A Chat With A Candidate For Fresno City Council District 3

So the things you're talking about, quite frankly, they're different than maybe a common perception about you.

I mean, you're labeled sometimes far left.

I know your record is a lot more nuanced than that, but people associate you with this... new rising progressive wing of Fresno politics.

I'd actually point out that I'm not okay with the status quo in any shape or fashion.

And so I am fighting for progress.

I'm insisting that what's gotten us to this point is not good enough going forward.

And that requires us to make sure that we call out those injustices.

You mentioned redlining, and I'm happy that those days are long gone and past.

And yet, if we're going to be honest about it, generational wealth, the lack thereof, because of those lack of opportunities for home ownership, continue to permeate our communities and society.

It inhibits communities of color for too long.

And I'm just bringing this up because...

For too long, we haven't been able to have these real honest conversations about what's happened to too many communities who face abject poverty, who live shorter lives.

I agree completely, but it seems like in the debate, often from the progressive side, there's not really a talk about the value of home ownership and how important it is for Fresno to have a housing stock that's available for people all across the economic spectrum.

And I think when you look, Joaquin, in recent years, we're doing pretty good on affordable housing.

But as you know, often those projects don't add anything to the tax rolls.

They're tax exempt.

So from my perspective, it's refreshing to hear you say economic development's going to be a big part of what you want to be involved in.

When I was in the ER, I oftentimes struggled to... help people who couldn't keep a roof over their head or who had enough food on their table.

And those social determinants of health, social drivers of health, oftentimes impacted their lives and shortened them to the point that they came to see me in the ER.

The thing that would have kept them healthy was an economy, was a good job, was an ability to make their ends meet.

And for those of us who are in these positions, it's our responsibility to make sure that the economy is working for everyone.

that we have housing options that work for everyone, including home ownership, yes, including affordability.

But too many young people right now don't think that home ownership is even accessible, right, or in their cards.

And so we have to find that missing middle.

What is that starter home? Is that an ADU? Is that a condo? Can we listen to the young people, the students, those who are demanding housing? Can we look at where we are in relationship to the rest of the state and identify that we're still affordable in comparison? And so when we connect California When we become the center of the universe, as one of our former mayors has said, at some point we're going to have such a need for housing that we need to be planning for it 10 years ago.

So the things you're talking about, quite frankly, they're different than maybe a common perception about you.

I mean, you're labeled sometimes far left.

I know your record is a lot more nuanced than that, but people associate you with this... new rising progressive wing of Fresno politics.

I'd actually point out that I'm not okay with the status quo in any shape or fashion.

And so I am fighting for progress.

I'm insisting that what's gotten us to this point is not good enough going forward.

And that requires us to make sure that we call out those injustices.

You mentioned redlining, and I'm happy that those days are long gone and past.

And yet, if we're going to be honest about it, generational wealth, the lack thereof, because of those lack of opportunities for home ownership, continue to permeate our communities and society.

It inhibits communities of color for too long.

And I'm just bringing this up because...

For too long, we haven't been able to have these real honest conversations about what's happened to too many communities who face abject poverty, who live shorter lives.

I agree completely, but it seems like in the debate, often from the progressive side, there's not really a talk about the value of home ownership and how important it is for Fresno to have a housing stock that's available for people all across the economic spectrum.

And I think when you look, Joaquin, in recent years, we're doing pretty good on affordable housing.

But as you know, often those projects don't add anything to the tax rolls.

They're tax exempt.

So from my perspective, it's refreshing to hear you say economic development's going to be a big part of what you want to be involved in.

When I was in the ER, I oftentimes struggled to... help people who couldn't keep a roof over their head or who had enough food on their table.

And those social determinants of health, social drivers of health, oftentimes impacted their lives and shortened them to the point that they came to see me in the ER.

The thing that would have kept them healthy was an economy, was a good job, was an ability to make their ends meet.

And for those of us who are in these positions, it's our responsibility to make sure that the economy is working for everyone.

that we have housing options that work for everyone, including home ownership, yes, including affordability.

But too many young people right now don't think that home ownership is even accessible, right, or in their cards.

And so we have to find that missing middle.

What is that starter home? Is that an ADU? Is that a condo? Can we listen to the young people, the students, those who are demanding housing? Can we look at where we are in relationship to the rest of the state and identify that we're still affordable in comparison? And so when we connect California When we become the center of the universe, as one of our former mayors has said, at some point we're going to have such a need for housing that we need to be planning for it 10 years ago.