2020 General Election: Our Endorsements!
We’re excited to be endorsing our largest slate yet of candidates and measures for this fall’s general election. We’re grateful to all of these candidates for championing housing and progressive values in our communities.
Heads up! This page is a work in progress; we expect to add a few more endorsements before ballots are mailed.
Local Ballot Measures
| Location | Measure | Position |
|---|---|---|
| San Mateo | Measure R: Height and density limits | No |
| San Mateo | Measure Y: Height and density limits | No! Both measures would restrict how housing can be built in San Mateo. Zoning should be determined by the General Plan process, not the ballot box. Read more here. |
| Mountain View | Measure C: Prohibits overnight street parking of large vehicles | No; This bans a form of shelter from most streets that, due to our extreme housing shortage, many neighbors must rely on. |
| Counties served by Caltrain: SF, San Mateo, Santa Clara | Measure RR: Establishes a dedicated source of funding for Caltrain via a 1/8th cent sales tax | Yes! |
State-wide ballot propositions:
| Proposition | Position |
|---|---|
| 14: Issues $5.5 billion in bonds for state stem cell research institute | Neutral (not our area of focus) |
| 15: Increases Funding for Public Schools, Community Colleges, and Local Government Services by Changing Tax Assessment of Commercial and Industrial Property | Yes! This reopens a revenue stream that our schools have been deprived of for decades. This prop is focused on large commercial and industrial property. |
| 16: Repeals Proposition 209 (1996), which says that the state cannot discriminate or grant preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, or contracting | Yes; We believe this would allow the state to take these factors into consideration in a progressive way. Expands government's tools to address racial inequity. |
| 17: Restores the right to vote to people convicted of felonies who are on parole | Yes |
| 18: Allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primaries and special elections | Yes |
| 19: Property Tax Transfers, Exemptions, and Revenue for Wildfire Agencies and Counties Amendment | Yes! This increases mobility within the state and allows for reasonable revenue collection |
| 20: Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative | No |
| 21: Local Rent Control Initiative | Yes; this gives towns the option to enact rent control measures |
| 22: Considers app-based drivers to be independent contractors and enacts several labor policies related to app-based companies | No |
| 23: Requires physician on-site at dialysis clinics and consent from the state for a clinic to close | Neutral (not our area of focus) |
| 24: Expands the provisions of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) | Neutral (not our area of focus) |
| 25: Replaces cash bail with risk assessments for suspects awaiting trial | Yes |
Regional candidates:
| Office | Our endorsement |
|---|---|
| Santa Clara County Supervisor, D3 | Otto Lee: he’s a champion of affordable housing, upzoning, and building housing on land owned by transit agencies |
Quick guide to local candidate endorsements (more detail below!) – north to south:
| City | Our endorsements: |
|---|---|
| Daly City | Juslyn Manalo |
| Colma | John Goodwin |
| South San Francisco | Mark Nagales (D2), James Coleman (D4) |
| San Bruno | Rico Medina (Mayor), Michael Salazar |
| San Mateo | Amourence Lee |
| Foster City | Sam Hindi, Patrick Sullivan |
| Belmont | Davina Hurt, Tom McCune |
| San Carlos | J.T. Eden |
| Redwood City | Jeff Gee (D1), Isabella Chu (D3), Michael Smith (D4), Alicia Aguirre (D7) |
| Menlo Park | Jen Wolosin (D3) |
| East Palo Alto | Lisa Gauthier, Stewart Hyland, Carlos Romero |
| Palo Alto | Cari Templeton, Raven Malone, Steven Lee |
| Mountain View | Alex Núñez, Pat Showalter, Sally Lieber, John Lashlee |
| Sunnyvale | Alysa Cisneros (D2), Omar Din (D6), Leia Mehlman (D6) — dual endorsement in D6 |
| Cupertino | J.R. Fruen, Hung Wei |
Bios of our endorsed City Council Candidates:
Daly City
Juslyn Manalo
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: In Daly City, our members endorsed Councilmember Juslyn Manalo! Juslyn has had a strong track record of supporting both housing and renter protections, and we enthusiastically recommend her for another term.
Website: https://www.juslynmanalo.com
Colma
John Goodwin
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Colma is a tiny town, but has a big housing champion in Councilmember John Goodwin! John supported Colma Veteran’s Villiage, which brought much needed affordable housing to the city, and understands the need for zoning reform.
South San Francisco
Mark Nagales
Office: City Council, D2
Bio: Councilmember Mark Nagales has repeatedly stood up for new housing, including in the face of strong opposition, and is a strong supporter of more equitable, more efficient public transit.
