2026 Pleasant Hill City Council Candidate Forum, My Responses To The Community’s Questions

Question 1: Civic trust breaks down when residents feel their public comments fall on deaf ears. What formal follow-up mechanisms or reporting practices would you implement to show how public feedback actually shaped final council decisions? 

Promoting and ensuring a stronger voice for residents is foundational to my campaign. My whole campaign is built on my firm belief that government works best when it values the voices of the people it serves, and my commitment is to be an open ear for every resident. 

To ensure I meet this goal, I will establish regular opportunities for residents to meet with me directly, with various times available to ensure I hear from people who have family, work, and other commitments that prevent their attendance at the Monday night City Council meetings to be heard. 

Similar to Dr. Tran, I will hold opportunities for residents to discuss major policy proposals before I vote on them, and I will reach out to residents who may be most directly impacted by these policies. For example, when considering housing projects, I will reach out to adjacent neighbors and hear their concerns. 

I will also provide a public list of my votes on major issues so residents can easily see how I voted and hold me accountable. I believe that by listening to residents before making decisions, communicating with those most directly affected, and being transparent about how I vote, residents can have a stronger voice in the decisions that affect their neighborhoods and their city 

Question 2: Pleasant Hill ranks relatively low in bikeability compared with neighboring Walnut Creek. What is your personal commitment to improve bike infrastructure in Pleasant Hill, and if elected, how would you hold city staff accountable for making measurable progress? 

I will work to construct permanent sidewalks along sections of Pleasant Hill Road where pedestrians and cyclists currently lack a dedicated route. For example, District 3’s Pleasant Hill Road has sidewalk gaps, especially between Cumberland Drive and Geary Road. My goal is to close these gaps and provide residents with a safe route separated from vehicle traffic. 

I will also work to install safer mechanisms at street crossings along the Contra Costa Canal Trail, such as raised crosswalks, speed bumps, or other traffic-calming measures where appropriate. These improvements can make trail users more visible, encourage drivers to slow down, and reduce the risk of collisions. 

Additionally, I will address speeding in residential neighborhoods and other areas with heavy pedestrian and bike traffic by increasing speed enforcement. Cyclists should be able to use the infrastructure we already have without fear of hazardous speeds. 

Finally, I will push for an investigation into where we can best build dedicated, physically separated Class 4 bikeways rather than relying solely on painted lines on our more traffic-dense roads. Where appropriate, we should ensure there is proper space for cyclists, vehicles, and pedestrians to safely share our roads. In regard to holding City staff accountable, I will work to ensure that project proposals are looked at as soon as possible, that we identify available grants and other funding opportunities to help pay for these improvements, and that residents are kept informed about their progress. I will continue to follow up with City staff to make sure these projects do not simply get reviewed and forgotten, but continue moving forward. 

Question 3: In the current RHNA cycle Pleasant Hill must by state law zone 1,803 new homes… Do any of the candidates support opening up the housing element and risk its descertification, and if so, why? 

I support opening the Housing Element to ensure our neighborhoods keep their character, new housing projects make sense for their surrounding environment, and our existing residents remain a main focus alongside meeting our RHNA requirements. 

I was recently asked by residents about the proposed Cleveland, Soule Avenue, and Beatrice Road housing sites, whether those sites should remain in the Housing Element, whether the Black Angus site should be considered as an alternative, how the City should meet its RHNA housing requirements, and how residents’ concerns should factor into the City’s decision-making. 

I support rezoning the parcels to single-family homes. I do not support the current Housing Element designation of the properties as Multi-Family, Medium Density. It is also worth noting that the area is within a FEMA-designated 100-year floodplain, which gives me additional hesitation about placing medium-density development there. 

However, I do not believe the land should be removed from the Housing Element altogether. I would rather keep it in the plan while changing the designation to single-family homes and pairing each home with an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). This approach would allow us to continue adding housing while preserving the feel of the existing neighborhood. 

Regarding the Black Angus property, I support using that 2.5-acre site for medium to higher-density housing rather than another hotel. It is located along an established transit corridor, making it a suitable location for additional density while helping us meet our RHNA requirements. 

Ultimately, I believe Pleasant Hill can meet its state-mandated housing requirements while maintaining local decision-making and preserving our small-city character. We should be thoughtful about where housing is placed rather than being quick to propose large-scale housing projects at every potential housing site. 

Residents also deserve a meaningful voice in these decisions. I would like to establish a citywide housing commission made up of representative residents from every district to help identify appropriate housing sites, find compromise among the districts, and develop practical solutions to our housing requirements. 

Question 4: Candidates have spoken about maintaining the neighborhoods and adding more dense housing along transit corridors. Given the immense authority of the California Department of Housing and the threat of builder's remedy, what will you do that has not already been done to save neighborhoods? 

