Earlier this month, Richmondside co-hosted a mayoral candidates forum where Ahmad Anderson and Claudia Jimenez debated about issues including police staffing levels, economic development and the $550 million Chevron settlement.
Alas, time ran out before we asked them all of the questions we received, so we sent seven of the most common queries to the candidates by email and are sharing their responses below. We gave them a maximum answer length of 250 words per question and only lightly edited their replies.
Watch our candidates forum or read about it
Q. What is one commitment you are willing to make to Richmond residents that they can hold you accountable for?
Ahmad Anderson (AA): “My commitment is simple: Accountability you can measure. Safety you can feel. Results you can see. As Mayor, I will establish a publicly accessible Richmond Performance and Accountability Dashboard within my first 100 days, beginning with baseline measures and a clear implementation schedule. Residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, whether our neighborhoods are becoming safer, how quickly the City responds to service requests and whether we are delivering on our promises. The dashboard will track measurable indicators, including public safety staffing, emergency response, street and sidewalk repairs, housing development, economic growth, and the allocation of the $550 million Chevron settlement. I will also hold regular community accountability meetings across Richmond’s six council districts, providing residents opportunities to ask questions, raise concerns, and evaluate our progress. Having grown up in Richmond, I understand that trust in government is earned through action, not campaign promises. My commitment is to make City Hall more transparent, accessible, responsive, and accountable to every neighborhood. One Richmond means every neighborhood matters.”
Claudia Jimenez (CJ): “I commit to treating our city resources as sacred and that I am a steward for things that ultimately belong to our residents. I will continue to approach our budget with a high attention to detail, commitment to making smart financial decisions, and providing services and facilities to meet our community needs.”
Q. How will you balance competing priorities as mayor, for example, promote public safety without increasing criminalization of social problems or support access to affordable housing without making it unaffordable for mom/pop landlords to maintain rental housing?
CJ: “Balancing competing priorities is already a core part of my experience on city council. To inform my decisions, I listen to residents and other stakeholders perspectives — with particular attention to those most impacted by a particular issue. For example when it comes to housing I believe we need to prioritize affordable housing to prevent homelessness and displacement more broadly. I believe we can invest in our public safety systems without sacrificing other essential services or expecting the police to solve all of our problems. When possible, it’s good to compromise to be able to find solutions that are widely perceived as supportive. One example of this need is around the Chevron settlement funds — there are lots of ideas of how to spend the money, and I believe we need to find balance between leveraging funds so they go further, funding immediately needed services, and investing in long term needs such as planning for a just transition from the fossil fuel industry.”
AA: “Leadership requires balancing competing interests without compromising our responsibility to protect and serve residents. Public safety and compassion are not mutually exclusive. Neither are affordable housing and responsible property ownership. My approach to public safety combines adequately staffed community policing with mental health professionals, violence prevention, youth intervention, and coordinated responses to homelessness. We must distinguish criminal behavior from poverty, mental illness, and substance-use challenges. Police officers should focus on preventing crime, protecting victims, and addressing dangerous behavior, while trained service providers respond to situations better addressed through healthcare and social services. Regarding housing, I support tenant protections and affordable housing development while recognizing that small property owners face increasing insurance, maintenance, utility, and regulatory costs. I will bring tenants, small landlords, housing advocates, and developers together to identify practical solutions, including rehabilitation assistance, faster permitting, and available financial incentives that preserve existing housing.
“My administration will evaluate policies through three questions: Are we protecting residents? Are we being financially responsible? Are we producing measurable results?”
Q. If elected, please name three actions that you will take to resolve sex trafficking on 24th Street?
AA: “Sex trafficking is exploitation, and it has no place in Richmond. We must protect victims, hold traffickers accountable, and restore safety and dignity to the neighborhoods affected.
