City Council Candidates Weigh In On Their Ideas for Our Town

 City Council Candidates Q&A

Location of ballot box at City Hall

November 8th, Emeryville voters will decide on two new four year City Council members who will replace Scott Donahue and Dianne Martinez, both of whom decided to not run for a third term.  This election, voters will select between Sukhdeep Kaur, David Mourra, Kalimah Priforce, Eugene Tssui, and Brooke Westling.

The Tattler has come up with 10 questions we think the people of Emeryville would like to ask their prospective new council members and all but Brooke Westling responded to our questionnaire.   We present the first three questions and answers from all four candidates now and will follow with the remaining soon.  

The selection of presentation here was random.

Here then are the first three questions:

First up is Kalimah Priforce.  The candidate’s website is HERE.

 1)   Emeryville has about 18 acres of parks, not nearly enough according to our General Plan.  The plan says we should be adding new parks at a rate of three acres per 1000 new residents (and 1/4 acre per 1000 new workers for commercial development).  But each new large residential development project has failed to provide this minimum park average.  As a result, Emeryville is in parkland deficit and we will be some 31 acres short what the General Plan calls for at the rate we’re going by the sunset of the plan in 7-12 years.  Every year, we move further behind our target due to population growth.  What would you do to get to the 49 acres of park land we need by the sunset of the General Plan?  If you don’t support the General Plan’s park provisions, should we amend the plan to show fewer acres of parks?

 

Kalimah Priforce:  I support my colleagues when it comes to housing and transportation policies, but I also know what it is for housing policies that may be well-intentioned during planning phases, but end up not meeting the needs of the people.

 

I did not grow up in the projects, but I did grow up near them. Sometimes our housing conditions were so dilapidated that I wished I lived in the projects of Breevort and Kingsborough in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

 

The cities ran out of money to support low-income housing and subsidized housing like the New York City Housing Authority. That created pockets of despair and violence during the crack epidemic. I do not want a return to that level of city-seeded disenfranchisement. My goal is to ensure that Emeryville doesn’t run out of money, and I think we can get to a fiscally sound Emeryville without cutting costs and raising taxes on small homeowners.

 

So I hope that the reason we haven’t met these park-related guidelines is because we are rushing approvals only to be duped by developers or that it’s a cost-cutting measure, so I would have to look into why it’s not happening according to the information you’ve provided.

 

Should we be meeting these guidelines? Yes.

 

2)  The General Plan says Emeryville’s population should be 16,600 people by the sunset of the plan.  Is this number good?  If it is not good, should we amend the plan?

 

Kalimah Priforce:  I don’t think the number is good. I believe in density.

YIMBY may not have endorsed my candidacy and I did not seek it from them. I am very careful about who I receive support from because I do not want it to shape how I view what is possible for our city.

 

However, many of YIMBY’s remarks about density I do agree with. With over a thousand units being built in Emeryville, based on what was shared with me during the public orientations, we can expect a doubling of our population.

 

I don’t have a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is livability and affordability and cutting our high turnover rate among the resident and business population.

 

3)  How do we know how much market rate housing Emeryville should have moving into the future?  City Council member Dianne Martinez says the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), of which Emeryville is a member, is incorrect in its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).  Do you think we should follow RHNA as we historically have or disregard it as Council member Martinez says?  If not RHNA, what metrics should we use to determine how much market rate housing we need?

 

Kalimah Priforce:  The metrics used should be determined by ABAG if that is the agreement. If we disagree with them then we should provide metrics of our own based on our needs and citizen feedback. As long as the communication is clear, a resolution can be formed that works in favor of Emeryville.

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Next up is Sukhdeep Kaur.  The candidate’s website is HERE.

 1)   Emeryville has about 18 acres of parks, not nearly enough according to our General Plan.  The plan says we should be adding new parks at a rate of three acres per 1000 new residents (and 1/4 acre per 1000 new workers for commercial development).  But each new large residential development project has failed to provide this minimum park average.  As a result, Emeryville is in parkland deficit and we will be some 31 acres short what the General Plan calls for at the rate we’re going by the sunset of the plan in 7-12 years.  Every year, we move further behind our target due to population growth.  What would you do to get to the 49 acres of park land we need by the sunset of the General Plan?  If you don’t support the General Plan’s park provisions, should we amend the plan to show fewer acres of parks?

Sukhdeep Kaur:  According to Trust for Public lands data, 94% of Emeryville’s population lives within 10 miles of a park and is doing better than average in Parks compared to rest of the nation.  Due to the state-wide water shortage, my vision of parks is more drought resistant native trees rather than areas of brown grass and shrubs for lack of water.  According to the Tree Equity Score report, Emeryville needs over 5,000 trees.  Reforestation seems to be the better solution than grassy parks.  According to City Parks Alliance, due to the global heating, grassy parks are no longer viable.  Some trees and plants are known to give out oxygen at night, in artificial light.  The General Plan should account for these type of solution to factor in the water shortage, combat climate change, and reduce Urban Heat Island Effect.

