THE EASTSIDE
HAS A PLACE
FOR EVERYONE

Ward 1 is a mixed-income, mixed-use, multi-generational and multicultural community of strong neighborhoods and good neighbors. Let’s make sure everyone who wants to be our neighbor can live a good life here.

My wife and I made our home in Ward 1 because of the unparalleled dynamism, community and diversity in this part of town. I’ve seen families who’ve lived here for generations welcome newcomers with open arms, and I’ve seen Central Avenue evolve from a neglected industrial corridor into a center of commerce and culture.

Here are my current priorities:

  • A more humane and effective response to Homelessness

    • The city’s current response to homelessness is failing. Our current Whack-a-mole policy of bulldozing encampments only does harm to our unhoused neighborhoods and merely shifts the problem from one neighborhood to another. We need a more humane response that actually reduces encampments by permanently housing people. I will continue to push for dignified solutions that meet this crisis.

  • Rent Stabilization

    • Voters spoke loud and clear in 2021, that we need a strong rent stabilization policy. While that policy has been stalled by maneuvering at city hall, I will continue to fight for meaningful pricing protections for renters throughout our city.

  • Expanding Renter Protections

    • Equal participation will mean creating strong protections that ensure renters are treated fairly by landlords and protected from arbitrary eviction and excessive rent increases that price them out of their homes. That’s why I support rent stabilization, just cause protection and city-funded legal services for those facing eviction.

  • Deepening Community Connection

    • Throughout my time in office I’ve hosted monthly office hours, community 1 on 1’s, quarterly Ward 1 neighborhood summits and regularly attend Neighborhood Association meetings. This is about strengthening our community’s connection to their elected leaders as well as each other.

Here are some of my accomplishments:

  • Encampment Removal Reporting

  • Extended Pre-Eviction Notification

  • Renter’s Rights Mandatory Disclosure

    • Passed an ordinance requiring property owners to disclose key information to tenants before lease signing, including renter rights, owner contact details, property rental license status, housing code violations, and other relevant details.

  • Increased Vacant Building Fees

    • Passed an ordinance accelerating enforcement on vacant buildings and increasing fees for owners who leave properties empty, discouraging neglect and disrepair.

  • Office to Residential Housing Conversions

    • Passed an ordinance streamlining the city’s review process for converting non-residential buildings to residential use, quickly turning unused spaces into readily available housing, particularly in areas like downtown.

  • Cannabis Zoning Regulations

    • Passed an ordinance establishing regulations for safe, equitable, and accessible cannabis legalization, balancing public health and safety for minors while addressing the harms of past criminalization among Black and Brown communities.