As part of our June 2026 primary voter guide, the Long Beach Post and LAist partnered to ask City Council candidates how they’d handle the issues voters said they cared about most. For more, see an overview of the District 7 race here; answers from the other candidates in this race, Dameon Gordon and Jamies Shuford; and our guides for all the other local races at LBPost.com/elections.
Long Beach residents tell us again and again that their No. 1 priority is addressing homelessness. Yet despite the city’s efforts, homelessness rose 6.5% in the 2025 city count (and we are awaiting the results of the most recent count). The situation has led many to ask: Is the city’s strategy working, or does something need to change? How would you, if elected, address the city’s homelessness problem?
Homelessness requires both compassion and accountability. The city has made meaningful progress by expanding shelter capacity, increasing outreach, and investing in housing placement, and those efforts should continue. However, homelessness remains highly visible, especially in West Long Beach, where residents continue to experience encampments and service gaps. We need stronger coordination, faster placement into services, and measurable accountability for outcomes. Through my work at LBCC, I have supported workforce training and wraparound services that help people transition toward stability. Once elected, I will push for targeted Westside outreach, stronger performance standards, and partnerships to connect individuals to education, job training, and long-term stability.
Broadly speaking, crime is down. However, city residents tell us they are increasingly concerned about property and quality of life crimes. How will you address such concerns?…