Housing costs too much here. Fundamentally, the housing crisis in the Bay Area is a supply and demand problem. We need to build more housing and we need to build smart. Housing must be near jobs, transit, parks, schools and stores. We’ve zoned for much more housing in the North Bayshore and the East Whisman areas, but people don’t live in a zoning plan. It needs to be built. As a Councilmember, I’ll work with all the stakeholders to resolve issues so housing is built.
During my first term on Council, almost 2400 housing units were built. I’m particularly proud of the 258 units of affordable housing that were built. Now I serve on the Alta Housing Board of Directors (formerly Palo Alto Housing), an affordable housing provider.
Since the Community Stabilization & Fair Rent Act (CSFRA) was passed, I’ve supported its implementation. As Mayor, I called a Special Meeting to pass an emergency ordinance that protected tenants from being evicted until the CSFRA went into effect. I worked with so many others to defeat Measure D this March. I signed the ballot statement against, wrote a Voice editorial and precinct walked. As a Councilmember, I’ll support covering Mobile Homes and appoint Rental Housing Committee members who are committed to implementing the CSFRA. You can also read the comments I sent on behalf of the MVCSP regarding the Council-agendized item about moving up the Rental Housing Committee recruitment timeline.
Increasing our stock of housing is personal for me. As a planning commissioner (1994-2002), it became obvious that my children would find it very difficult to live here as adults with the same standard of living they grew up with. Living thousands of miles from my parents, I know the emotional cost of living far from family. For me, the ability to have my children nearby makes this issue personal.