Ballot Statement

By Asa Dodsworth

Two years ago I was the first Berkeley Born and raised elected to represent any office in Berkeley in more then 30 years!!!

Check out my face book page: https://www.facebook.com/Dodsworth4RentBoard

and join the group to elect a pro tenant slate! https://www.facebook.com/groups/BerkeleyTenantConventionSlate/

Rent Control is under attack, We Will Fight to Protect it, its Berkeley's most successful Affordable Housing Program. I'll use my experience as a Berkeley native and community activist to strengthen the Rent Ordinance; improve outreach to tenants, students and landlords; and address disaster preparedness, sustainability, and habitability.

Working with the City & fellow commissioners I'm developing a Framework to advance our city's Fire and Earthquake Safety Systems: We need an Anonymous complaint system for Fire Hazards so that tenants won't fear retribution for reporting fire hazards; And we intend to expand the resources to prepare tenants in the event of a major disaster by training and distributing emergency caches to apartment building, and are developing a policy to require Basic Earthquake Preparedness training for all onsite Property Managers in 16+ unit buildings.

On the waivers committee I worked with Commissioner's Harr & Tregub to track Seismically Unsafe buildings in our waivers process. Out City is far from implementing an effective Earthquake Preparedness System. I will keep the pressure on our do nothing City Council, we've waited more then seven years and they still aren't enforcing the Seismic Safety Ordinance (Soft Story Ordinance).

As a former Berkeley Zero Waste Commissioner, I bring first hand experience to the Berkeley Rent Board's 'Safe & Sustainable Sub-Committee.' Tired of waiting for the do nothing council to act, We on the Berkeley Rent Board successfully lobbied the state to require recycling and composting in all 16+ unit rental properties Statewide. The deadline for full compliance is 2014, and Berkeley aims to barely comply, I'll keep the pressure on for faster more effective compliance. Every Berkeley Resident deserves equal access to Municipal recycling and composting services.

I am committed to community building and want to improve the Rent Board's outreach and educate tenants to advocate for themselves. I am endorsed by sitting Rent Board Commissioners Lisa Stephens(Chair), Dave Blake(Vice-Chair), Pam Webster, Jesse Townley & Kathy Harr. I was chosen to run on the pro-rent control slate, nominated by the July 8th Berkeley Tenant/Affordable-Housing Convention Slate.