ALL Iowa City VOTERS CAN VOTE: Tuesday March 4th!
Your Polling Location - Tuesday 7 A M - 8 PM
Where to vote on Tuesday, March 4th? (Click here)
“I have had the privilege of working closely with Ross Nusser, a dedicated Board member of Successful Living in Iowa City.
Ross has been an unwavering advocate for affordable housing and is deeply committed to improving mental healthcare in our community. Since Ross joined our Board, our Housing program has expanded significantly, growing from just a few houses to 14 today, providing a safe and supportive living environment for 56 adults in our community.
​
His strong dedication to supporting individuals with disabilities, along with his passionate advocacy for mental health, makes him an invaluable asset to Iowa City.
​
As affordable housing and mental health services continue to be critical issues in our city, Ross Nusser’s leadership on the city council would ensure that the voices of marginalized groups are heard and represented with both compassion and unwavering commitment.”
Dr. Joseph Massa
Executive Director-Successful Living
“Ross’s understanding of the vital need for comprehensive mental health and substance use services, combined with his strategic vision and compassionate approach, has been instrumental in guiding our non-profit agency through both challenging and transformative times.
​
Ross consistently demonstrates a genuine passion for improving the lives of those we serve and has proven to be a dedicated advocate for the needs of our community.”
Michelle De La Riva
Executive Director, Community and Family Resources.
_edited.jpg)
“As a 3rd Generation Business owner and a lifelong 7th Generation Iowa Citian, I know that Ross Nusser will bring a voice to the Council that has been missing and will bring a generational perspective that is needed. I fully support Ross Nusser for City Council”.
Doug Alberhasky
Owner, John's Grocery
As a lifetime resident of Iowa City, I have seen and interacted with many local people in leadership positions. Some of them were really good at pointing out the myriad of problems our community faced. However, most were less than stellar at coming up with solutions to those problems, putting those solutions into an action plan, and making sure that plan was implemented with fidelity. I believe that when Ross Nusser becomes our District C representative he will demonstrate that he is a true change agent who will selflessly serve his constituents while addressing the issues our community faces. Ross has served on the board of Successful Living for thirteen years and over that time has helped provide hundreds of people receive the mental health and housing support they so desperately needed.
​
As the President of the Community and Family Resources Substance Abuse Committee he has helped countless people gain access to substance abuse services that have been inadequate for far too long. As a member of the Johnson County Housing and Fellowship Board he has helped craft and implement plans to address the issue of low cost housing in our community. There are other philanthropic endeavors that Ross has partaken in and knowing him as I do, I can guarantee that his spirit of volunteerism will continue to be a large part of his life. As a successful realtor, Ross has of course helped many people find their dream homes. He has also helped businesses find their place in our community, which subsequently has resulted in the creation of good paying jobs for many of our area residents.
Clearly Ross is a visionary, and his visions are more than mere words on paper. His track record of being able to work with a truly diverse group of people and his ability to see things through to the end make him an obvious choice for the open District C council position.
Please join me in support of Ross Nusser in the upcoming primary and election.
Tom Braverman
Director of the Community Inclusion Club
I've known Ross Nusser since I was five years old when we were in the same kindergarten class. But there is a reason that thirty-four years later he's still one of my best friends. While we are very different people who have taken very different paths to how we serve our communities, I've never doubted his commitment to Iowa City, and the various communities that live and work there. In the many conversations we've had over the years, I've listened to him struggle with what a meaningful public response might be in the wake of massive unrest, as well as how to best serve the needs of low-income communities in need of housing, how to serve those who have struggled with drug addiction, mental health, and other communities that face barriers to housing.
One of the many things I appreciate about Ross is his willingness to have conversations with people who are knowledgeable in areas he is trying to learn about, even if he knows he may disagree with their positions. He isn't afraid to admit his mistakes, and is always willing to learn more or question his underlying assumptions. Ross and his family are deeply invested in Iowa City, and I have always been impressed by his constant willingness to serve in so many capacities to try and make Iowa City a place where everyone can be welcome and succeed.