2)  The General Plan says Emeryville’s population should be 16,600 people by the sunset of the plan.  Is this number good?  If it is not good, should we amend the plan?

Sukhdeep Kaur:  I am not sure if we will exceed 16,600 by 2023.  So, this seems to be a good number.  A lot of the population left the Bay Area during the Covid lockdown and Emeryville also had its share of residents who left the area.

3)  How do we know how much market rate housing Emeryville should have moving into the future?  City Council member Dianne Martinez says the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), of which Emeryville is a member, is incorrect in its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).  Do you think we should follow RHNA as we historically have or disregard it as Council member Martinez says?  If not RHNA, what metrics should we use to determine how much market rate housing we need?

Sukhdeep Kaur:  Yes, RHNA would be a good metric to follow for market rate housing based on all the seminars I have attended on this issue.  I am not sure what other metric should determine how much market rate housing is needed.  Also, I am not sure of the context Dianne made her remarks and I do not want to comment on her remarks as I was not there when she made those remarks and she may have had good reason to support her conclusions.
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Next up is David Mourra.  The candidate’s website is HERE.

1)   Emeryville has about 18 acres of parks, not nearly enough according to our General Plan.  The plan says we should be adding new parks at a rate of three acres per 1000 new residents (and 1/4 acre per 1000 new workers for commercial development).  But each new large residential development project has failed to provide this minimum park average.  As a result, Emeryville is in parkland deficit and we will be some 31 acres short what the General Plan calls for at the rate we’re going by the sunset of the plan in 7-12 years.  Every year, we move further behind our target due to population growth.  What would you do to get to the 49 acres of park land we need by the sunset of the General Plan?  If you don’t support the General Plan’s park provisions, should we amend the plan to show fewer acres of parks?

 

David Mourra:  The park acreage goals of the general plan are good and should be left in the general plan to guide future developments. Some aspects of the general plan are inherently forward-looking and don't have a defined path, especially if the funding source for land is hard to predict. We have opportunities with larger developments to gain significant park space in the form of development bonuses. However this may not be sufficient to bridge the gap identified. The question of why we are falling behind in our park goals is a good one and this is something I will definitely look into if I am elected to city council.

 

2)  The General Plan says Emeryville’s population should be 16,600 people by the sunset of the plan.  Is this number good?  If it is not good, should we amend the plan?

 

David Mourra:  Rather than focus on total population count, I think it is more helpful to look at the different zoning areas of the city and decide whether we are realizing our zoning and density goals. For many areas with zoned residential density, we are falling short of our goals.  Empty lots and underutilized mixed use spaces would benefit from more housing which would bring more people and help revitalize areas of the city. When these zoning goals are realized, I'd feel more comfortable saying the city population is at a "good" number. 

 

3)  How do we know how much market rate housing Emeryville should have moving into the future?  City Council member Dianne Martinez says the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), of which Emeryville is a member, is incorrect in its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).  Do you think we should follow RHNA as we historically have or disregard it as Council member Martinez says?  If not RHNA, what metrics should we use to determine how much market rate housing we need?

 

David Mourra:  With each new development that brings housing, the city requires a minimum number of affordable housing units. On the planning commission, I've advocated for additional housing units, market rate and affordable. Developers often decline to build more housing, even market rate units, because the current economic climate and building costs cause them to lose money on each new unit of housing. This is a difficult economic reality that the city must navigate. It requires negotiation with developers which means if the city gets additional housing units, they might be disproportionately market rate. As a result, the "correct" number of affordable housing units relative to market rate units is unique to each development and the surrounding neighborhood.

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Next up is Eugene Tssui.  The candidate’s website is HERE.

1) Emeryville has about 18 acres of parks, not nearly enough according to our General Plan. The plan says we should be adding new parks at a rate of three acres per 1000 new residents (and 1/4 acre per 1000 new workers for commercial development).  But each new large residential development project has failed to provide this minimum park average.  As a result, Emeryville is parkland deficit and we will be some 31 acres short what the General Plan calls for at the rate we’re going by the sunset of the plan in 7-12 years.  Every year, we move further behind our target due to population growth.  What would you do to get to the 49 acres of park land we need by the sunset of the General Plan?  If you don’t support the General Plan’s park provisions, should we amend the plan to show fewer acres of parks?

Eugene Tssui:  The City Council must work with Caltrans and the local government to create a 49-acre park built over the I-80 Freeway between Ashby Avenue bridge and Powell Street, where it intersects the I-80 Freeway.   It is time for a new vision, an iconic image of a new Emeryville unlike anything ever dreamed of. This new park, with its magnificent panoramic sweep of the San Francisco Bay,

would become the geographic focal point and a global symbol of Emeryville and would meaningfully represent what I call, The Gateway to the East Bay; and be an architectural and landscaping marvel of the world. How This natural bridge would give Emeryville the world renown that it deserves.  There are many features of this landscaped tunnel/park design that I could elaborate on.   Still, for the sake of brevity, I will only describe the general concept that  will give Emeryville at least 49 acres of parkland, filled with  native habitat plants and low on water usage! The intention is to give people and animals much more linked walkways to the beach fronts of Emeryville, creating a unified recreational landmark park for present and future residents.  A spectacular bridge between sea and land. We need innovative imagination is that our recreation and athletic facilities in Emeryville are underutilized and not advocated!   One-third of our children and over one-half of the adults in Alameda County are overweight and obese! We need places that encourage our residents to move and to participate in organized sports and fitness programs, and the local government must be vigilant about this! We could organize an Emeryville Marathon, swimming competitions for all age groups, martial arts competitions, age-group aerobic competitions, gymnastics competitions, and all kinds of athletic engagement with a committed City Council initiative for crucial programs in addition to bicycling.   Parks help to engage this.

