My Priorities for Berkeley
Berkeley is a city with tremendous strengths—and real challenges. I believe effective local government starts with listening to residents, understanding the facts, bringing people together, and focusing on solutions that deliver measurable results.
My priorities are grounded in a simple approach: Listen. Connect. Deliver.
What Should Berkeley Do About Housing & Homelessness?
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Berkeley should be a city where people at every stage of life can afford to live and where homelessness is addressed with compassion, accountability, and a focus on lasting solutions.
We need more housing at a range of income levels, especially affordable and workforce housing, while protecting existing homes, neighborhood character, and preventing displacement. As Berkeley grows, housing should be planned alongside the infrastructure, transportation, public services, and neighborhood investments needed to support it.
On homelessness, our goal should be moving people from the streets toward stable housing and connecting them with effective mental-health, substance-use, employment, and other supportive services. That requires stronger coordination with Alameda County and regional partners, effective outreach, transitional housing options, and clear standards that keep public spaces safe and accessible for everyone.
Success means more people housed, fewer people living unsheltered, and healthier neighborhoods for everyone.
How Do We Maintain Safe, Welcoming Neighborhoods?
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Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood and to enjoy clean, welcoming, and accessible public spaces.
I support effective police, fire, and emergency response while also investing in prevention and addressing the everyday quality-of-life issues that affect residents and local businesses.
Public safety and civil liberties should go hand in hand. New technologies should have a clearly defined purpose, appropriate privacy protections, transparency, and public oversight. My approach is to identify the problem first, evaluate the options, listen to the people affected, and measure whether the solution is actually working.
What Should Berkeley Do to Support Infrastructure, Transportation & Climate Resilience?
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Berkeley needs to get the basics right: well-maintained streets and sidewalks, reliable infrastructure, safe transportation, accessible public spaces, and thoughtful long-term planning.
Our streets should work safely for people who walk, bike, drive, or take public transportation. Major projects should include meaningful community input and a clear understanding of costs, benefits, alternatives, and trade-offs.
As Berkeley grows, infrastructure must keep pace. Housing, transportation, climate resilience, neighborhood needs, and economic vitality should be planned together—not as separate issues.
That same approach should guide the future of our waterfront. I support protecting public access to the Marina while planning responsibly for the Pier, shoreline infrastructure, recreation, transportation, and climate resilience.
How Should Berkeley Support Local Businesses?
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Strong neighborhoods need thriving local businesses.
Berkeley should make it easier for small businesses to open, grow, and stay here. That means addressing unnecessary barriers, activating vacant storefronts, maintaining safe and welcoming commercial districts, and considering the needs of businesses and their customers when making decisions about development, transportation, parking, and public spaces.
Thoughtful growth can bring new housing, customers, investment, and vitality to our commercial corridors. But growth should come with the infrastructure and neighborhood investments needed to make it work.
What Does Fiscal Responsibility & Good Government Look Like?
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Residents deserve a City government that is transparent, accountable, and responsible with public dollars.
Berkeley faces significant financial and infrastructure challenges. We need to examine spending, staffing, contracts, revenues, long-term obligations, and operational efficiency while protecting essential services.
Before asking residents for more, City government should be able to clearly explain how existing resources are being used and what results they are producing. We should also aggressively pursue county, state, federal, and regional resources so Berkeley taxpayers are not carrying challenges that extend far beyond our city boundaries alone.
Good government also means listening before decisions are made. Residents should understand the costs, alternatives, and trade-offs behind major proposals and have meaningful opportunities to shape them.
I will bring the same approach to City Council that has guided my public service: listen carefully, bring people together, ask tough questions, and deliver results.
Listen. Connect. Deliver.