Housing
Ban Corporate Land Looting
Housing should be for people, not profit. Right now, private corporations own 40% of Oakland’s housing. And while large corporate investors are flipping properties and driving up costs, Oakland residents are struggling to find affordable homes and stay in our city.
I will move to stop corporate land looting so that working families—not hedge funds—have a fair shot at owning or renting a home. By putting limits on speculative investment, we can stabilize neighborhoods, reduce displacement, and ensure that Oakland housing is for living in, not just another way corporations make their billions.
Cut the Rent
Right now, many Oakland renters are locked out of basic protections simply because of when their building was built. Our rent control program only covers housing built before 1983, even though state law allows these protections to extend to units built as late as 1995. That means an entire generation of Oakland’s housing has been left out of stronger protections and real cost stability, at a time when rents keep rising.
And those protections matter. Oakland’s rent control doesn’t just cap increases. It holds landlords accountable, gives tenants the right to challenge unfair increases, and provides real oversight to make sure the rules are followed.
I will work to close this arbitrary and unfair gap, so more Oakland families have greater stability and protections.
Rapidly Expanding Affordable Housing
Oakland is facing a housing shortage that is pushing working people out of the city and into homelessness. Too many residents are spending more than they can afford on rent, while thousands of our neighbors remain unhoused.
We need to act with urgency. I will work with local agencies and partners to convert vacant buildings and public land into affordable housing, shelters, and community spaces. At the same time, I will expand long-term solutions that preserve and create permanently affordable housing, so that Oakland remains a place where working families can live and thrive.
Urgently Addressing Homelessness
Oakland does not currently have enough shelter or housing options for people experiencing homelessness. As a result, encampment sweeps often move people from one block to another without solving the problem.
We need real solutions that meet people where they are. I will prioritize expanding proven, practical approaches—including tiny homes, safe parking, and supportive sites on public land—with regular services, sanitation, and clear pathways to permanent housing and employment. Addressing homelessness requires stability, dignity, and solutions that actually work.
Better Tenant Protections
Too many Oakland residents are living on the edge, where a single unexpected expense can mean losing their home.
Preventing eviction is one of the most effective ways to keep people housed and prevent homelessness before it starts. I support expanding emergency rental assistance, strengthening tenant protections, and ensuring renters have access to the support they need to stay in their homes. At the same time, we must hold landlords accountable and ensure that every rental unit is safe and livable.
Prioritizing Justice
Oakland’s housing crisis is not felt equally. Black, Latino, and Asian households are more likely to be burdened by high housing costs, and Black residents make up a disproportionate share of the unhoused population.
We must address these inequities directly. I will take action against discriminatory practices in the housing market, including landlords who exploit or intimidate tenants. I will also push to ban predatory tools like rent-setting algorithms and unfair screening practices that lock people out of housing. Housing policy should promote fairness, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure that everyone has a real opportunity to stay and build a life in Oakland.
Safety of Every Kind
Violence Prevention Funding
Real safety means stopping violence before it happens, not just reacting after the fact. That means investing in the programs that are repeatedly proven to reduce crime: stable housing, economic opportunity, and community-based violence prevention that interrupts harm before it escalates.
Oakland must expand the Department of Violence Prevention and invest in trusted, community-led ambassador programs that de-escalate conflict and keep neighborhoods safe. These programs work because they are rooted in the community and focused on prevention.
At the same time, we should support small businesses—the backbone of our neighborhoods—by funding practical safety improvements like better lighting, secure storefronts, and preventative security measures that deter crime and protect workers and customers alike.
Mental Health and Addiction Services
We cannot solve public safety without addressing mental health and addiction.
I will expand access to mental health care and substance use treatment across Oakland by strengthening MACRO and increasing proactive outreach, especially to our unhoused neighbors, so people are connected to services instead of cycling through emergency systems.
I will also work with Alameda County to expand fentanyl testing and naloxone access, because saving lives and preventing overdoses is a critical part of keeping our communities safe.
Rapid and Reasonable Emergency Response
When you call for help, you should get a response that is fast, reliable, and appropriate to the situation. Right now, we are falling short—and we need to fix it. I will push to both fill dispatch vacancies and to improve working conditions for 911 dispatchers so we can recruit and retain the staff needed to answer calls quickly, including expanding bilingual capacity so every resident can get help when they need it.
I also support expanding MACRO so that trained, unarmed responders handle non-violent calls whenever possible, freeing up police to focus resources on serious crimes.
Safe Streets for Everyone
Safety isn’t just about crime. It’s about whether you can walk down your street, cross the road, or get your child to school without worrying about getting hit by a car. Our district has a high amount of dangerous roadways.
And just like with violence, we know how to prevent this. We can design safer streets, slow traffic where people live, and focus enforcement on the behaviors that actually cause harm.
Affordability
Expanding Childcare and Eldercare
Safe communities start with stable families. Right now, Oakland families are being pushed to the brink by the cost of childcare, while care workers are underpaid and undervalued.
I will work with Alameda County to expand access to subsidized childcare, raise wages for childcare workers, and support families caring for children so parents can stay in the workforce and communities remain stable.
At the same time, we must ensure our seniors can age with dignity. That means expanding affordable senior housing and increasing access to home repair programs so seniors can stay safely in their homes and communities.
Corporate Accountability
Public Records Act Compliance
California law is very clear: everyone who works for a city must turn over their work emails when the public asks for them. This is how we make sure our elected officials are following ethical guidelines and aren’t making side deals with corporations. This is how we get police accountability. This is how we prevent corruption.
And yet, the City of Oakland and some of its departments have a long backlog of PRA requests they just aren’t responding to. This is illegal, and it opens us up to lawsuits, which is money our city could be using on parks or jobs. These records are public property, and we can’t have real financial or ethical clarity without them. I’ll make sure this public property is actually public again.
Good Jobs
Dignified Jobs with Living Wages
The city government has dozens of unfilled roles, while large numbers of residents lack adequate employment opportunities. I will fight to investigate existing openings to determine which roles can be reclassified to entry-level roles, opening up hiring opportunities for youth and increasing the minimum wage for all workers. I’ll also collaborate with unions and small or worker-owned businesses to implement procurement incentives and expand youth workforce development programs that include technical skills training and pathways to dignified work union jobs.