2020 Santa Cruz City Council Candidate

 Kelsey Hill

1. What do you think are the three most pressing issues facing Santa Cruz?
   1. The COVID-19 recovery: balancing the budget, keeping small businesses afloat, avoiding disproportionate cuts to essential services and resources for vulnerable community members, keeping people fed and housed.

   2. The housing crisis: preventing evictions in the COVID-19 period and recovery, mitigating the crisis of folks not being able to find housing, combating overcrowding and inadequate housing, pursuing deep affordability in new developments.
   3. Community safety: responding to concerns around safety and over policing of houseless folks and POC communities, better meeting the needs of folks experiencing personal emergencies around housing, mental health, or substance use.

2. Please name one city ordinance or policy that creates negative racial impacts? Will you work to change this ordinance or policy? How will you work to change it?
   One recent ordinance that I voiced opposition to was the order handed down by the City Manager to prevent vendors from selling wares on Beach Street under the premise that vending was not safe in respect to our COVID-19 guidelines. This has adverse impacts to a predominantly Latinx community, who are statistically more likely to be out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was able to go down to the beach and speak with some of the vendors, and felt that this order was pushed through without adequate mediation efforts. I’m also critical that the order riled up sentiment from the Council chambers and in the public that folks who live in South County are not welcome here, even if they are conducting business. This order is set to expire soon, but once elected, I will work to ensure that vendors do not suffer unnecessary policing on part of the City and that we make space here in Santa Cruz for communities who rely on vending models of business to put food on the table, given that they are often POC or low-income families. Additionally, if we are truly pursuing policymaking through a lens of equity, then I will advocate that we do not pass ordinances that have discriminatory effects to historically marginalized groups.

3. What city council actions will you support to implement antiracism in policies, funding, training, hiring practices, partnerships or any other way within your power? Be as specific as you can.
   City Councillors should view all matters through a lens of antiracism. I know that it is not enough to be merely inclusive of non-white communities, but that we also must be ardently antiracist in crafting and implementing policy. As a white person, I understand I must use my privilege to advance racial equity and antiracism and I am committed to bringing that perspective to the Council dais in every decision I make. Similarly, I am enthusiastically supportive of Prop 16 on the state ballot, and if it passes, I will advocate that we adopt affirmative action locally to bring in more equitable hiring practices in our institutions. I also believe that there are no entities in civil government that would not benefit from antiracist training and am interested in pursuing partnerships with organizations (NAACP, SCCCOR, the Diversity Center, etc.) who organize for racial justice to expand such programs to departments and to help inform policy matters.

4. How would you effectively build a coalition to address issues of racial justice in Santa Cruz County?
   I’ve been in dialogues with a few community activists around the concept of forming acommunity advisory body if I am elected to advise me on matters of racial justice, and am continuing outreach on that front in the lead up to the election. I’m aware of the existence of the ad-hoc committee on policing, and would be interested in continuing similar engagement with the BIPOC community by creating a committee to address embedded racism in Santa Cruz. My thinking is to fill such a committee with folks from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to help discuss and address the various issues that perpetuate racial inequality in our community.

5. How will you use your role on the city council to educate the community about racism in our city?
   As we’ve seen here in Santa Cruz, having elected leaders who stand for racial justice can make lasting impacts on our culture and our policymaking. On Council, I will use my voice to champion education efforts that seek to illuminate the experience of Santa Cruz for Black and Brown to our majority white population. I was supportive of the recent decision to declare racism a public health crisis, and will support similar efforts to affirm the role of the City of Santa Cruz in continuing the fight against racism and bigotry. I will proudly uphold the notion that Black Lives Matter and will stand alongside Black and Brown people in their vision to make this City a safer place to call home. One policy idea in my campaign I’m excited about is convening a roundtable or a body that can work on the ongoing acknowledgement of racial injustice in Santa Cruz’s past (Indigenous genocide, white supremacy, the displacement of communities of Asian descent, etc). There’s already many community members and elected officials who have already done work on this issue, but I’m interested in leveraging this current moment to start meaningful conversations around our history and how that history relates to the current racial climate. I believe there’s many different avenues our community can explore in regards to racism and our history that could create more empathy and understanding, as well make strides to create a more inclusive and welcoming place for BIPOC folks.

6. What have you learned recently about your role in racism?
   I’ve long been aware of the inherent complicity of whiteness in systems of white supremacy, and how my status as a white woman benefits from those systems. However, I think the recent uprisings across the United States have really illuminated just how deeply our system is ingrained in the most well-meaning folks and I have found myself unpacking my own implicit biases and ways of thinking that are born out of being raised in this country with its specific history. The work of being ardently antiracist, like many facets of growth and self-work, is a never ending process; I continue to learn more about how I relate to racism as an American institution and will continue to learn.

