Name as it appears on the ballot: Kathy Keefe Jensen

Previous elected offices held: Fayetteville City Council Member, District 1, 2013-2025; Mayor Pro Tem, 2019-2022 and 2023-2025

Age as of Election Day: 60

Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Small Business Owner of An Affair to Remember, Prom, Pageant, and Formal Wear (20 years) and Keefe Enterprises Inc. (35 years)

Best phone number and email for voters to reach you. Website and campaign social media:

  • 910-229-5323

1. Give us your elevator pitch in 200 words or less. Why are you running for this office? What makes you the most qualified candidate?

Fayetteville is my home. I was born and raised here, graduated from high school here, and chose to return after my husband’s military service because I love this city. I know our neighborhoods, our schools, our businesses, and our people. That’s why I’m running for mayor: to continue building a Fayetteville where families feel safe and opportunity grows for the next generation.

I bring the experience, integrity, resilience, and relationships needed to lead. As a small business owner, I started An Affair to Remember in 2005 and grew it into a respected local and nationally known shop. Running a business—through good times and Covid—taught me problem-solving, perseverance, and what it takes to support our economy. Since 2013, I’ve also served on the City Council, including two terms as Mayor Pro Tem, where I helped secure millions for airport upgrades, expand broadband to make us a Gigabit City, and deliver new parks and senior centers.

I’ve also built trusted partnerships with military leaders and our congressional delegation, ensuring Fayetteville benefits from our unique role as the largest neighbor to the largest military installation.

As mayor, I’ll pair public safety with bold economic growth, attainable housing, and long-term opportunity so future generations choose to build their lives in Fayetteville.

2. What do you view as the three most pressing issues facing your district (if applicable) and the city as a whole? How will you address them as mayor or as a city council member?

Fayetteville has the potential to be a leader in our regional economy, but we cannot afford to fall behind our neighbors. That is why economic development and growth must remain a fixed priority. To succeed, we must invest in public safety, support small businesses and workforce development, and strengthen our partnerships with Fort Bragg while pursuing smart growth strategies that work for every neighborhood.

Public safety is the foundation of economic growth. Families will not stay and businesses will not invest if they do not feel secure. As mayor, I will continue supporting Chief Bryant’s efforts to use technology to protect neighborhoods and build investor confidence. I have also backed initiatives to keep kids safe and advocated for stronger school security, because a safe Fayetteville is the foundation for a stronger Fayetteville.

As a small business owner, I know entrepreneurship powers our economy. I will cut red tape, streamline city processes, and continue to partner with Fayetteville State, Methodist, and FTCC to build career pipelines that keep talent here.

Fort Bragg remains our largest economic engine. By strengthening this relationship, creating attainable housing, and pursuing smart growth, we can secure Fayetteville’s place as a regional leader where families live, work, and thrive.

3. What’s the best or most important thing the Fayetteville City Council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the council should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.

One of the most important things City Council has done this past year is implement the Youth Protection Safety Ordinance, establishing a teen curfew to keep our young people safe. This was not about criminalizing kids—it was about ensuring they are not on the streets late at night when they are most vulnerable to becoming victims of crime. I supported this ordinance because protecting youth is the foundation of a stronger community. Coupled with programs like late-night recreation and mentoring, it sends the message that Fayetteville will look out for its children.

I also strongly support Chief Bryant’s use of technology like the ShotSpotter program, which has helped our police respond faster to gunfire incidents, recover evidence, and increase accountability. These tools, combined with community policing, make Fayetteville safer and more attractive for families and businesses.

One decision I believe the council could have handled differently is how we’ve approached some elements of economic development and housing. While progress has been made, we need to move faster in creating attainable housing options and reducing red tape for small businesses. Our families—and our workforce—cannot wait. Public safety is vital, but lasting growth depends on opportunity and housing people can afford

4. Last year, the City of Fayetteville sued a contractor for abandoning over $6 million in construction projects. The city has since hired new contractors to finish the projects. What steps will you take to ensure Fayetteville is able to successfully complete capital projects in the future?

The lawsuit against Apex Contracting exposed serious gaps in the process in managing capital projects. Taxpayers deserve better. As mayor, I will insist on three key reforms to ensure our projects are completed on time and with accountability.

Stricter Vetting: Every contractor must undergo a rigorous review of their financial stability, track record, and performance on similar projects. If a company cannot demonstrate the capacity and reliability to deliver, they should not be entrusted with taxpayer dollars.

