Mohammad Faraj makes his pitch to Ward 7 residents in Signal Cleveland’s candidate questionnaire
“The role I intend to play on council can be best described as an anti-genocide, budget hawk.”
Not the statement you’d expect from a first-time political candidate, but one that Mohammad Faraj – candidate for Cleveland City Council Ward 7 – describes confidently as the basis of his leadership.
A Fresh Voice in Cleveland Politics
“I’m really thankful there is local media reporting on these often-overlooked elections. For Ward 7, this is arguably the first truly open election in more than 30 years,” shares Mohammad.
Within the questionnaire, Mohammad elaborates on the priorities and commitments that he cites as being necessary to “improve the everyday lives of every resident.”
Affordable Housing as Public Safety
In response to a question on affordable housing, which Mohammad considers part of his Reliable Public Safety plan Mohammad lists three different approaches to addressing Cleveland Ward 7’s affordable housing problem:
Property tax relief for long-term residents
Increased access to low-interest capital for first-time homebuyers
Strengthened labor and workforce development to ensure wages and stability
Representation Through Listening
Throughout the questionnaire, Mohammad continues to emphasize that representation is about showing up, listening deeply, and responding to what people actually need.
“The residents of this thriving ward want a council representative who is going to listen to their problems rather than sell them a solution,” Mohammad often summarizes.
When asked specifically about which role of city council – resident service representatives, legislators, and guardians of city spending – stands out to him most, Mohammad rejects the idea that a council member can’t do all three:
“I believe that anyone who tells you that city council can’t do all three — resident services, legislation, and budget oversight — doesn’t deserve your vote.”
Leadership Built on Direct Community Feedback
After knocking nearly 4,000 doors, Mohammad knows that being available for residents helps uncover real problems.
“A true leader then uses those experiences to inform their legislative priorities. But access to the residents’ feedback is what allows city council to center the actual problems the residents are experiencing, as opposed to just throwing solutions to see what sticks.”
Three Core Priorities for Ward 7
Mohammad calls upon his campaign platform when answering what he believes are the three most important issues facing Ward 7:
Accessible City Services – the taxes we pay should translate into well-run services for all.
Dependable Infrastructure – Cleveland’s definition of infrastructure must originate from a public health perspective.
Reliable Public Safety – a prevention-focused approach to stop the desperation that often leads to crime.
In addition to these, Mohammad highlights Flexible Development and Sustainable Small Business as key commitments. Each of these priorities comes directly from thousands of conversations with Ward 7 residents.
Pushing Back Against Political Gatekeeping
Mohammad’s campaign challenges Cleveland’s culture of political gatekeeping — a system that discourages newcomers, undermines working-class leadership, and favors status quo insiders.
For Mohammad Faraj, Ward 7 leadership must be accessible, accountable, and rooted in community needs.