Chris Sturken
Candidate for City Council Member, Redwood City, District 2 · City Council Member
Chris Sturken grew up in Belmont and now lives in Redwood City. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University and has spent the past decade working in the nonprofit conservation and housing sector, where he has fundraised for and connected families to affordable housing. He was first elected to the Redwood City Council to represent District 2 in 2022, and he also serves as a San Mateo County LGBTQ Commissioner.
Positions in brief
Sturken's platform centers on expanding affordable housing and providing compassionate, root-cause solutions to homelessness, while pushing for safer streets, climate resilience, and more transparent, inclusive city government, all without new taxes on residents.
On housing, Sturken wants the city to negotiate with office developers to include affordable units, use housing impact fees to preserve existing affordable stock, and explore social-housing programs, saying there simply are not enough homes for the people who need them. On homelessness, he supports preventing displacement through housing preservation, expanding emergency rental assistance, and partnering with nonprofits on food, clothing, and employment help. On public safety, he wants to keep downtown and neighborhood commercial districts clean and safe while tightening rules on license-plate-reader cameras, adding reporting requirements for military-grade police equipment, and barring new gun shops within 600 feet of schools. On taxes, he wants to raise revenue through a modernized business license tax rather than new taxes on residents. On infrastructure, he backs finishing street projects on time, Caltrain grade separation, safer roads, and more EV charging. On the environment, he supports transit and bike investment, wetland restoration for sea-level rise, work with CAL FIRE, and recycled 'purple water' infrastructure. On the economy, he touts championing a Broadway pedestrian mall and business-license-tax reform to help small, locally owned businesses. On government, he eliminated a citizenship requirement for city committee service and lowered the minimum age for committee service to 16.
On the issues
- Housing & Homelessness
Wants to expand affordable housing by negotiating with office developers, using housing impact fees to acquire and preserve affordable units, and exploring social-housing programs.
“there are not enough homes for the people who need them”
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Supports preventing displacement through affordable-housing preservation, expanding emergency rental assistance, and placing unhoused residents in stable, permanent homes with nonprofit support.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Supports keeping commercial districts safe while tightening oversight of license-plate-reader cameras and military-grade police equipment, and barring new gun shops near schools.
“Keep Downtown, Centennial, and Mt. Carmel clean, safe, and vibrant”
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Wants to raise city revenue through a modernized business license tax, with caps protecting smaller businesses, rather than new taxes on residents.
“aggressively pursue ways to raise revenue, without imposing new taxes on residents”
Source → - Infrastructure & Transportation
Supports completing street projects on schedule, Caltrain grade separation at key intersections, safer roads, and expanded EV charging.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Backs investment in transit and bike infrastructure, wetland restoration for sea-level rise, coordination with CAL FIRE, and recycled 'purple water' systems.
Source → - Economy & Jobs
Supports downtown revitalization projects like a Broadway pedestrian mall and a modernized business license tax to help locally owned businesses.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Eliminated the citizenship requirement for city committee service and lowered the minimum age for serving on committees to 16.
“consensus builder whose leadership will be guided by my core values– respect, collaboration”
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.