7. What in your past record will give voters confidence that you will make substantial antiracist decisions on the Santa Cruz City Council?
   The work that I do in a professional capacity is with and for Indigenous community members, specifically the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) of the Lakota nation, around issues of Native American rights such as access to voting, preventing pipelines, and promoting child welfare. Bearing witness to the issues facing Indigenous folks through this work has really exposed to me just how insidious the legacy of colonialism is in our country, and the extent to which it’s still very much alive and well. This is humbling work and grounds me in antiracist and civil rights-oriented values. Similarly, I have tried hard over the last eight years to show up for antiracist efforts here in Santa Cruz when and where I can, and when I can be of service. In example, I’ve attended actions and volunteered in acknowledgement of the Movement for Black Lives, for Native rights issues, and for matters impacting the Latinx community.

8. There have been numerous Grand Jury findings that point to a need for stronger City Council leadership. Do you support amendments to our City Charter that would help create a strong council and more oversight over city management as outlined in a recent Grand Jury Report, entitled “Failure to Communicate”? Why or Why not?
   I support measures that aim to provide necessary oversight and help improve the working relationships between councilmembers over disagreements. I favor implementing a Transparency Task Force to help involve the public in the agenda setting progress and mitigate concerns about the lack of transparency in our local government. Similarly, as someone who works in social media myself, I’m a big believer in having social policies in writing, and thus support instituting a well-defined social media policy about the appropriate use of social media for staff and councilmembers.

9. Please share your concrete suggestions about how you will address the high cost of living and lack of affordability for average working folks.
   Affordability is a cornerstone of my campaign. As a renter, I’ve had to work 2-3 jobs at once to be able to make it here at certain points in my time in Santa Cruz. One of the reasons I’m running for Council is so I can be a voice on the dais that will push for increased affordability for lower-income and working people. The way my campaign engages most deeply with this issue is through housing policy. I believe that it’s not realistic to believe that building large amounts of market rate units will effectively combat the skyrocketing cost of living. If elected, I will work to bring nonprofit developers into the conversation to create 100% affordable, deed-restricted affordable housing and build density near jobs and community resources. I’m also a proponent of the Community Land Trust model and believe that we can muster the political will to allow Santa Cruz to lead in bold housing policies that incentivize community engagement and deep affordability for middle, low, and very low-income families. I’m also interested in championing resources that expand access to home ownership, such as Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Agreements (TOPAs), which have been used in Washington DC and Bay Area cities to combat rising gentrification.

10. Income inequality is one of the issues that creates difficulty in living in the city of Santa Cruz. Would you, as a City Council Member be willing to introduce and create a Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot program. If so, how would you propose funding such a program? If not, why not?
    I’m interested in the premise and would welcome a conversation about the feasibility. My understanding is that under the current COVID-19 financial forecast, funding something of that magnitude is not realistic.

11. The homeless population in the City of Santa Cruz has been an issue for many years. The current Covid-19 pandemic is acutely highlighting the need for safe and humane housing as well as long term food and housing security. How do you plan to work with City, County, and community to address this both in the short and long term?
    In the short-term, my main priority is keeping people sheltered. I will advocate that we keep supervised camps and hygiene stations in place as the bare minimum and we continue to work with community organizations and the County to deploy resources to combat the spread COVID-19 and address immediate needs of unhoused folks. I will work with community members to explore expansion of those safe sites, including exploring how the faith community here in Santa Cruz can more directly plug into combatting this issue. In the longterm, I am interested in following the lead of other communities and investing energy into exploring more semi-permanent and transitional housing options like tiny home villages. The Chico Housing Action Team

12. A “housing first” model may not be possible as there isn’t enough permanent housing available to house houseless citizens. What do you suggest the city do for the thousands of homeless in Santa Cruz for the upcoming winter?
    I’m supportive of the recommendations put forward by the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness to keep in place the existing safe sleeping sites and hygiene resources created to respond to COVID-19. I also believe we should work to expand existing networks via faith networks and community groups to increase the availability of safe sleeping spaces for tent structures or RVs. In the longer term, I want to pursue more stable, sustainable models of housing that can see folks through cold and wet winters better than sites with tents that are vulnerable to the elements.

13. Are there aspects of the SC police contract that you think should be changed?
    Given the mass response of officers for situations involving nonviolent crimes, traffic infractions, etc., I’d like to see limitations on the amount of overtime officers can accumulate as I’m aware of the role overtime plays in high patrolling costs.

14. Given that the SCPD spends over 1/4 of the entire city’s 2020 budget on policing (estimated 30 million of 107 million total budget) and over half of the SCPD’s budget is spent on homelessness issues. Would you as a city leader support shifting at least 5% ($1.4 million) from the current police budget toward creating actual solutions to homelessness? Why or why not?
    I do support such a shift, and have heard concerns from residents who feel that the police overpatroling houseless communities is not only an ineffective way to deal with this problem, but also a drain on taxpayer dollars. Even a small reallocation of funds could create or empower infrastructure designed to better meet the needs of unhoused folks.

