As a city planner and your future city councilmember, I will always support effective, evidence-backed solutions to the challenges facing our city.

Below are a few of my thoughts on some key issues.

HOUSING

A thriving city needs residents at every stage of life—from young professionals and families just getting their start, to long-term residents who want to enjoy retirement without fear of being priced out. I’ve seen first-hand how corrupt, irresponsible development pushes people out. I’ve also seen how thoughtful, community-driven development can bring them back in. As city councilmember, I will champion diverse, community-first projects that fill in missing-middle housing, and create affordable workforce homes for our teachers, nurses, maintenance staff, and all the other critical workers who keep our city running and vibrant.

AFFORDABILITY

It’s no secret that the cost of living is out of control. Our city needs to use every tool at our disposal to support residents through this crisis as we work to bring down costs. We need to tackle the biggest expenses residents face—like housing, childcare, and healthcare—and hold big corporations and developers accountable for providing reasonable prices and paying their fair share. At the same time, we need to build back a healthy local economy with plenty of opportunities for small businesses to start up and succeed.

ENVIRONMENT

We all deserve to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, and garden in safe soil. That’s why I will always oppose harmful projects like excessive road expansions, while supporting beneficial projects that reduce pollution and harden our city against the impacts of climate change. Projects like expanded urban tree planting bring nature into the city and shield against the heat island effect, and the Colma Creek restoration will turn a concrete canal back into a thriving ecosystem that captures carbon and protects against flooding. In the Shape SSF General Plan, our city pledged to be carbon neutral by 2045. As a city council member, I will make sure we are on track to not just meet that goal, but to beat it.

TRAFFIC SAFETY & TRANSIT

Everyone should be able to walk to the store, go for a jog, or bike to work without fear of deadly collisions. That’s why I support a complete streets approach, using proven traffic calming methods to reduce congestion and make our roads safer for everyone. Complete streets networks serve ALL forms of transportation, not just cars. That means safe, protected, and connected bike/ped infrastructure, and robust, reliable, and well-funded transit. Every South San Franciscan should be able to get around with comfort and ease, no matter what mode of transportation they choose.

WORKERS’ RIGHTS

Every person should be guaranteed fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity both on and off their job site. That’s not just a moral stance, it’s good business. A strong workforce means a strong economy, and when our workers thrive, our community thrives. That’s why I support our local unions, and will make sure our workforce always has a seat at the table.

PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY

A strong, connected community is always important, but in troubled times, it becomes a critical line of defense for all of us. As a city councilmember, I will do everything in my power to stand against I.C.E., large AI data centers, Flock surveillance, and any other attempts by powerful interests to trample on our city. We deserve to feel safe and protected in our community.

CHILDCARE & EDUCATION

For far too long, we have been failing to meet the needs of our children and their families. Waitlists for PreK are still over four years long—so long that kids often age out of the program before they have a chance to attend—and many parents have told me that childcare costs them more than housing. As a councilmember, I will make universal childcare and education top priority, and strengthen collaboration between city and school board. I want to make sure South City is a place where families can thrive.

VLF BUDGET CRISIS

The VLF budget issue is a crisis built from poor regional planning. The state is trying to pull funding from all schools in San Mateo County because the average property tax for the whole county is too high to qualify. It’s completely ignoring the fact that property taxes don’t go equally to all school districts within the county. Schools in richer areas have more than enough, but schools in our city are getting left behind. As a city councilmember, I will work directly with our next governor, state legislators, and the rest of San Mateo County to restructure how these funds are distributed in a way that actually makes sense. Our kids shouldn’t lose out because our neighbors are rich.