Enhanced Oversight: Too often, problems are caught too late. I advocated for a dedicated project management team—or, where appropriate, an independent third-party monitor—to track progress, enforce deadlines, and hold contractors accountable at every stage. Oversight must be proactive, not reactive.

Secure Bonding: We must strengthen requirements for surety bonds and verify that they are legitimate and sufficient. These protections are not optional—they are safeguards to protect Fayetteville from costly delays and defaults.

Fayetteville cannot afford another situation where money is lost and neighborhoods are left waiting. I will bring business experience, accountability, and focus on results to ensure our city completes the capital projects that families and businesses are counting on.

5. While overall crime in Fayetteville has decreased by around 13% this year, the number of homicides and incidents of juvenile crime have increased. The Fayetteville City Council recently enacted a youth curfew ordinance. Would you have voted in favor of it? How will you work to improve public safety and reduce crime in the city?

Improving public safety requires a balanced approach—firm on enforcement, but equally focused on prevention, especially for our youth. As Mayor, my strategy is two-pronged:

Enforcement and Resources: I will make sure the Fayetteville Police Department has the staffing, technology, and support it needs to do its job effectively. That means advocating for competitive pay to recruit and retain the best officers, expanding community policing, and continuing to back proven tools like the ShotSpotter program that help law enforcement respond quickly and keep neighborhoods safe.

Prevention and Community Engagement: We cannot arrest our way out of crime. I will continue to champion mentorship programs, invest in community centers, and strengthen partnerships with schools, churches, and nonprofits to give young people safe, positive alternatives—especially during the critical evening hours when crime is most likely to occur.

Yes, I supported the youth curfew ordinance. It will not solve all our problems, but it is a necessary tool to address rising juvenile crime and send a clear message that Fayetteville is serious about protecting our children. This ordinance, combined with real investments in prevention and enforcement, gives us a stronger foundation to reduce crime, keep families safe, and build the kind of community where every resident feels secure.

6. How will you work to attract and retain new businesses and other development to Fayetteville? Name another municipality you believe has made smart decisions about sustainable growth and development, and describe what it has done that could be implemented in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville is at a crossroads. To thrive, we must tackle our most pressing challenges head-on: infrastructure, attainable housing, workforce development, and youth crime. These issues are connected, and solving them will determine whether Fayetteville leads our region or falls behind.

Infrastructure: North Carolina is growing rapidly, but Fayetteville has not kept pace. To compete, we must expand countywide water and sewer and prepare site-ready land with utilities to attract higher-wage jobs. Cities around us are landing opportunities because they are ready—we must be too.

Housing: Growth depends on attainable housing. By modernizing outdated ordinances, we’ve opened the door for developments that include high-rise apartments and workforce housing—keeping young professionals here to live, work, and raise families.

Workforce Development: Fayetteville cannot grow without a skilled workforce. Partnering with FTCC, FSU, schools, nonprofits, and churches, we can expand pipelines that connect residents to good-paying jobs. Just as important, our partnership with Fort Bragg—the largest military installation in the world—gives us a unique edge. By aligning city initiatives with the skills of veterans and military families, we can strengthen our workforce, attract new industries, and keep talent here at home.

We can also learn from Raleigh, which integrates economic development with housing and neighborhood strategies. By aligning growth with affordability and community enrichment, Fayetteville can build a stronger, more resilient economy that benefits everyone.

7. The county and city have often struggled to determine who is responsible for addressing homelessness. How would you work with the Cumberland County government and other community partners to decrease homelessness in the city?

Addressing homelessness requires a unified, coordinated approach between the city, the county, and our community partners. Too often, fragmented efforts waste resources and leave people falling through the cracks. As mayor, I will work to build a stronger partnership with Cumberland County and the Fayetteville-Cumberland Continuum of Care (CoC) to streamline services and eliminate duplication. A coordinated entry system must be in place so individuals and families can quickly access the help they need.

I will strongly support the county’s planned Homeless Support Center, but insist it be more than a shelter. It must provide wraparound services—mental health care, substance abuse treatment, job training, and case management—to give people the tools to rebuild their lives. At the same time, I will advocate for expanding permanent supportive housing and emergency housing vouchers, which are proven long-term solutions.

Prevention is equally important. By investing in eviction assistance and early intervention programs, we can keep families housed before they reach a crisis point.

Homelessness is not a problem the city or county can solve alone. But by combining resources, aligning strategies, and holding ourselves accountable, we can make real progress and create lasting pathways out of homelessness.