Career
He was a former vice-mayor (2002 and 2012) and a present city council member. He is a Democrat. He had been on the Richmond City Council since 1995. He is an architect by profession and is the president of Interactive Resources, a local architectural firm.
He is also a contractor and former broker.
He was also pivotal in lobbying Congress to establish the Rosie the Riveter/World World War II Home Front National Historical Park and sits on the board of the organization dedicated to its creation and expansion. In 2006 he made headlines for accusing the city of ignoring the aging infrastructure of the city"s sewer system and that this had led to several raw sewage overflows due to intense rain events for which the city was sued by an environmental group.
He is a stronger supporter of the San Francisco Bay Trail and wrote a city resolution that passed 8-1 that had mayor Gayle McLaughlin speak to the State Lands Use Commission to encourage them to force Chevron Corporation to allow a bay trail access to build a route through Chevron Richmond Refinery"s Richmond Long Wharf. He was sworn in by Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, January
