Diana's priorities come straight from lived experience as a renter, a single mom, a legal worker, a union leader, and a Planning Commissioner.
The rising cost of housing is what led to my growing involvement in local government. As a single mom, I have firsthand knowledge of the financial squeeze our community is feeling as we are priced out of housing, and renters are left out of the conversation.
My experience on the Planning Commission, together with my own lived experience, has prepared me to be a true representative with the passion and knowledge to fight for truly affordable housing in Hillsboro.
We deserve to afford to live where we work. Housing is a human right, not a privilege.
The Enterprise Zone has been a hot topic in Hillsboro, and one I got to know up close during my first year on the Planning Commission, when we toured the zone as part of our annual retreat. The tech industry has been an important part of our growth as a city, but it is detrimental to be singularly focused on one industry.
As your city councilor, I will fight to protect the Urban Growth Boundary, protect our farmlands, and support our agricultural industry.
We also need to support small businesses in the Downtown Hillsboro Urban Renewal Area. This is an opportunity to marry our need for workforce housing with our need for small business support in our downtown corridor. Hillsboro cannot keep building out. We need to build up in our downtown corridor, reinforced by multimodal transportation infrastructure that reinvigorates downtown commerce.
A diversified economy is a strong, healthy economy.
In 2021, Oregon passed Ballot Measure 110 to decriminalize personal possession of illicit drugs. It was a step in the right direction, but the infrastructure was not there to make it a success.
I have worked with people battling addiction, and we have great organizations doing the work to help our community members. I know how important it is to have this infrastructure in place. Yet Oregon has a massive shortage of mental health providers and treatment centers, and those we do have are overextended, understaffed, and underfunded.
We need dual-diagnosis centers where individuals can receive treatment for addiction and mental health together, plus wraparound services that assist with housing and job training to get folks back on their feet. Our Health & Education District would be a great location to build these services: it is already zoned for them, and nearby TriMet stations make getting to and from care easier.
Hillsboro has been a Sanctuary City since 2017, but it hasn't felt that way for many in our community since our city was targeted by ICE. Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair led Hillsboro City Council in codifying these protections, and there is more work to be done.
I will continue to steward the work started by Councilor Sinclair to ensure the safety and peace of mind of our most vulnerable neighbors.
To quote our late President John F. Kennedy: "Everywhere immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life." That truth is woven into the fabric of Hillsboro, and it is what makes our city great.