I’m a student advocate with Mac & LASA YDSA, labor unionist, community organizer and proud democratic socialist. I’m now running for county commissioner to allow everyone an affordable, dignified life
We need to make major investments in building social/public housing through the Housing Authority of Travis County, and cap the rents at 25% of the occupant’s income which will ease burdens on tenants and lower the rent for everyone in Travis County. Right now, we're seeing almost no public investment from the County and that has to change if we want to transform the housing landscape.
The role of the Commissioners Court is one of raising and spending money and I believe we need to be focusing our spending on public infrastructure for the working class. This looks like building social housing, expanding Central Health and delivering robust public transit. Currently, we spend ~40% of the annual general fund on a punishment bureaucracy, when we need to invest in our community.
- Build social housing
We must build thousands of permanently affordable social housing units to ensure that every Austinite has a place to call home.
- Make ambulances free
Invest in ATCEMS to eliminate out-of-network ambulance transport fees for all residents.
- Expand public healthcare
Expand Central Health to ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable healthcare as a human right.
A climate change presents an existential threat to our community, we must build resilient infrastructure. Many places in Travis County are prone to flooding that could be mitigated with proper investment. Additionally, quick response to and from other jurisdictions is crucial to saving lives, and we need to have a regionally coordinated 'go' plan prepared in advance of any events to ensure this.
- 12 years - state & local government consulting building social service programs
- 5 years - president of an HIV service nonprofit, Friends of the David Powell Clinic
- PhD & Master of Public Affairs
The Commissioner’s Court needs to partner with the City of Austin to develop affordable housing in empty commercial spaces under a new law allowing use of commercial property for housing (SB840) – it’s a win for commercial property owners with empty space and for housing! In all affordable housing, we need social services helping families thrive today and build solid, independent economic futures.
I was raised on a dirt road – I know what it’s like to navigate ever-changing potholes. We should not have that in Travis County. Right now only 3.5mi of roads in Precinct 2 are up for repair under the Substandard Road Program – I’ll fight for faster progress. We also have 257 county bridges of which 40 have a rating of fair – given recent flooding I will prioritize improvements focused on safety.
Health: Ensuring everyone gets free or cheap vaccines, especially COVID. Focusing on equity and prevention.
Affordability: Building affordable housing fast and supporting homeowners with energy credits and maintenance help.
Civil Rights: Communities of color, immigrants, and our trans family are under attack. Fight back by building equity, supporting diversity, and not collaborating with ICE.
My PhD focused on disaster resilience. To build a disaster-resilient community, planning must come from the people. As we build our next FEMA hazard mitigation plan due in 2028, I will lead in deeply engaging our residents. I will drive collaborative efforts that help counties in our area develop and fund plans that build flood resilience across county lines because disasters know no boundaries.
I’m a civil rights lawyer & Gates Scholar w/law & criminology degrees from UPenn & Cambridge. I’ve advanced justice and criminal legal reform, key expertise for a job shaping courts & public safety.
Affordability is the issue I hear about most. Our cost of living has skyrocketed while wages have lagged. I want to invest in housing near jobs and transit, expand rental assistance, and support cooperative ownership so families can build equity. We need better relief tools: more childcare support, fair wages on projects, and holistic eligibility rules, so people can keep up and stay here.
Our infrastructure should make daily life easier. I support improving roads, transit, sidewalks, and utilities so people can get to work, school, and services safely and reliably. We need more multimodal transit options, stronger water and power systems, and maintenance that keeps pace with growth—not years behind it. Investing now prevents higher costs later.
1. Affordable housing and security, making our County a safe place where families can afford to stay.
2. Public Safety that Actually Works, shifting resources to what keeps people safe: mental healthcare, diversion, reentry support, & fair courts.
3. Strong labor standards, as a major employer, the county can lead by example with w/fair wages & safe environments, even through its contractors.
Extreme weather is our new reality, and our systems have to catch up. I will push to modernize emergency alerts, set up resource hubs across the county for power and supplies, and improve coordination with cities and schools. We also need stronger neighborhood-level communication so no community is overlooked during storms or outages.
I've led on Austin City Council and as County Commissioner for 14 years total. I help manage our billion-dollar budget, built 13,500+ affordable homes, and created our Public Defender's office.
Build more affordable homes faster and require they stay affordable forever, not just 15 years. Help families avoid eviction through emergency rental assistance. House people experiencing homelessness in actual apartments with support services, not just shelters. Work with Austin and neighboring cities so we're all solving this together, not competing. Track results so taxpayers see what works.
Bring high-speed internet to every home. It's essential for school, work, and healthcare now. Prepare for extreme weather with flood barriers, cooling centers for heat waves, and emergency alerts that reach everyone. Expand buses so people can get to jobs without cars. Build parks, libraries, and clinics in underserved neighborhoods. Fix roads and bridges before they become dangerous.
Housing affordability: Working families shouldn't be forced out by rising rents. We need thousands more affordable homes with permanent protections. Climate preparedness: Extreme weather is intensifying. We must protect residents before disasters strike. Service equity: Every neighborhood deserves good parks, transit, healthcare access, and safe infrastructure, not just wealthy areas.
The 2021 winter storm taught us hard lessons. Now we're installing better emergency alert systems, opening cooling and warming centers in every area, ensuring backup power at critical facilities, and coordinating closely with surrounding counties. We prioritize vulnerable populations: elderly residents, people without transportation, mobile home communities. Preparation saves lives and money.