I pledge to raise the level of health and fitness of everyone so that the entire City Council is a team that exudes health and discipline! We can do this! We can be a living example of this and extend this spirit to other cities! I practice what I promote, and we need this kind of dedication, integrity, and dedication in our City to inspire, improve, and transform into a national example of optimal fitness and health, creativity, and daring!

2) The General Plan says Emeryville’s population should be 16,600 people by the sunset of the plan.  Is this number good?  If it is not good, should we amend the plan?

Eugene Tssui:  Should we be so concerned about population numbers?   Isn’t it more important to be concerned about the quality of life of the residents here already?   And what is that quality of life?   Weekly trips to the grocery and retail store? Walks in tucked-away neighborhoods? Bicycles and cars competing for roadway dominance? Children being carpooled to neighboring schools because our schools are so poorly rated?   Restaurants closing for lack of patrons?

We must demand a new sense of Emeryville! A place where residents and families have a sense of belonging and excitement! Where people here feel that they are a part of something extraordinary, something daring, something filled with anticipation! The old Emeryville adage of “The City of Arts and Innovation” needs continual emphasis, so our arts heritage stays vibrant.   It is an attitude, an outlook, a reaching forward for something extraordinary!

There is nothing genuinely artistic about how the city is becoming a stop-off point to purchase and consume and then move on. An annual art exhibition—is that what we call “arts”?    Selling paintings in galleries?   And where is the artistic vision and “innovation”?  In Emeryville architecture? The streets?   The tiny parks?  The quality of air, soil, and water?   Recreation areas?   What does Emeryville have that is distinctive and does not exist elsewhere?   You be the judge…

Population numbers are meaningless in the face of the quality of life. Some of the best cities in the world are very small, and some are very large. A population is only a number. Quality of life is everything!

For instance, Mount Shasta, California, is a hamlet of 3500 people, yet the diversity and quality of life are extraordinary. People come from all over the world to live there.   The population of Shanghai, China, surpasses 25 million people, and yet it is certified as being one of the top three most happy places to live in the world! The population size is integral, but secondary to the meaningful quality of life.

3) How do we know how much market rate housing

Emeryville should have moving into the future?  City Council member Dianne Martinez says the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), of which Emeryville is a member, is incorrect in its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).  Do you think we should follow RHNA as we historically have or disregard it, as Council member Martinez says?  If not RHNA, what metrics should we use to determine how much market-rate housing we need?

Eugene Tssui:  I understand that we have fulfilled the amount of housing needed, as required by the State and governing jurisdictions, the size of the area, and our population. Why are we still so focused on housing? We should be combing housing with more significant concerns about climate change and the potential for catastrophic shoreline changes that may disrupt housing for many of us. How do we promote housing equity?

For instance, glaciers in the Antarctic are melting at alarming rates and accelerating, and this will cause a minimum 10-foot rise in sea levels within 15 years! Local and global temperatures are rising, causing drought, wind patterns that fuel fire, and disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding. Anticipating scenarios we have never experienced include sharp rises in water and diseases from temperature increases, such as wet-bulb death. Our meat and dairy eating habits are killing the planet! We must promote a city-wide program to make our residents plant-based consumers. 

The consumption, farming, and production of meat and dairy in slaughterhouses is the most damaging human behavior in the world! Equivalent to all other destructive human behaviors combined! Emeryville could be a haven that defies this horrible human condition, and we must aggressively advertise it! We must nurture our residents to a new way of dietary living that quells the looming tide of climate change 

and environmental destruction that is overtaking us.

I am not so concerned about the quantity of housing.   I am concerned about what we have.  Every building has an HVAC electrical/mechanical system for heating, ventilation, and air- conditioning. These systems, known as HVAC systems, spew vast amounts of toxic pollution into the air daily! And in our temperate climate, they are not needed at all. If we design our buildings with better insulation, we will not need HVAC systems.

When the 54 Story ONNI building was being proposed, I wrote a letter to our city government and to the developers of the building, calculating the exact amounts of toxic pollution the building would inject into the air daily. The amount exceeded 21 tons of CO2 toxic pollution into the air EVERY DAY! That is equivalent to 1000 cars driving every day for 24 hours!

Architecture accounts for 45% of the world’s toxic pollution! We need to change it, and Emeryville needs to step up to lead the way. We don’t need more polluting housing. We need an entirely different quality of buildings if all of us are to survive the future!