15. Would you support creating an alternative 911 call line in a Cahoots-style triage system to address the mental health crisis, drug overdoses, and wellness checks as is now being done in Eugene, Oregon? If not, what other ideas do you have?
    I’m very supportive of the CAHOOTS-style model and have integrated this policy idea in my campaign. I think the low number of 911 calls coming in for violent crimes versus the higher volume of calls coming in for substance and mental health related emergencies evidences the fact that Santa Cruz is fertile ground for a program like CAHOOTS. I understand that members of the police force are being asked to handle crises that necessitate expertise beyond their level of training, and having an alternative model of emergency response would prove mutually beneficial for both police and the community. I’m excited about the energy around this idea and as a Councilmember, I would aggressively pursue progress on this front.

16. For the tenants living at the Tannery Arts Center who share the neighborhood with the homeless encampments along the river, calls made to the police are often met with hours and hours of wait time before assistance arrives. Many of these calls are concerns with domestic violence and drug abuse along the river and adjacent to the residential buildings. What do you believe is a solution to the lack of will to address the Tannery residents’ concerns for their neighborhood and the children who live there?
    I am deeply empathetic to these neighbors’ concerns and acknowledge that feeling safe in your own community is a base-level need. The solution, in my opinion, is to invest in an alternative emergency response line that can respond to the concerns of this community and deploy resources to folks like substance misuse treatment and mobile crisis intervention. I also am interested in pursuing the recommendation put forth by the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness about having a “housing navigation campus” located on Coral street that could serve as a site to better connect people to services, utilize volunteers, and divert activity from encroaching into the Tannery area. As has been said by many other folks in our community, we’re asking police to do too many tasks and it is no wonder they are spread too thin. With the political will, we can better divvy up resources to meet these neighborhood-specific needs.

17. Where do you stand on the new library/garage?
    While I do believe city lots are an appropriate space for building affordable housing, I’m sympathetic to the concerns of community members who feel that they didn’t vote for a parking garage by voting for Measure S. I also am wary of the development of new parking spaces in that they sign off on continued reliance on single passenger vehicles downtown when I believe we should be moving toward a more climate-friendly, pedestrian-first downtown space. With that being said, I am grateful there are currently 50 affordable housing units promised and will be the most vigilant about that piece as the project moves forward. I’m also invested in making sure this process is more transparent to the public.

18. Now that the City of Santa Cruz has just finished the historic painting of the Black Lives Matter street mural what are the top three actions you want to achieve in fulfilling its objectives with tangible policy changes and accountability towards equity, inclusion, and justice.
    1. End qualified immunity.
    2. Reallocation of funding from the police budget into social services that better serve our community and our common values.
    3. Preventatively ban the use of militarized equipment by our police such as tear gas and the LRAD.

19. What resources are you aware of that are being given out to the BIPOC community to ensure that our health, investment in businesses and quality of life are on par with the white population? What will you do while serving on the city council to guarantee this?
    I’m aware of some programs through local nonprofits, some of which are aided by the City, that help to serve BIPOC needs. In terms of City-funnelled assistance, I’ve had conversations with community members about how Black- or Brown-owned businesses are not feeling the impact of these resources—especially in the COVID-19 pandemic. On Council, I’m interested in directing certain assistance programs (like rent or microloans) directly to BIPOC communities and businesses. Similarly, I plan on engaging certain communities, like the Beach Flats folks in example, about how the City can invest in health and quality of life as families feel the brunt of continued wealth inequality and emerging crises like climate change. A core feature in my thinking around environmental justice is ensuring that in our effort to build resilience, we build up communities’ internal abilities to thrive.

20. What is your top priority for our SC Youth, specifically the Black students who statistically are not graduating at the same rate as their white counterparts?
    My top priority is empowering our schools to take action to right historical injustices that still exist within our academic institutions. I have publicly endorsed Prop 15, and am giving serious consideration to the ways we budget out those earmarked funds if it passes and work in tandem with our school districts to bolster our retention rates. A critical feature in this for me is to holistically and aggressively pursuing actions that make Santa Cruz a more welcoming and nurturing place for Black and Brown youth. We’ve seen a glimpse of this in the recent protests around Black Lives Matter, and how giving a voice to Youth of Color can spur conversations around how we can improve our community’s systems of care. As a council member, I will support cultural and policy shifts that aim at retaining our youth and making Santa Cruz a place that fosters diversity and inclusion. It’s important to me to understand these necessary shifts by engaging with youth on a regular basis as an elected councilperson and I would be sure to include the voices (both secondary and college level) in the creation of advisory bodies or committees.