Platform / COVID-19
Recovery Plan
I am running for four more years to help solve the following:
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Restoring our Local Economy while supporting Hayward Residents,
Families, and Businesses
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Continue Innovative Housing and Homelessness Solutions
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Championing Environmental Policy and Climate Restoration
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Creating Safe Communities with Accountability and Transparency
Restoring our Local Economy while supporting Hayward Residents, Families and Businesses
My passion for Hayward is to have a vibrant economy for all our residents. With the realities of our current economy, with the economic impacts of COVID-19 and the recent recession to hit our small business and labor force. I believe in order to have a strong economy we must also have a strong labor force. In other words, all members of our community should have access to living-wage jobs and opportunities to find those jobs. I believe it's important to give our residents the $15 dollar minimum wage and move to see it come sooner rather than later.
I am a longtime advocate of shopping Hayward first. In 2014, Francisco co-founded and now leads the Chamber Commerce’s very own Hayward Latino Business Roundtable. Francisco established the Downtown Hayward Community Benefit District. Now more than ever, our economy requires supporting our small businesses. We should especially support our Mom & Pop shops downtown and throughout our city. These challenging times require creativity and innovative solutions. Our city regulations must accommodate for the times by adapting to different uses that allow for safe social distancing. For example, the use of parklets for outside dining with minimal indoor dining.
Continue Innovative Housing and Homelessness Solutions
Although COVID-19 has caused a tremendous impact on our economy and has impacted our housing crisis further, I am committed to keeping the progress Hayward has made a priority. I will continue to find new and innovative solutions to house our homeless and supply solutions to those facing economic displacements. Long before COVID-19, the State of California and regions like the Bay Area including Hayward have been in a housing crisis. The housing crisis is due to a housing shortage, high cost of living, and not enough affordable housing to meet demand. Hayward has been at the forefront of finding solutions and working with its residents to address this crisis since 2016. As a result, Hayward has been the leader on homelessness and housing reform in the region.
In the last four years, Hayward has become a regional leader in finding solutions by proactively tackling the housing supply by adding 3,700 housing units in the pipeline, awarding $28.6 million in local funds to subsidize 260 affordable units, and negotiating the development of 1,700 units on former Caltrans land with a minimum of 15-20% affordable units. In addition, Hayward is addressing the City’s homelessness crisis by becoming the first city within its surrounding cities to adopt and successfully launch a Housing Navigation Center. The Housing Navigation Center was established on a City-owned parcel at the corner of Depot Road and Whitesell Street is set to serve approximately 100 homeless annually.
During COVID-19, my colleagues and I have stepped up to be aligned with the State and County on establishing a moratorium on evictions and mortgages as a result of the Shelter-in-place orders and the current on-going pandemic that has caused devastating job and income losses.
As a City, we are looking to pull as much Federal and State dollars to address these economic losses the City and its Residents face and ultimately we will have to prioritize its residents and their needs accordingly. I will work to ensure our Residents can be healthy and thrive in Hayward during and as we rebuild after this pandemic.
Championing Environmental Policy and Climate Restoration
Our planet needs our help and I’ve successfully made it one of my priorities on the City Council and I have advocated for green and greener policies. I have served as a member Sustainability Committee and I currently represent Hayward on StopWaste.Org. Under my leadership, Hayward has been successful in achieving many environmental goals and records including being ranked 28th Greenest City in the United States due to our own energy production. In 2018, we approved the first housing project with only renewable energy and that same year Hayward was recognized as the 10th Most Sustainable City in the United States. One of my favorite ways to enjoy our Green City is by walking and riding my bike through our town.
The next four years, I would like to continue the environmentally protection policies I have pursued as a Council Member. I look forward to the opening of the 50 acre La Vista Park. I am proud our City is encouraging new housing developments to avoid natural gas to help eliminate air pollutants, but this is only the beginning. Hayward is completing its second installment of a megawatt solar photovoltaic farm which will produce 40% of Hayward’s energy demand. Since 2019, my goal has been to plant 1,000 trees per year in Hayward through a coalition of community members, developers, and our city government. I would also like to finish the recycle water project being used for landscaping throughout the City. All these things and so much more, is why I am running to serve you on Hayward City Council.
Creating Safe Communities with Accountability and Transparency
I am a big proponent of safe and thriving communities. In order to ensure safe communities in the era of a pandemic, I will bring leadership with bold solutions and innovative recovery plans. In 2018, Hayward became the first in the nation to open it’s Firehouse Clinic which was an integral part of the recent COVID-19 testing efforts. It’s important to note our Hayward Firefighters’ efforts established the first local testing site of its kind in the State. Safe Communities also includes all other safety protections from fires, unlit and unsafe streets, to crime prevention, to keeping Hayward clean and green. As we face recovery, Hayward must continue to invest in the community.
To address current community and police relations, we as a society must address institutional racism with accountability and transparency standards. In 2019, we approved the Hayward Police Department (HPD) Community Advisory Panel and we have activated it to begin holding monthly virtual meetings. This Panel will be a platform for constructive dialogue and instrumental in identifying community-based solutions. This Panel is made up of Hayward Residents and will be key in building trust between our residents and HPD. This Panel will collaborate and present their findings and solutions to the City. I look forward to the Panel’s findings and recommendations.