Every working family should be able to live in the community where they work. As a teacher, I see the affordable housing crisis first hand: teachers, firefighters, nurses, and police officers cannot live in the neighborhoods they serve.

As a member of the City Council, I pushed Santa Clara to be a regional leader on affordable housing. Our First Time Home Buyer's program has received national recognition for its effectiveness and has enabled thousands of working families to purchase a home in Santa Clara. We were the first city in the county to use 30% of our redevelopment funds for affordable housing -- far above the state mandated 20%. Moreover, we created an innovative program in partnership with the school district, which allows teachers to rent at below-market rates while they save to buy their own home.  As a result of this creative partnership, many more teachers now own a home.

I believe strongly in the promise of home ownership, and I will make affordable housing legislation a top priority in Sacramento.

*Affiliations listed for identification purposes only.