On the Issues
Affordability
The ability to put food on the table, care for children while we work and pay for health care keep too many of us up at night. Paying bills is hard and personal financial security is critical to individuals and to the economic health of a community. As a City Council member I aim to address the affordability crisis on multiple fronts including housing and childcare.
Housing: The solutions to address these challenges require identifying where and how we can respond to the demand: this includes building housing that is attainable and also ensuring that the housing we have is filled, that there are not vacant houses. Finding solutions for workforce housing that allows those that work in Seaside to live in Seaside. I am inspired by what MPUSD has done to support their teachers in securing workforce housing - I know there are other opportunities like this. I also know it will be important to connect to regional attainable housing efforts.
Childcare: When I changed jobs, I had to move my 1 year old son and 3 year old daughter from a center in Santa Cruz to one locally. There was a 6 month wait list and I had to take a reduced work schedule (and pay) to care for my children. There was a period of time in my career when I was paying more in care than I was making. One thing I learned during this time is that there are many, many models for childcare: large centers, childcare co-ops, home day cares not to mention family support. Understanding the total need in the community is the first step, then explore which models are both feasible and needed by our community, followed by developing incentives and opportunity for those opportunities to thrive.
Natural Environment
Seaside is surrounded by the sparkling Monterey Bay and the majesty of the Oak woodlands of Fort Ord National Monument. These are important for their own intrinsic value, they provide an opportunity for community members to connect with nature and each other, they also present an important opportunity for economic development.
With the exception of a small sliver of access, (the underpass near Home Depot), Highway 1 has cut us off from one of these natural assets, which means we haven’t been able to capitalize on the tourism and economic benefits of beach access. However, we still have an opportunity to create a long-lasting and meaningful connection to Fort Ord, and we should.
One area I am particularly passionate about is to ensure all people have equitable access to parks and open space. The two assets mentioned above are very important - however, on a daily basis, people need to be able to walk to a park. Currently, all the neighborhood parks are condensed in the “upper” areas of Seaside. This means when a mom or dad comes home from work they would most likely need to get in a car to bring their kids to the park or that a kid would need to cross multiple busy intersections to reach a park.
It also means that right now our most densely populated areas of the city, with the most multi-family, multi-generation neighborhoods have the least access to open space and nature. There are vacant areas that could help meet this need.
Small Business and Economic Development
Small business are the heart and flavor of a community. They represent the hard work, creativity and dedication of individuals throughout Seaside. We should do everything we can to support existing businesses and welcome new businesses.
I look forward to working with the Economic Development Department to ensure the businesses along Broadway, Fremont and Del Monte (our 3 primary economic areas) have the store fronts full and new businesses given the support to thrive.
One piece of feedback I have received from small businesses is the need to make the process smooth and clear: the regulations, forms, etc., can be overwhelming. Making the process clear and straightforward will ease the process for new businesses.
We know that a large part of Seaside’s income comes from car dealerships and that we need to diversify away from this source as the car market evolves. Exploring business incubator options that help nurture new small businesses is one way to do this. Exploring emerging industries to position Seaside as a leader and innovator is an area I will focus on, bringing new jobs and economic growth to our town.
Public Safety
I support the work of well-trained, disciplined and courteous public safety officials. Prioritizing de-escalation and community-oriented policing are critical to ensuring a positive relationship between individuals and our public safety officers.
Public safety is most often recognized as our police officers and firefighters. I would expand that notion to also recognize that we, as individuals, have an important role to play in public safety. From Youth Groups to Church Groups, parks and recreation to economic development, our schools and our arts programs, we are all threads that weave together a future that is safe and community members that feel connected.
As a council member I will work with our Chief of Police to ensure that our officers are trained and supported and that there is transparency and a continued focus on building trust and accountability between public safety and the community. I will also support the proactive, preventative work of the many partner organizations in our community.
Infrastructure
The best type of infrastructure is the infrastructure you don't notice. It's the aspects of daily life that help you meet your needs without you even noticing. Stormwater that drains during heavy rains, roadways that are free from potholes and that meet the needs of drivers and pedestrians with equal access and safety.
Aspects of infrastructure that I would like to prioritize include: stormwater, alleyways and complete streets development for East Broadway.
Effective stormwater systems provide layers of benefit, they prevent flooding and damage to roads and infrastructure, using bioswales (like what was installed in west broadway) provides traffic calming and integrate green space into our streetscapes.
I will support a swift improvement in fixing existing streets and restoring our alleyways to be safe and an integrated asset to our community.
East Broadway redesign is a critical opportunity to connect the heart of our community to the Fort Ord open space and to integrate safety elements for pedestrian, bicyclists and drivers. This project will launch soon and I want to ensure residents are aware and engaged in the temporary impact that may occur.