Website: https://marknagales.com
James Coleman
Office: City Council, D4
Bio: James Coleman is a young, progressive candidate, who understands the need to undo exclusionary zoning and protect renters from displacement. He is challenging an anti-housing incumbent who was appointed to the role 18 years ago!
Website: https://james4ssf.com
San Bruno
Rico Medina
Office: Mayor
Bio: In San Bruno, we’re supporting Mayor Rico Medina for re-election. Rico stands up for housing. He backed the Mills Park development despite intense opposition lead by his anti-housing challenger.
Website: https://www.ricomedina.com
Michael Salazar
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Councilmember Michael Salazar has a record of supporting transit-oriented housing in San Bruno and is committed to finding regional solutions to our housing crisis.
Website: https://www.salazarforcouncil.com
San Mateo
Amourence Lee
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: In San Mateo, we early-endorsed Councilmember Amourence Lee!
She is a leader in the formerly-redlined North Central neighborhood, as well as being a staunch supporter of renters, affordable housing, and equity.
Website: https://www.amourencelee.com
Foster City
Sam Hindi
Office: City Council at large
Bio: We’re thrilled to support the re-election of Councilmember Sam Hindi, who has proven himself to be the strongest voice on the Foster City City Council for housing and equity issues.
Website: https://www.samhindi.com
Patrick Sullivan
Office: City council at large
Bio: We’re excited to support Patrick Sullivan in his bid to make Foster City more housing friendly. Patrick also provides welcome knowledge on transportation issues.
Belmont
Davina Hurt
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Councilmember Davina Hurt is a strong housing supporter; her work on the council included passage of the Firehouse Square development, bringing 80 new affordable homes to Belmont!
Website: https://www.davinaforbelmont.com
Tom McCune
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: We proudly endorse Councilmember Tom McCune who supports streamlining and simplifying the housing development process, making it easier for Belmont to welcome new neighbors.
San Carlos
JT Eden
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: In San Carlos, our members endorsed JT Eden! JT is a young, progressive candidate; his support of ending exclusionary zoning and protecting renters would be a deeply valuable addition to the City Council.
Website: https://www.jteden.com
Redwood City
Jeff Gee
Office: City Council, D1
Bio: In District 1, our members endorsed Jeff Gee. Jeff served previously on the Redwood City Council, and where he was known as a strong supporter of new housing and a champion of the Downtown Precise Plan.
Website: http://www.jeffgee.org
Isabella Chu
Office: City Council, D3
Bio: Isabella Chu is a champion for equitable, walkable, vibrant urban areas as the founder of Redwood City Forward. She supports policies that will end exclusionary zoning, mix uses across the city, and prioritize the safety and convenience of pedestrians and bicyclists, breaking our region’s reliance on automobiles. Isabella’s career as a public health advocate is likewise crucial for strong local governance during a pandemic, and electing her to the Council would make Redwood City a stronger, healthier, more resilient community.
Website: https://isabellachurwc.org
Michael Smith
Office: City Council, D4
Bio: Michael Smith is fortunate to have no competition in his District 5 race! Michael has been a champion for housing as a Planning Commissioner and we’re so excited to have him on the City Council next year.
Website: https://www.michael4redwoodcity.com
Alicia Aguirre
Office: City Council, D7
Bio: In District 7, voters have a chance to reelect long-time housing champion Alicia Aguirre! Alicia has routinely embraced progressive housing policies, from streamlining affordable housing to renter protections, at both the local and regional level.
Website: https://www.aliciaaguirre.com
Menlo Park
Jen Wolosin
Office: City Council, D3
Bio: In Menlo Park’s District 3 race, we’re pleased to support Jen Wolosin. Jen has long been an advocate for bike safety, in addition to housing and renter protections. She shares a vision for a more equitable Menlo Park and a more sustainable region.
Website: https://jenwolosin.com
East Palo Alto
Lisa Gauthier
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: We strongly support Lisa Gauthier in her re-election campaign! As a long time resident, she’s seen East Palo Alto become more unaffordable and has supported increasing housing while ensuring existing residents are not displaced.
Website: https://www.lisa4epa.com
Stewart Hyland
Office: City council, at large
Bio: As a former organizer for equity group Faith in Action and the current Organizing Director for the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County, Stewart Hyland’s immense experience fighting for housing justice makes him an ideal candidate for City Council.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Stewart4EPA
Carlos Romero
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Councilmember Carlos Romero brings decades of experience building affordable housing and working to advance equitable housing policies. His advocacy and championship of housing issues at both the local and regional level is unparalleled. We strongly support his reelection.