I believe preserving our neighborhoods starts with being intentional about where we build. We should not approach housing as simply a matter of finding space for medium to high-density housing units. 

I support directing higher-density housing toward established transit corridors while protecting established residential neighborhoods whenever possible. I believe the Black Angus property is one example of where medium to high-density housing could make sense. At the same time, I support increasing the use of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as another way to add housing units while maintaining the character of our neighborhoods. 

When it comes to the authority of the California Department of Housing and the threat of the builder’s remedy, I believe we can avoid the builder's remedy while still maintaining our small city character, and I also believe we need to strengthen the voice of residents in these housing decisions. 

Residents who live immediately adjacent to proposed developments should have a meaningful opportunity to share their concerns with their Councilmembers before decisions are made. That belief is why I would work to establish a citywide housing commission made up of representative residents from every district to help identify appropriate housing sites, find compromise among the districts, and develop practical solutions to our housing requirements. 

My goal is simple: preserve our neighborhoods, meet our state-mandated housing obligations, maintain the city's local zoning control, and keep Pleasant Hill feeling like Pleasant Hill. I believe we can meet these goals if we are careful about where housing is built and give residents a meaningful voice in how our city grows. 

Question 5: Will you work with the Rec & Park District to preserve the 1920s Pleasant Hill Schoolhouse? If so, how? 

As someone who grew up living near the old Pleasant Hill Schoolhouse and as a history student, I have always wanted to see the schoolhouse preserved, protected, and restored into something that can be used by the community while maintaining its historical significance and character. 

Because the old schoolhouse is owned by the Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District, there is only so much the City can directly do regarding this site. However, I would support the Rec & Park District in any preservation, protection, and restoration initiatives they pursue for the schoolhouse. 

I would like to see the Rec & Park District reach out and work with the community to explore options for the schoolhouse that preserve its historical character while also giving it a meaningful and useful purpose for the local community. 

I believe we can protect an important part of Pleasant Hill’s history while finding a way for future generations of residents to enjoy and benefit from it. 

Question 6: As the city navigates long-term structural budget deficits, how do you propose educating and involving the public in revenue and spending tradeoffs before final decisions are put on the ballot or voted into law? 

I propose continuing to push for town halls to inform our community, discuss these issues with residents, and work with them to address the challenges facing our city. I will work for better communication through these town halls and make a greater effort to reach out to community members so residents have more opportunities to understand the City's financial situation and have their voices heard before major decisions are made. 

I believe residents should have the information they need to form a clearer understanding of the City's finances, including any tradeoffs involved in spending and revenue decisions, before those decisions are put on the ballot or voted into law. 

I also believe that Pleasant Hill can address its budget deficit without implementing new taxes if the City is smarter and more disciplined with its expenditures. I will fight for as long as I can to prevent new taxes while working with our community to find responsible solutions to the City's long-term financial challenges. 

Question 7: How do you think districting is working for the city? 

I think that since the City moved to a district-based system, it has been wonderful to have more balanced representation among the different parts of our city. This system has given neighborhoods that may have felt unheard before the opportunity to gain a seat at the table by choosing a councilmember who represents their area. I think districting has not only allowed new voices to be part of City decisions, but it has also given residents a greater connection to their councilmembers. 

As a 20-year-old candidate running my first campaign, I do not have a large campaign budget, nor am I accepting donations for my 2026 City Council campaign. In many ways, this position has been beneficial because it has allowed me to focus less on fundraising and more on directly meeting the residents of my district and earning their support through my actions, not promises. 

More importantly, over the past few weeks, I have been able to walk and meet my fellow neighbors in every neighborhood of my district. My team and I have collectively walked over 110 miles, giving us the opportunity to personally meet residents throughout the district and hear directly from them. I appreciate that districting has allowed me to focus my campaign on the residents I hope to represent and give them the time and attention they deserve.

Question 8: You have two choices and, assuming everything else is equal, how would you choose what is best for Pleasant Hill or what is best for your district, and why? 

I cannot imagine a scenario in which it is truly an either-or situation. I believe compromise can almost always be found, and that my responsibility as a councilmember would be to seek solutions that serve the community as a whole. 

I would dedicate myself to being a representative and an open ear for District 3 residents, but at the same time, I would have an inherent duty to serve and support all Pleasant Hill residents. If I were faced with two choices, one that primarily benefited my district and another that provided a greater benefit to Pleasant Hill as a whole, I would weigh which option would bring the greatest benefit to our community overall. 

At the same time, serving the common good sometimes means giving particular attention to those who need it most. If District 3 were in a good position and another part of Pleasant Hill had a greater need, I would be comfortable directing more resources there. One of my political inspirations, Robert F. Kennedy Sr., has greatly influenced my belief in what public service should mean. I firmly believe that public service means looking beyond our own neighborhood and asking how we can build a stronger community for all. 

I would represent District 3, but I would serve the City of Pleasant Hill.