Margaret Weirich
Lifelong Friend
I have to support the person who I trust to make the best decisions for the community I care about, the community that I have served for three years on the council, the community that I served for many years before that as a labor, housing, and political activist, and the community where my family lives. Ross Nusser is that person for me."
To read more on Shawn’s Endorsement click here:
Shawn Harmsen
Iowa City Councilor
In politically turbulent times such as these, Iowa City needs a city council member with a long-standing record of commitment to the community, a mature attitude, and a deep concern for all members of our community. That’s why I’m voting for Ross Nusser for City Council. Ross wants to maximize city resources to ensure safe roads and neighborhoods and a well-funded fire department. He is committed to using city policy and resources to create more affordable housing options. He believes in the value of investing in safe, accessible recreation spaces throughout our community.
Ross knows that being an effective council member depends on hard work and respect for the viewpoints of the members of our diverse community. He has demonstrated his ability to do this hard work and to treat others with respect as a 13-year member of the board of Successful Living (serving people experiencing chronic mental illness), as president of the board of Community and Family Resources (providing behavioral health and substance abuse treatment), as a board member of The Housing Fellowship, and through countless other commitments to the larger community.
Tom Rocklin
Vice President Emeritus, University of Iowa
We encourage you to support Ross Nusser for Iowa City Council. Ross has shown a strong commitment to improving our community and addressing the challenges faced by both residents and businesses. As an HBA, we believe he will be a valuable ally in advancing our mission and goals.
Home Builders Association
I have known and respected the Nusser family for years, but it wasn't until about a year ago that I got to really understand who Ross is as a person. He approached some of us business owners on the North Side about a project idea. After listening to our concerns as tenants, and those of the neighborhood, he opted to not move forward on this project. That speaks volumes to his character and to why I support his campaign.
This is a quality I look for in a councilor. Someone who will listen to all sides on a situation before making a judgement. He is not someone who will come in thinking he has all the answers, but will listen and evaluate wisely on what is best for the long term of our community.
Ross also understands this real estate market and how difficult the math is to build affordable housing which is so critically needed in Iowa City. He understands that to make progress it will take both public investment, but also working with staff and builders to find ways to address and improve upon well intentioned building codes and design standards which have unfortunately made it nearly impossible for anyone to build housing that can be considered affordable.
I trust that Ross will listen and learn and do all he can to support every member of our community
Mark Nolte
This has been one of the most intense local campaigns I have seen yet. It has been fraught with personal attacks, casual cruelty online, and has skirted a long-standing agreement set up (and recently reaffirmed) in the City Charter that campaigns do not accept more than $100 dollars from individuals. While borne from passion and conviction about the merits of our candidates, the ways support has manifested is disheartening. It has also been distracting and difficult to focus on the essence of the candidates’ approaches. After taking time to think thoroughly, I am endorsing Ross Nusser. I have met both candidates, talked with them at length, and have been thinking about what they offer. Both candidates are committed to public good—it’s what brought them to run for Council in the first place. But how they have done this work is different, and it makes a difference when thinking about the impact on policy and governance—the fundamental work of being an elected official. Ross has been involved in this community for years in ways that anticipate the experience and approach to work we need on Council. As a former board member on Iowa City’s preeminent affordable housing partner, The Housing Fellowship, he has gained insights about what works and what doesn’t and how to leverage partnerships for sustainable solutions. Ross’s long-time commitment to local food sourcing and small farms is a welcome and unique vantage point for this Council to consider as food instability grows. His record of serving on and collaborating with groups like the Johnson County Comprehensive Plan Committee is itself a testament to working with multiple perspectives and interests to achieve a common goal. Oliver Weilein is a community activist. His work is grounded in grassroots efforts and direct impact. This background is one of his biggest appeals. It is important work, but it is different in approach. As a grassroots worker, he is experienced in direct action—getting crowdsourced supplies to drop off at Shelter House, for instance. And as an activist, much of what he