Homelessness is one of the most important issues that impact local jurisdictions like Marina. There are no easy answers, but there ARE some easy actions we can take to set us down a more productive path. We must use our collective compassion, evidenced based research, and common sense to “do better”.

As a Council Member I will prioritize a Homeless Action Plan for the City of Marina. We must formally address this issue in writing through the codification of a documented plan. We should rely on collective knowledge by organizations like Coalition of Homeless Services but also should address the issue in a way that is appropriate for Marina.

A homeless action plan will survey the current state of homelessness and look at trends. It will evaluate and discuss what is permissible and what is not and spell out the expectation of stakeholders including local law enforcement to address illegal, aggressive, and inappropriate behaviors. It will seek to bring together all stakeholders in a unified and productive way, so that problems can be addressed before they become worse. It will spell out ways the city will 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 while simultaneously improving the quality of life of everyone by addressing citizen concerns. It will have goals with measurable outcomes: when something is working those ideas need to be championed, when something isn’t those ideas need to go back to the drawing board.

I want Marina to be known as the most active and health conscious City on The Peninsula. Good Health should transcend socio-economic and racial disparities. I will continue to champion many of the pillars of a healthy community including the built environment, food policy, and tobacco policy. I have already worked tirelessly to introduce legislation to ensure our Parks and Recreation areas are SMOKE FREE and I will continue to look at proven solutions to better health outcomes for all of the residents of Marina. I cherish Marina's relationship with BlueZones® and others and will continue to learn from and implement best practices coming from these wonderful organizations.

Have you ever try to find something on our City Website and couldn't? Have you tried to conduct business online with the City and become frustrated?

I have worked for over 20 years in technology, privacy, and security. I will bring that knowledge to help the City modernize online services, provide increased accountability, efficiency, and accessibility. I am on the record as advocating for "virtual" community participation well before the current COVID pandemic and will continue that advocacy well after.