Jeff Sanford has announced he will seek re-election to the Owensboro City Commission, citing a desire to continue working on projects he helped initiate during his current term, including industrial development, affordable housing, downtown revitalization, and addressing homelessness.
“I want to see through the things we’ve started,” Sanford said.
Sanford, who is a local real estate agent and longtime public servant, said he’s running to continue the momentum on several key priorities he campaigned on during his last run, beginning with industrial growth.
“One of the biggest things I campaigned on last time was the industrial park, and we’ve now secured the property for that,” he said. “But we still need infrastructure, and I’ve been talking with state officials about funding to help make that happen. Those manufacturing jobs with good incomes fuel everything else we’re trying to do.”
Sanford also noted the City’s move to place a moratorium on new homeless shelters and drug rehabs to assess how to better manage homelessness locally. He said the goal is to evaluate the broader impact and work with local partners before expanding services.
“We don’t have a grip on it,” Sanford said. “It’s happening everywhere across the country, but we need to figure out a better plan before we keep increasing what we have. A lot of it is tied to mental health.”
He also touted progress on revitalization efforts — particularly on Frederica Street and at Towne Square Mall.
“The mall debacle — that’s been fixed,” he said. “From what I’ve seen, the redevelopment is going to be ready sooner than expected, and it might be even bigger than I thought. That could be something really good for the community.”
Sanford credited local investors for helping bring new life to South Frederica Street and the surrounding areas.
“These guys could have taken their money anywhere, but they chose to invest in their own community — and that should be commended,” he said.
Another key priority Sanford wants to keep pushing is city beautification.
“I feel a lot better about where we are,” he said. “You’ll see some new features coming to city entrances and some of the spaces we’ve all gotten used to, just cleaning up and freshening things up.”
Looking ahead, Sanford said affordable housing is a growing issue he wants to tackle. He referenced high prices, low inventory, and the struggle for young families trying to enter the market.
“We’re looking at accessory dwelling units, smaller developments, and maybe even some tiny house concepts, just some things to create attainable housing,” he said. “This is something I deal with every day in my profession.”
Sanford said his decision-making style is shaped by experience and community input.
“I listen to a lot of feedback from people I know and people I don’t,” he said. “At the end of the day, you have to go with your gut and what you’ve learned from experience. You’re not going to make everyone happy every time — that’s just unrealistic. But I think my track record shows I know how to get things done.”
Now 58, Sanford said he’s proud of the progress Owensboro has made and wants to keep helping the City move forward.
“There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that people don’t always see,” he said. “I think our future is strong. I’ve worked with everyone — City staff, police, fire, finance, commissioners — and I’ve learned something from every one of them.”
Sanford said he remains accessible to constituents and is regularly approached by community members — whether at his office or out in the community.
“I’m not hard to find,” he said. “People come in and talk to me all the time. I’m out and about quite a bit.”
He said he plans to roll out updated campaign priorities in the near future, but emphasized that finishing what’s already started is his main focus.
“You can’t start something without finishing it,” he said. “That’s what I want to keep doing — making sure we follow through on the things that matter.”
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