Deborah's Priorities
Public Safety
Violent crime in our city is on the rise, with the highest crime rates in South and West Berkeley. I will encourage our mayor and council to provide laser-focused and community investment intervention programs in these neighborhoods with the goal of reducing violent crime, hate crimes, and LGTBQ+ providing more significant public safety throughout our city.
I will:
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Work to enhance community policing and interactive partnerships between law enforcement and the neighborhoods they serve. By developing connections within the community, police are better informed to solve public safety problems. We must work to expedite and solve crimes within the guidelines of civil liberties and hold those accountable for crimes that plague our city daily.
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Ensure Community Policing takes center stage to increase staffing, and our officers develop robust partnerships with small businesses and communities to ensure effective and timely emergency responses
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Work with the Berkeley Police Department and Fire Department to establish and build on their collaborative efforts for our city's frontline of safety and peace of mind for our residents
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Increase the hours of our Special Cares mental health response teams and boost outreach and service information to our most vulnerable residents.
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Effectively work with Alameda County to address the mental health crisis within our judicial system; more than 45% of incarcerated men and women deserve access to appropriate mental health treatment, including screening, regular and timely access to mental health providers, and access to medications and programs that support their recovery.
Affordable Housing
Every person in our city shares one essential need: a place to live. For many years, community resistance to new housing development has significantly contributed to the difficulty of developing new affordable housing in Berkeley. High land costs and low-density buildings are no longer options for delivering housing. We must build affordable and missing-middle housing to address the Berkeley crisis's need city-wide.
I will:
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Commit to prioritizing and delivering low-income and middle-income housing at the Ashby Bart Station, providing a home for many residents who have waited far too long.
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Roll up my sleeves to bring second-chance permanent housing opportunities for our unhoused residents.
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Develop artist housing and provide a new direction for the historical Black Repertory Group Theatre that will support the housing needs of our creative community.
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Re-establish the beloved and historical marketplace, "The Berkeley Flea Market," to its economic vibrance for artists, entrepreneurs, and joy in South Berkeley.
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Roll up my sleeves again to provide a comprehensive approach to safety nets for all Berkeley residents living in senior housing. The Harriet Tubman Terrace Senior Housing residents in South Berkeley deserve to have their golden years shine bright with effective site management and safe and comfortable living spaces.
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Actively work to implement Home Buyer Assistance and Financial Goal programs, offering opportunities for home ownership to those seeking to live in our community.
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Work to support the delicate balance between tenants and landlords; tenants deserve housing protection and stability, and no one should encounter unfair treatment. Landlords need support to maintain quality tenant housing with skyrocketing repairs and improvement costs. Fostering a positive partnership between landlord and tenants offers our residents the best opportunity for fair rental costs and landlord incentives to help Berkeley maintain a robust rental housing stock
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We sincerely support our local, regional, and state governance and staff in capitalizing on housing opportunities. To research and seize regional and state housing application incentives/opportunities, such as the 2024 Pro Housing Incentive Program, to speed up the production and preservation of affordable housing
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Support South Berkeley in continuing to implement and update the Adeline Corridor Plan and approve the collaborative efforts of residents and the City of Berkeley to deliver the highest and best use of land, zoning, and community benefits for South Berkeley
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Budget & Responsibility
Berkeley can implement more robust, sustainable budgets despite unexpected curveballs, competing demands, rising costs, staffing issues, and communication hurdles.
I will:
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Be committed to delivering budget transparency. While this budget benefit may not be as obvious or tangible, it's nonetheless. Local governments that observe development needs, staff departments efficiently, communicate openly, and spend effectively will help us build a stable budget and strengthen the confidence of management, residents, businesses, and developers, giving all parties the desire to make continued investments in the community.
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Support gauging Berkeley's development Projects/ Issues. Of course, we cannot predict the future with absolute certainty. However, it definitely helps to be aware of current and emerging development trends and where there are evident hurdles when making decisions about the city budget.
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Work with the mayor, city council, our city manager, and staff to prepare for addressing challenging workloads. We know that various departments in your municipality face regular fluctuations in workloads and activity. In order to effectively handle changes to workloads and staffing needs, our city must look for ways to staff the departments efficiently during those inevitable ups and downs. Effectively sharing workloads can offer huge savings to our budget and serve our residents
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Focus on Berkeley's liabilities post-employment benefits, currently at $614 million. While we have made an effort in budget-dedicated paydowns, more must be done in the immediate future to address this item. I recommend a special task force to address effective strategies, timelines, and a piercing approach to debt relief.
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Push for Rainy Day Funds and rebuild our Housing Trust Fund to be dedicated resources to strengthening our financial foundation, addressing affordable housing and emergency needs for closing deficiency gaps in our general budget, and supporting our policies through economic downturns
Infrastructure | Safe Streets
Fire Safety & Resilience—Nearly every wildfire in California is caused by human activities. A fire safety landscape goes beyond maintaining a neat yard. It involves choosing and placing fire-resistant plants that thrive in our varying dry climates. Work closely with the Berkeley Fire Department to improve our hill residents' safety measures.
I will:
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Support education in Wildfire Proactive Awareness
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Winter: Dormant season maintenance Tree assessment and action
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Spring: Preparing for the season of dry conditions, clearing and conservation watering
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Summer: Peak wildfire season Berkeley vigilance Exercise extreme caution with outdoor equipment to prevent sparks.
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Fall: Pre-rainfall tree care underbrush clearing and rotating selective planting
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Safe Streets
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Berkeley's infrastructure has been in place for over 75 years, and significant costly replacements are now necessary and underway. In 2022, the city prepared, approved, and finalized Vision 2050: Planning For A Sustainable And Resilient Future. Thanks to everyone who has worked on this for three years. Let's continue to implement this effective plan of long-term goals to address structural replacements and repairs citywide
Climate Action
Introducing a climate action social lens harnesses the power of our neighborhoods by involving community leaders, local organizations, and businesses in creating and participating in neighborhood programs and action plans to address climate change in our front yard.
I will:
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Support and encourage exciting ways to reduce carbon footprint, meet neighbors, and share stakeholder ideas. We can move the needle forward on climate action and environmental protection through education, outreach communication, and innovative ideas, as well as collective and inclusive discussions with our city and neighbors
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Changing your home's energy source – Offer Solar Roundtables on effectiveness, cost, and available programs
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When applicable, walk, bike, or take public transport – Neighborhood fun project: Create A Carbon Diet - 30-Day Challenge
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Provide urban garden grants to students who establish, coordinate, and volunteer in community gardens, offering food resources to our marginalized residents
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Think out of the box for climate change ideas; we can consider alternative ways to travel and reach our points of destinations, fly less, and share fun stay-cation ideas
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Reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle home goods
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Support developing a Green Business One-Stop Free Certification Program. Work with small to medium-sized businesses to create a vibrant green economy. Implement programs to help make our communities healthier and more livable by conserving resources and saving money