does is draw as much attention to a situation as possible in order to bring pressure and change upon policy. (Both of these observations come from conversations I have had with him and also from his social media.) Activism and governance are not the same; at their best they are complementary. But neither one should be understood as transferrable when considering two different forms of effecting change. In these incredibly difficult times, with real threats coming from the state and federal government to our community and our most vulnerable residents, I want a colleague who thinks about long-term implications, understands that governance often happens in the face of disapproval from vocal advocates, and is steadfast, who thinks through multiple scenarios, and is open to multiple perspectives. The work is going to be hard in these next four years. We will not always get outcomes that create a resounding yell of triumph. Most government work does not. We will need multiple strategies to resist, let alone flourish. Ross understands this approach and for me he is the right person to be Iowa City’s representative for District C
Megan Alter
Iowa City Councilor
Everyone registered to vote in Iowa City can vote (not just district c voters) in the March 4 City Council Election. PLEASE VOTE on or before March 4. I just voted (early) for Ross Nusser. Over the past several weeks I've spent time with both candidates and watched both of them attend community events, share their messages, listen to voters, and work hard to earn votes. Regardless of the election outcome, I promise to do my best to work productively with both of them. One will work for us inside our city government and the other should work for us outside of our city government. If you'd like to see what other councilors are saying, I found Counselor Harmsen's piece on this election very thoughtful and thorough and wise. Click here to read more!
Josh Moe
Iowa City Councilor
Iowa City thrives on community engagement, thoughtful leadership, and a commitment to progress. Our city needs leaders who not only advocate for important issues but also possess the skills to collaborate, build coalitions, and implement meaningful change. That is why I am proud to support Ross Nusser in his campaign for City Council.
Ross demonstrates a deep understanding of the challenges facing our community, from affordable housing and public safety to economic development, threats to the transgender community, to the unhoused and to the immigrant population. His approach to governance is rooted in action, pragmatism, and the belief that lasting progress comes from working together.
We are in a troubling and dangerous time, and sadly, not for the first time. I, an openly gay Black man, was mayor of Iowa City the first time Trump was president. I was mayor during a pandemic. I protested during George Floyd because I, like many, was hurt, mad, and was grieving because of what is a problem for Blacks throughout this country.
I’ve protested for Black Lives Matter, our immigrants, our Latino community, and our LGBTQ / trans community. I will absolutely have no fear and boldly state values while rebalancing “a long-term plan”, of how to strategize to get things done.
And I learned a lot of important lessons serving as mayor of this city through 2020 and after. And from those lessons, I have an idea of what leadership needs to look like when we are facing unprecedented threats and challenges.
I protest, and I believe there’s a time to get into “good trouble” as John Lewis said. There’s a time and place for civil disobedience, and as a Black man, I’m grateful my ancestors showed us the way. The things we’re facing now nationally at the state level, we will need elected officials that know how to keep our community members safe and be bold, without fear, but also strategic in how we are a community fighting for the rights of all.
While I appreciate Oliver Weilein’s dedication to their beliefs, governance requires more than advocacy alone. The ability to navigate complex political structures, build consensus, and create policies that result in lasting change is essential for effective leadership. Throughout my discussions with Oliver, I have had concerns about their approach to governance. One of the lessons I learned again during 2020 and many times since was that leadership is about more than ideology; it requires the ability to bring people together to find solutions that work in practice, not just in theory.
Effective leaders are passionate about serving their community and Ross is passionate about doing the tough job of being on the council in 2025 and beyond. But it is not just about passion—it’s about having the ability to turn ideas into policies that benefit all members of our community. Ross has consistently shown that he is willing to listen, learn, and engage with people across different perspectives to create solutions that work. His commitment to balanced and strategic leadership makes him the right choice for Iowa City at this crucial time.
​
Iowa City voters please go and vote for the candidate you want to represent you the next 3 years.
We learned this past November the impacts of elections.
Please don’t sit this one out and cast your vote this Tuesday, March 4th.
Bruce Teague
Mayor of Iowa City
