Meet Chris Sturken, Candidate For City Council Of Redwood City

Chris Sturken is vying for a seat on the city council of Redwood City representing District 2.

As county elections officials begin mailing ballots, voters will prepare to decide between candidates running for several offices, and Patch has put together local voter guides and candidate profiles.

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Learn more about Chris Sturken:

Age: 32

What is your educational background?

I graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with Minors in Geography and Chinese Language.

What is your professional background?

I was a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 5. I have worked in the nonprofit industry for nearly 10 years in housing, conservation, and community services with organizations including HIP Housing, Committee for Green Foothills, and Sacred Heart Community Service.

Have you ever held public office, whether appointive or elective?

I was appointed to the County of San Mateo LGBTQIA+ Commission by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 2020 and have served on the Redwood City Council since 2022.

What are the top three issues facing your district/constituents right now?

I am running to make Redwood City housing affordable, our streets safe to walk and bike, and our community inclusive for everyone. We need to create, preserve, and protect housing at all income levels. As a City Councilmember, I have consistently voted to build more affordable homes, increase tenant protections, and support financial assistance for homeowners. For example, I voted to enact the Redwood City Tenant Protect Ordinance which strengthened tenant protections. In addition, I am committed to removing historic barriers to building affordable housing including Article 34 of the California Constitution which requires that public agencies like the City go the voters to approve new affordable housing. I plan to champion an exemption from Article 34 in Redwood City to allow the City build much needed affordable housing. Since my predecessors set a goal of reaching vision zero - that's zero bicycle, motorist, and pedestrian-involved deaths and serious injuries on our city street by 2030 - in 2022, fatalities and injuries have only increased. We need to close streets to vehicles where appropriate - take for instance the successful Broadway Pedestrian Mall in the heart of Redwood City's downtown, expedite bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects like the El Camino Real bike lanes, and support and expand public transit by passing Measure RTM. Redwood City should be a safe and welcoming place for everyone. As a representative for everyone, I have supported minorities' rights to express their cultures and traditions. I voted to increase diverse representation in the City's appointed boards, committees, and commissions by lowering the minimum age to serve to 16 years old and eliminating the citizenship requirement. Redwood City should be a safe and welcoming place for everyone. As a representative for everyone, I have supported minorities' rights to express their cultures and traditions. I voted to increase diverse representation in the City's appointed boards, committees, and commissions by lowering the minimum age to serve to 16 years old and eliminating the citizenship requirement. Redwood City should be a safe and welcoming place for everyone. As a representative for everyone, I have supported minorities' rights to express their cultures and traditions. I voted to increase diverse representation in the City's appointed boards, committees, and commissions by lowering the minimum age to serve to 16 years old and eliminating the citizenship requirement.

What is one specific policy you would implement in your first 100 days?

One policy that would champion is to adopt a local Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Condominium Conversion ordinance. This ordinance would create affordable home ownership opportunities for young families and seniors by allowing property owners to sell new or existing ADUs on their property.

What is your plan to reduce homelessness, and how would you measure success after one year?

Redwood City has successfully reduced its unhoused population from over 189 individuals in 2025 to 175 individuals in 2026. The Hopeful Horizons Ordinance, which I opposed because it criminalized homelessness, forces people to accept shelter when it is available. Encampments eligible for cleanup under the Ordinance may only be removed if shelter is available to those living in them. Unfortunately, there were 179 adults and 55 families on the shelter waitlist as of August 2026. As a result, fewer people may be referred to shelter and fewer encampments will be cleaned up. As a former home sharing coordinator for a nonprofit housing organization and an intern for a housing trust, I believe that success looks like providing dignity to people living on the street while assisting them with finding permanent affordable housing. As a member of the Council Subcommittee on Homelessness, I have advocated for providing basic services to encampments such as latrines and handwashing stations and offering vouchers to people living in RVs to dispose of their sewage properly. Providing basic services allows people to live with dignity while protecting the environment from pollution. I also look to Redwood City's former RV Safe Parking Program which concluded in 2022 and assisted over 60% of participants in finding permanent affordable housing as a model for future homelessness interventions. Ultimately, Redwood City needs to build more affordable housing, protect renters from displacement, and preserve existing affordable homes.

What is one specific change you would make to improve public safety?

I have voted to transition low-risk enforcement activities, such as issuing citations, from police officers to community service officers to reduce use of force incidents. I proposed adding an additional mental health crisis clinician to our staff to respond to people experiencing a mental health crisis. When people are in crisis, a licensed mental health clinician should respond, not someone with a gun.

How would you improve transparency or accountability in local government?

I use my social media presence to increase engagement and awareness of city processes and policies. I post council agenda "highlights" before nearly every meeting to notify residents who don't typically engage in government of important opportunities to engage. I post videos breaking down complex policies into short snippets that are digestible and explained in everyday language that the average resident can understand. I consistently advocate for staff to conduct more robust community engagement to shape comprehensive and responsive policies that reflect the diversity of perspectives and needs in Redwood City. I take calls from everyone including the press. I believe in speaking to the press because it is one of the best ways to reach the most residents at once about moments that matter. When I make a mistake, I own it, I apologize, and I state how I plan to repair my relationship with voters and move forward. I'm open to my mind being changed. When an anti-transgender talk occurred at our main library and neither I nor my council colleagues condemned it, I made a public apology to members of the LGBTQIA+ community and committed to multiple strategies to prevent it from happening again.

Why are you a better choice than your opponents?

I am grateful that I do not have an opponent this election.

What changes, if any, would you support regarding the role of federal immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE, and how they interact with state and/or local governments?

In 2024, I introduced an ordinance to codify our existing police department policy of noncooperation with ICE and expand it to all city departments and facilities. While the proposal ultimately died, I laid the groundwork for the current mayor to successfully pass an ordinance giving the City Attorney and City Manager the authority to expel ICE from City property. In addition, I voted to protect personal privacy and prevent ICE from targeting immigrants by opposing the adoption of automated license plate readers in 2023. I recently supported allowing the City's current contract with Flock to expire in September 2026 and I am currently opposed to entering into a contract with another vendor.

What role do you believe government should play in regulating or supporting the development and use of artificial intelligence?

I believe that government should regulate and support the development and use of artificial intelligence. I am focused on building relationships with existing AI businesses in Redwood City to create job opportunities for youth and seniors to make sure they are not left behind by the AI transition. I believe that the government should be proactive in regulating agentic AI to prevent additional rogue AI agents from disrupting financial and technological systems that we all rely on. I believe that government needs to work collaboratively with AI to achieve efficiencies in the delivery of community services while retooling and reskilling workers displaced by AI.