Residents first.
Common sense approach.

Housing

More homes. The right fit for Palo Alto.

Palo Alto needs more affordable and family-sized homes so the people who work here, raise children here, and contribute to our community have a chance to live here. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, and young families should have a future in this city. We need to be deliberate about where new homes go, how they are designed, and how they fit into the neighborhoods around them.

I support implementing the transportation corridor alternative plan and concentrating new housing near transit and along our commercial corridors. That means planning for the streets, utilities, and services that new residents will need, while protecting the character of our single-family neighborhoods. Family-sized homes and thoughtful building design should be part of that effort from the beginning.

I will push for clear, objective design standards so residents and applicants know what is expected before a project is submitted. Projects that meet those standards should have a straightforward path through permitting and approvals, with less delay and fewer unnecessary steps. I will also aggressively push back on poorly designed builder’s remedy projects, using every tool lawfully available to the city to defend our neighborhoods and secure better designs.

We also need to start the next housing element early. The city should set a clear schedule, involve residents from the outset, and track its progress publicly. Palo Alto must meet its deadlines and do the planning work needed to retain as much local control as possible. Waiting until the last minute leaves residents with fewer choices about the future of their own city.

City accountability

City Hall answers to residents.

City staffing has grown faster than our population. Residents deserve to know what that growth has delivered in the services they use every day. I support a freeze on new hiring across city government, with an exception for the additional police officers I want to hire. We should review staffing, management, and workloads before adding more positions, and direct our resources toward the work residents actually need done.

We need to reduce our reliance on outside consultants. Before approving a contract, the council should ask whether city staff can do the work, what specific result we are paying for, and how we will know the job is complete. Every proposal should have a clear scope, cost, and deadline. Residents should be able to see what was delivered and whether it was worth the expense.

Accountability also means making budgets and decisions understandable. Residents should be able to find out where their money goes, who is responsible for a project, and whether it is on time and on budget. When costs rise or services fall short, the council needs to ask hard questions, insist on a clear explanation, and follow through on fixing the problem. City Hall’s success should be measured by how well it serves residents.

Public safety

More police. No license plate readers.

I support hiring more police officers so our department has the capacity to respond when residents need help, spend time in our neighborhoods, and follow through on investigations. I want officers who know Palo Alto and have the time to build relationships with residents and local businesses. Protecting that frontline capacity is a priority in how I would allocate city resources.

I oppose the use of automated license plate readers in Palo Alto. I do not believe residents should have their everyday movements recorded simply because they drive through their own city. Public safety and personal privacy both matter. I want our investment focused on officers, responsive service, and police work that earns the community’s trust.

Grade separation

Leave the crossings as they are.

I oppose grade separation projects and support keeping Palo Alto’s existing rail crossings as they are. I do not support rebuilding the rail corridor around a tunnel, elevated tracks, or road underpasses. In my judgment, the cost, construction disruption, and permanent changes to surrounding neighborhoods do not justify moving forward with these projects.

Residents would live with the consequences of these decisions long after construction ends. I want the city to be clear about what it can afford and focus its resources on everyday needs. My position is to maintain the existing crossings and address their upkeep and safety within the current layout, rather than commit Palo Alto to a major reconstruction of the corridor.