“I will pursue three immediate actions: First, establish a coordinated anti-trafficking enforcement initiative. I will work with Richmond Police, the Contra Costa County District Attorney, neighboring law enforcement agencies, and specialized investigators to target traffickers, exploiters, and criminal networks — not criminalize victims. Second, expand victim-centered intervention and recovery services. Working with community organizations, healthcare providers, and county agencies, we will strengthen access to emergency shelter, trauma-informed counseling, legal assistance, and pathways to stable employment. Victims need protection and opportunities to rebuild their lives. Third, implement a 24th Street Neighborhood Safety Action Plan. This includes improved street lighting, targeted patrols, environmental design improvements, and direct collaboration with residents and businesses. I will require regular public progress reports while protecting victim confidentiality. As Mayor, I will bring the necessary agencies and community partners to the table and demand coordinated action.”
CJ: “Unfortunately there is no quick fix to resolve sex trafficking. It is a highly mobile, durable industry that requires intensive resource investment and collaborative intervention. The Top 3 actions I will pursue are: Support collaborative efforts with the county and community-based organizations to address human trafficking (including 24th St. specifically but also broader issues of sex and labor trafficking). Provide resources and services to people who are exploited to help them stabilize their lives. Invest in long term solutions such as housing and employment opportunities is a key way to address sex trafficking at its root —which is economic.”
(Editor’s note: The next question was asked in two different ways by one person.)
Q. Ahmad, what will you do to reach out to the Latino community?
“Richmond’s Latino community is an essential part of our city’s cultural identity, economic vitality, and future. My commitment is not simply to reach out, but to build meaningful, lasting relationships based on trust, respect, representation, and results. I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the 23rd Street Merchants and have been working closely with The Latina Center’s leadership to strengthen relationships, understand community priorities, and expand opportunities for engagement. These relationships reflect my belief that leadership begins by listening, showing up, and following through. As Mayor, I will prioritize bilingual access to city services, greater representation in city government, support for Latino-owned businesses, neighborhood safety, and expanded opportunities for youth, education, and workforce development. I will also establish ongoing neighborhood conversations with Latino residents, business owners, faith leaders, and community organizations to ensure their perspectives directly inform city policies and investments. Richmond’s Latino community is not a single voice. It represents diverse cultures, generations, and experiences that deserve recognition and respect. My commitment is to ensure that Latino residents are not simply invited to the table but are active partners in shaping Richmond’s future. One Richmond means every neighborhood matters, every culture is valued, and every voice deserves to be heard.”
Q. Claudia, what will you do to reach out to the Black community?
“I have long standing relationships with the Black community which I hope to continue to deepen. As an example, I’m grateful to be featured at an event this week hosted by several Black leaders about the importance of electing community-rooted candidates. I also intend to build new relationships — with residents, faith communities, small business owners, neighborhoods and organizations led by and representing Black Richmonders. I am very proud to be supported by a multiracial coalition and I recognize the need for strong relationships with Black Richmond specifically — given Richmond’s dual legacy of Black vibrancy but also systemic disinvestment. I supported launching the Black Resiliency fund to support projects centered around Richmond’s Black community.”
Q. There were two pedestrian deaths on 23rd Street in about one month. Do you have any plans to improve the traffic safety in that area?
AA: “First, my heartfelt condolences go to the families and loved ones who have lost someone. These tragedies demand more than expressions of sympathy. They demand action. As Mayor, I will call for an immediate, comprehensive traffic safety assessment of the 23rd Street corridor, working with Richmond’s Transportation Division, Police Department, local merchants, and neighborhood residents. My priorities will include reducing dangerous speeding, improving pedestrian crossings, evaluating traffic signal timing, and installing high-visibility crosswalks, better lighting, and pedestrian refuge improvements where warranted. I will also pursue traffic-calming measures such as curb extensions and safer intersection designs, particularly near schools, transit stops, and commercial activity. Enforcement must complement — not substitute for — safer street design. I will support targeted enforcement against reckless driving, speeding, and failure to yield to pedestrians. Equally important, we must identify available transportation safety grants and regional funding opportunities to accelerate improvements rather than allow projects to remain indefinitely on planning lists. I will establish a public implementation schedule so residents know what improvements are planned, when they will occur, and how success will be measured. No family should fear crossing a street in their own neighborhood. Public safety includes pedestrian safety, and protecting lives must be our first priority.”
