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My path into regulatory work started unexpectedly, when an elderly neighbor of mine in Oakland—who owned a small duplex—found herself in a difficult situation with a non-paying occupant. Her tenant had stopped paying rent but refused to leave, effectively remaining in possession of the unit while she struggled to assert her rights as a property owner.

I was struck by how someone could continue occupying her property without paying, while she was left navigating a system that seemed stacked against her. Determined to help, I immersed myself in the law and ultimately took on the challenge of filing an in pro per eviction. Despite not having a legal background, I was successful in regaining possession of the unit for her.

What stayed with me most was not just the outcome, but the process—watching how the system, and even tenant-side counsel, often framed my neighbor as the problem simply because she owned rental housing. That experience fundamentally shaped my perspective on housing regulation and advocacy.

By the time I was preparing to rent out my own property, I was already deeply immersed in housing law and understood the importance of mastering the regulatory landscape to protect an investment. In 2015, I was offered the role of Executive Director of the Berkeley Rental Housing Coalition, an extension of the Berkeley Property Owners Association. The organization focused on the very political and legal issues I had come to know so well. I accepted the position—and from that moment on, I was all in.

Today, I spend my time advocating for housing providers in Berkeley, Oakland, and at the state capitol, working to ensure that those who provide housing are treated fairly within an increasingly complex regulatory environment.