Name: Ian Holzhauer

What office are you seeking: DuPage County Board District 5 (4 year term)

What is your current age? 43

Occupation and employer: Naperville City Councilman and Partner at Campbell Holzhauer Concierge Law

What offices, if any, have you previously held? Chair of the Board, Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (2020-2021)

Naperville City Councilman (2021-Present)

City: Naperville

Campaign website: https://ianholzhauer.com/

Education: Georgetown University Law Center,JD, Magna Cum Laude

University of Florida, BS, History, Summa Cum Laude

United States Air Force Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course

Community involvement: First Congregational United Church of Christ, Naperville (Former Trustees Chair)

Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (prior Board Chair)

Naperville Riverwalk Commissioner (active)

Marital status/Immediate family: I amicably co-parent my four children and am deeply involved in their lives, supporting their interests ranging from video editing, to theater and singing, to Lego League, to soccer, trombone, and guitar. I can easily relate to the dad in Bluey.

What are your top three priorities for this district?

My top three priorities are mental health and human services, maintaining aging infrastructure, and preserving essential services amid drastic federal cuts.

DuPage has made enormous strides in mental health and human services, and I look forward to bringing additional plans to the table. As a Naperville City Councilmember, I fought to fully fund the Crisis Response Team (CRT). We hired six full-time police officers and a K-9, solely devoted to mental health response. By adding a similar service in DuPage, we could provide wrap-around care for people using our new Crisis Recovery Center.

Second, the county must invest responsibly in aging infrastructure to avoid higher long-term costs and service disruptions. Serving in a mostly built-out community, I am well aware of the temptations of deferred maintenance, and the long-term cost to our children. Fixing sewers, road beds, drainage, etc. may not be exciting, but it is important.

Third, as federal funding is slashed (both legally and illegally), DuPage must protect core human services. When cuts are illegal, we must push back against the federal government in court. Additionally, we must set clear priorities and refuse to compromise them, regardless the national political environment.

Should the DuPage County Board further explore pursuing home-rule authority?

I serve as a Councilmember in a home rule community, with the expanded legislative powers that accompany that status. On the municipal level, home rule allows us more latitude in shoring up our finances and setting certain policy. I do not see my community ever giving up that power. However, while there are many home rule municipalities in Illinois, there is only one home rule county in the state (Cook). For this reason, I think our county leaders have explored the possibility while exercising caution and significant due diligence. I would not rush into a decision to be the second county in the state to do anything, and only do so if it seemed our interests in Springfield were not adequately being addressed.

What steps should the county take to continue its efforts to meet affordable housing needs?

First and foremost, I believe there is a severe undersupply of housing, and we sometimes get in our own way by making it too hard to build ranch homes, townhouses, condos, apartments, etc. Not everyone wants or can afford a McMansion. I am a subscriber to Ezra Klein’s “Abundance” philosophy, that we need to cut through some of the bureaucratic red tape that is preventing solutions to the housing crisis. In addition to simply increasing quantity of supply, legislative solutions are important. In Naperville we are anticipating implementing an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, which will mandate the construction of affordable units. Policies like this send a clear signal to developers that we pay more than lip service to affordable housing.

What additional steps should the county take to assist social service agencies in their efforts to reduce food insecurity and homelessness?

First, it is important that the elected leadership continue to publicly decry the disgraceful and often illegal cuts to essential services by the federal government. Clear communication from local leaders across the nation is necessary to activate the electorate to make necessary changes. We simply cannot tolerate massive cuts to SNAP, social services program, Medicaid, etc, and expect counties to somehow absorb the brunt of the responsibility without any support.

Second, while we wait out this unfortunate period in our nation’s history, we should continue to support the expansion of county-level grants to the highest priority social service needs -- like the county’s recent increased support for Loaves and Fishes, the opening of the Crisis Recovery Center, and support for affordable housing.

Finally, we need to set a tone: There is no shame in asking for help. Every life is valuable, and poverty is not a crime. No matter what anyone in Washington is saying.

What goals, specifically, would you like to see the Sustainable DuPage initiative achieve?

I would like to focus on measurable objectives, such as 1, 3, and 5 year targets for reduced CO2 emissions in climate audits. Further, in a world of nearly infinite choices for conservation, it is important that we measure impact per dollar spent. In Naperville, we had many years of overall reductions in the amount of energy used, and many of the most dramatic reductions came from programs that were relatively low in cost. The city offered free LED bulbs to homeowners, gave credits for residents to switch to battery-operated lawnmowers, and other programs. These incentives were wildly popular, and best of all, the impacts could clearly be measured.

In what ways can the county continue to improve its transportation initiatives?

One of the greatest tragedies of the mid-20th Century was the destruction of the vast public transportation networks that used to serve great American cities, in favor of sprawling car-centric communities. Choices that would’ve been simple when DuPage was being developed (such as planning for density near transit, planning shopping close to residents, etc), planning around bus routes, etc., are harder because we inherited car-centric infrastructure. However, we have some amazing gems in the Fifth District, including two of the heaviest-use Metra stations in the entire system, with numerous express trains to Chicago, seven day a week service, and some Pace bus service. I would prioritize ensuring public transit is a part of every development conversation (it may not always be possible, but it should always be considered). This is particularly important as we serve an aging population, and many residents of all ages are simply choosing to drive less, and walk, bike, or ride transit more.

What improvements/changes do you support within the DuPage County Sheriff’s office, including protocols at the correctional facility?

Unfortunately, throughout the US, law enforcement has become the default mental health response solution for too many non-criminal situations. Notably, DuPage has taken admirable and nation-leading steps to address mental health issues proactively, most notably through the Crisis Recovery Center. Naperville recently created a mental health Crisis Response Team, with six full-time police officers (and a K-9) dedicated solely to mental health calls. Prior to the program we had 900+ mental health calls a year, each taking two officers and approximately 2+ hours per response. Before, those calls were being handled by beat officers, who were no longer able to be on patrol, fighting crime. I’d be interested in implementing similar nation-leading mental health response units in DuPage.

As far the the correctional facility, prompt and adequate mental health screening and assistance is essential. Additionally, evidence-based rehabilitation and release protocols can reduce recidivism. Finally, robust training, supervision, and accountability is needed to avoid tragedies within the facility.

What is your stance on solar energy facilities or data centers on agricultural land? Does the risk of lawsuits factor into your stance? What about battery storage?

Where appropriate, we should support clean energy facilities and infrastructure. Indeed, Naperville has installed solar in numerous locations during my time on Council, and provided incentives to constituents doing the same. Similarly, battery storage is an essential part of a clean energy low-carbon future, and should be encouraged where appropriate.

With regard to data centers, I believe I have a well-established record. Data centers may be appropriate in certain locations far from residents, when proposed in accordance with zoning law, and with appropriate environmental safeguards in place. However, when these conditions are not met, I have no problem voicing objections. Most recently, I voted with a majority of the Naperville City Council to deny the Karis Critical Data Center on January 20, 2026

I would encourage any voter to Google my comments on the Naperville data center. I am very proud to have stood up for residents, to have applied the facts to the law, and not to have been swayed by threats of lawsuits, or delay tactics. This particular vote was not about being for or against technology, but applying code to the situation, remembering that my job is to represent residents, and also to being fair to the developer. I believe we were able to have a respectful discussion where all parties were heard, and nobody was given special treatment.