CJ: “While we’ve made progress on street safety, we need to continue to focus our resources towards areas where the most severe crashes are concentrated. 23rd Street is one area in our city with a high concentration of collisions. Since I’ve been on the city council, our public works department and our council has improved our systems for infrastructure improvement to ensure safety data is an important part of the prioritization. I’m confident we will continue to catch up on needed capital projects, especially to address the most urgent safety issues. I’ve introduced an item on the next city council agenda to evaluate and advance immediate and long-term safety measures for areas with high incidence of fatal and severe-injury traffic accidents.”
Q. One startup company told me that it tried to stay in Richmond but it could only find warehouses and old buildings that didn’t work for biotech. They also said the area had few restaurants and didn’t feel safe. What would you do to keep growing companies in Richmond?
CJ: “When it comes to economic development, I am particularly interested in revitalizing our port and repurposing industrial land and space for clean, green business. We need to attract industry that provides good, union jobs and isn’t harmful to our community or environment. I also want to support small business by improving city permitting processes and cultivating small businesses in the areas our residents spend time, such as downtown, Hilltop and the San Pablo corridor.”
AA: “Richmond should be a city where businesses can start, grow, expand, and remain — not a place they leave because we failed to provide the infrastructure and support they need. As former Chair of Richmond’s Economic Development Commission, I understand that business retention is just as important as business attraction. My administration will establish a proactive business retention and expansion strategy, beginning with direct engagement with growing companies to identify their facility, infrastructure, workforce, and permitting needs before they consider relocating. We must work with property owners and developers to create modern, flexible commercial spaces suitable for biotechnology, life sciences, clean technology, and advanced manufacturing — not simply rely on outdated warehouses. Equally important, businesses need safe, clean, vibrant neighborhoods. That means improving lighting, public safety, transportation, streetscapes, and access to restaurants, retail, and services that attract employees and customers. I will strengthen partnerships with UC Berkeley, Contra Costa College, workforce organizations, and regional economic development partners to connect Richmond resident with emerging industries. I also envision revitalizing Downtown Richmond, Hilltop, and our commercial corridors as destinations where people want to work, shop, dine, and invest. Economic development is not simply attracting businesses. It’s creating an environment where businesses and our residents can thrive together.”
Q. If a special tax measure (Measure Q) to upgrade the Richmond Fire Department fire stations does not pass, what plans do you have on how the needed improvement will be funded and how each step will be prioritized?
AA: “Our firefighters cannot wait indefinitely for safe, functional facilities, and Richmond residents cannot afford a compromised emergency response system. I support addressing our aging fire stations, but responsible leadership requires a contingency plan if voters reject the proposed $120 million bond. My first action will be to direct the City Manager, Fire Chief, and Finance Department to develop a transparent, prioritized capital improvement plan based on structural safety, seismic vulnerability, emergency response capability, and operational conditions. Immediate life-safety hazards will receive priority, followed by critical building systems, necessary renovations, and eventual station replacements. Second, we will pursue alternative funding through available federal and state grants, regional partnerships, capital improvement allocations, and carefully evaluated municipal financing options. Third, I will review the City’s long-term capital priorities and assess whether a responsibly limited portion of Chevron settlement resources could support eligible emergency infrastructure without undermining our commitments to environmental health, neighborhood improvements, and financial stability. We must also evaluate phased construction to spread costs over multiple budget cycles. My commitment is to protect emergency response readiness, establish clear priorities, and provide residents with a financially responsible plan — regardless of the election outcome.”
CJ: “Our fire stations need upgrades. If voters don’t pass Measure Q our city council will need to identify funds to do so through our regular budgeting and capital improvement planning processes. As far as priorities, I believe the most urgent updates are safety issues such as mold and asbestos removal. We need to first address the threats to our worker’s health and safety, and then think about the other needed improvements such as energy efficiency upgrades and new communication systems.”