Palo Alto
Cari Templeton
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Our members strongly support Palo Alto Planning Commission Chair Cari Templeton! Few housing projects have come to the Commission during Cari’s tenure. She understands structural changes are imperative to get affordable housing into Palo Alto’s pipeline.
Website: https://www.cariforcouncil.com
Raven Malone
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: We’re thrilled to support Raven Malone’s candidacy. Raven came to politics through the Black Lives Matter movement and is pushing for climate justice action. Raven is determined to right systemic injustices in Palo Alto’s zoning code.
Website: https://www.ravenmalone.com
Steven Lee
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Candidate Steven Lee will be a strong voice for diversity and inclusion. As a renter, Steven understands the consequences of Palo Alto’s inaction on housing issues, and will work to undo the city’s legacy of exclusion.
Website: https://www.stevenlee2020.org
Mountain View
Alex Núñez
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Alex Núñez is a strong housing and anti-displacement advocate in Mountain View. He supports building affordable housing for low- and middle-income workers; exploring additional business taxes to support BMR construction; and a strong Right of Return policy coupled with No-Net-Loss development standards.
Website: https://www.alexnunezforcouncil.com
Pat Showalter
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Pat Showalter is a former Mountain View City Council member with experience advocating for housing. She supports streamlining the entitlement and permitting process; finding additional funding sources for affordable housing; and rent control protections for mobile home communities. Pat is active on the League of Women Voter’s Housing Committee and the Mountain View Coalition for Sustainable Housing.
Website: https://patshowalter.com
Sally Lieber
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Sally Lieber is an experienced local politician and former State Assemblywoman. She supports plex-zoning citywide; increased funding for affordable housing through bonds, land banks, and public/private partnerships; and wants to see rent control expanded to protect mobile home communities.
Website: https://www.sallylieber.org
John Lashlee
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: John Lashlee will fight for working class families struggling to make rent. As an organizer for the Democratic Socialists of America, he worked tirelessly for renter protections when rent control was on the ballot via Measure D. To prevent rising rents, Lashlee supports robust housing production with an “all of the above” approach to building both private and public housing projects. In order to build more homes, Lashlee supports streamlined approval processes and extensive upzoning. A data scientist by trade, John Lashlee thinks rigorously about policy details, and it shows in his well-considered platform for protecting renters and getting the Bay Area out of this housing crisis.
Website: https://www.votelashlee.com
Sunnyvale
Alysa Cisneros
Office: City Council, D2
Bio: Alysa Cisneros is running “to build a Sunnyvale for all.” She believes in enhancing tenant protections (like expanding AB1482’s just cause eviction protections); exploring safe parking programs; and expanding shelter capacities. She is committed to holding Sunnyvale accountable for market-rate and affordable home construction.
Website: https://www.votealysa.com
Omar Din
Office: City Council, D6 (dual endorsed)
Bio: Omar Din is running for Sunnyvale City Council in District 6. “I am fighting for an affordable Sunnyvale because after graduating college, I found myself priced out of my hometown.” He supports upzoning all of Sunnyvale; expanding just cause eviction protections; and wants Sunnyvale to be a walkable city.
Website: https://omarforsunnyvale.com
Leia Mehlman
Office: City Council, D6 (dual endorsed)
Bio: Leia Mehlman is also running for Sunnyvale City Council in District 6. As a mobile home owner renting the lot she lives on, she supports a city-wide rent control measure to stabilize lot rents. She believes in more affordable housing; supports upzoning; and supports safe parking programs.
Cupertino
J.R. Fruen
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: J.R. Fruen is a co-founder of Cupertino for All, and wants future generations to be able to thrive in Cupertino. He supports missing middle housing in single-family neighborhoods; increasing in-lieu developer fees to support affordable housing; and establishing navigation centers to help RV dwellers access resources and find permanent housing. If elected, he would be the only renter on the Council.
Website: https://jr4cupertino.com
Hung Wei
Office: City Council, at large
Bio: Hung Wei believes an inclusive city offers housing options for all. She supports partnerships with nonprofits to provide assistance to RV/vehicle dwellers; a regional structure to support transit; and tenant protection ordinances like Right of Return and Relocation Assistance. If elected, she will leverage state housing laws to challenge the current no-growth mindset of the Cupertino City Council.
Website: https://www.hungwei.org