Name: Frank H. Annie
Town of Residence: Charleston
Education and degrees obtained:
- BA – Sociology and Anthropology – West Virginia University, 2011
- MA – Sociology – West Virginia University, 2013
- MPA – Public Administration- West Virginia University, 2013
- PhD – Medical Geography – Florida State University, 2019
Occupation: Research Scientist (Department of Cardiology)
Charleston Area Medical Center
1. How should the city address homelessness?
Addressing the root cause of homelessness in Charleston is the first step. We need to figure out what these citizens need in order to provide them with resources that they can use to improve their situations. Once we do this, we can help to keep these individuals housed and safe.
2. What should the city’s role be in responding to the rising number of HIV cases in Kanawha County?
The city needs to remove barriers associated with healthcare entities’ ability to treat and provide safe and structured harm reduction. The city cannot simply continue to ignore the issue with out of control rates of HIV, endocarditis and hepatitis C which is costing unnecessary deaths and millions of dollars in health care expenditures.
3. What should Charleston be doing to reverse the trend of population decline in the city?
We need to bring and keep young people here. Events such as FestivALL, the Regatta and activities at the Clay Center are a great start, but it would be impactful to expand on these events. We need to have affordable housing for young people where they feel safe and want to raise a family or start their professional careers.
4. What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the city?
The biggest issue facing the city is that the citizens are talking but nobody is listening. After speaking with my neighbors, there are so many great ideas and opportunities that the community would love to see improved, but there is hardly any action on the issues that matter the most including public safety, youth involvement, and utilization of public spaces.