Alvarys Santana, Concord City Council candidate, answers our questions
To help inform voters in the Nov. 4, 2025 election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Alvarys Santana
Birthdate: May 1992
Campaign website or social media page: https://vote-alvarys.org/
Occupation: Consultant
Education: Bachelors in Political Science and Pre Law from Hunter College-CUNY, MBA from Fayetteville State University
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held): No, first time
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
I’ve dedicated years to disability advocacy for children, opioid reduction initiatives, and school system volunteering. As a Juvenile Crime Prevention Council member, I focus on youth development programs. I’ve served on executive boards addressing immigration, housing/homelessness, and second chance programs, building coalitions to create comprehensive community solutions.
What are the most important issues facing Concord today, and how would you address them?
Rapid growth is pricing out working families while straining infrastructure. I’ll require developers to include affordable housing and local hiring, diversify revenue to reduce property tax burden, and ensure new development pays its fair share of infrastructure costs rather than burdening existing residents with the bill.
How would you ensure Concord’s growth doesn’t outpace its infrastructure?
Have impact fees that require new developments to pay for the infrastructure they create demand for - roads, schools, utilities - rather than forcing existing residents to shoulder those costs through higher taxes. Additionally, I’d establish growth management policies that tie new development approvals to infrastructure capacity, ensuring we build the roads, water systems, and public safety resources first, then approve development that matches what our infrastructure can actually support.
Why should voters choose you over others who are in the race?
I bring unique experience spanning government advisory work, corporate leadership, and grassroots advocacy for vulnerable populations. While others talk about growth, I’ve actually worked on economic development that serves communities, not just developers. My hands-on volunteer work in schools and disability advocacy means I understand both business needs and family struggles.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 7:04 AM.
