To me, that is the beauty of this country: we are not limited by where we start. We can take our potential anywhere we want it to go.

Afroz Khan is a candidate for Newburyport City Council, at large. Election and early voting information can be found here.