Meet The San Ramon Candidate: Chirag Kathrani

Patch reached out to all candidates for San Ramon mayor and for Council Districts 2 and 4 with questions we feel San Ramon voters want to know.

We reprinted their answers verbatim.

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Below, read the responses of Chirag Kathrani, a tech entrepreneur and nonprofit director running for District 2 against incumbent Richard Adler.

What is your educational background?

Bachelors in Computer Engineering

What is your professional background?

I have been an entrepreneur since graduating from college in 1997. For the past 20 years, I have worked on various ventures instead of holding a regular job. These include my technology company, Enterprise Mobility; my wholesale ethnic grocery business, Mangalm LLC; and my nonprofit venture, Lead For Earth, which powers Tri-Valley Weekly, available online at OpGov.News.

All my ventures have one thing in common: they are bootstrapped, and almost all profits are reinvested.

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

I have not though I ran for Mayor in 2024 and fetched 31% of votes.

What are the top three issues facing San Ramon right now?

1. Respect voters' choices. The council removed much of Measure G, a voter-approved open space protection, through its consent calendar despite calls for public dialogue by past elected members. It also appointed a council member who had received no votes in the mayoral election, while overlooking a candidate supported by 31% of voters. Major decisions deserve open debate and respect for voters' voices.

2. Grow small businesses. San Ramon needs a stronger retail plan and more space for local businesses. City planning should support a thriving small business community alongside new development.

3. Improve affordability. Despite years of development, San Ramon has become less affordable and has lost population. We need housing options that more residents can afford.

What is one specific action you would prioritize during your first year in office?

Fixing Governance : I would prioritize restoring public oversight of major city decisions. I would work to bring back Measure G's open space protections and end the exemption that allows Sunset Development's projects to bypass City Council and Planning Commission review. I would also seek to make appeals affordable and Fixed (from current unlimited fees) for residents and require the council to remove an item from the consent calendar for public discussion when even one community member requests it.

Thousands of homes are planned at Bishop Ranch as former office properties are redeveloped. What should the city require or prioritize regarding affordability, transportation, schools, parks and infrastructure?

Bishop Ranch redevelopment should deliver housing that San Ramon families can afford, with infrastructure ready to support it. I would require every project to comply with applicable density bonus and affordable housing requirements before it moves forward. I would also prioritize smaller condominiums that are more affordable by design, especially for first-time buyers and young families.

The city should complete a thorough traffic study before approving each phase, with particular attention to Bollinger Canyon Road and access to east San Ramon. Development should be phased alongside transportation improvements so existing neighborhoods do not bear the full impact.

Plans must also account for school capacity, parks, utilities and emergency services. The city should identify what each phase will need, who will pay for it and when it will be delivered before new homes are occupied.

As office vacancies reshape San Ramon's economy, how should the city attract jobs and maintain its tax base without relying excessively on either office development or housing?

Office vacancies are mainly due to the lack of affordability in the city. The shortage of affordable housing makes it much harder for offices to find and attract staff.

Another important priority is strengthening our small business ecosystem and youth entrepreneurship programs. As a mentor to many small businesses, I have helped build more than 10 businesses, including three in San Ramon.

I want to focus on the infrastructure needed to support this ecosystem and keep our community thriving, rather than letting San Ramon become the retirement community it is heading toward.

San Ramon and many other Tri-Valley communities have recently seen a rash of commercial burglaries. How can we better prevent this from happening?

Measure N provided funding for law enforcement and helped address the city's structural deficit.

I would prioritize filling vacant frontline positions in the police department over expanding executive staffing or increasing salaries at the top. During the Community Academy, I learned that many positions remain unfilled. Filling those roles would put more personnel where they can directly support community safety.

Measure N is temporary, so we also need a long-term funding plan. Without one, the city could be forced to cut law enforcement positions when that funding ends.

Why do you feel you're a better candidate than your opponents?

Since his appointment, my opponent has never voted no on a council decision. To me, that raises a serious question about whether he is willing to challenge the council when residents' interests call for it.

I received more than 11,000 votes in the mayoral election and was an eligible candidate for the vacant council seat. More than 350 residents raised concerns about the appointment and asked the council to respond. They are still waiting for an answer. I will ask difficult questions, listen to residents, and make decisions independently.