Candidate for
Rent Stabilization Board Commissioners; City of Berkeley

My interest in landlord-tenant matters began in San Francisco 15 years ago, out of selfish circumstance: as rents around us continued to rise, each unit in our small building of longtime tenants was served with a huge rent increase. The rent was going to triple! Our building organized, defeated the illegal rent increases, and worked with the Building Inspectors to gain repair of longstanding defects which threatened our beautiful home. Once my home was stable, I chose to volunteer at the San Francisco Tenants Union. A few years later, I started helping renters professionally through jobs at SF's Eviction Defense Collaborative and Tenderloin Housing Clinic.

In 2010, I was appointed by the Commissioners to the Rent Board. Later that year, I was chosen at the Berkeley Tenant Convention to run on the pro-tenant slate, and was subsequently elected. In December 2012 and again in 2013, I was chosen by my fellow Commissioners as Vice-Chair of the Board.

I currently take a very active role as Vice-Chair. I spend about 40 hours a month on Board work, including serving on the 4x4, Budget and Personnel, and Waivers Committees; I have been the Chair of the Eviction/Section8/Foreclosure Committee for four years. In addition to Board work, I spend much of my time advocating for tenants in other ways. I have worked hard to revive the Berkeley Tenants Union and speak on behalf of BTU at City Council, Zoning and Planning on a regular basis. I recently served as campaign coordinator for the Robin Hood Committee's signature drive to place two measures on the ballot which would fund 40 units of Affordable Housing a year. I took a major role in planning the 2010, 2012 and 2014 tenant conventions. I have also had the honor to serve as a substitute Zoning Commissioner, and I keep the lines of communication open and a watchful eye on the big landlords by being a member of the Berkeley Property Owners Association as well. I am crazy in love with Berkeley and very active in my Poet's Corner neighborhood; we are forming a Community Emergency Response Team now.

I am proud of what the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board has accomplished since I joined the team, but there are many important projects I am involved in now, and still more on my wish list. I pledge to continue to learn about what Berkeley folks need from the Board, and I promise to work as hard as I can to uphold the Rent Ordinance and ensure tenants and landlords have the knowledge, access and assistance required to maintain a fair, safe and diverse community + for a Berkeley We Can All Call Home!