Four years ago, I was elected by Brentwood residents to make sweeping changes to local government. Humbled by your overwhelming support, it fueled my passion to fight for residents over special interest groups. Let’s keep the momentum going as our vision for a Better Brentwood is aligned and our future shines bright. Highlighting a few accomplishments:
SMART GROWTH, NO REZONES: Brentwood’s ‘General Plan’ is designed for an optimal mix of Housing, Commercial and Parks. For too long, previous councils and planning commissions deviated from a resident-approved General Plan by rezoning parcels of land in favor of excessive development. That puts the city’s infrastructure at risk, creates traffic nightmares and leads to urban sprawl. We’ve righted the ship as I’ve led a new council to ‘stick to the plan’ with no rezones. Never forget, we also beat MEASURE L.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: It’s time we brought our commuters home! I've enhanced job growth in Brentwood by adding Golden State Orthopedics, which will create over 300 new jobs. The arrival of Costco will provide more employment opportunities to residents and expects to generate up to $1million in annual tax revenue for Brentwood. My vision for revitalizing the Streets of Brentwood is coming to life with new ownership taking over soon. I’m proud to have funded and supported the Downtown Brentwood Coalition, which has successfully transformed and bolstered local businesses in the area. I’m laser focused on developing the Innovation Center Business Park (PA-1), a 300-acre project located between Sand Creek Road and Lonetree Way which will further boost our local economy.
OIL AND GAS DRILLING BAN: When a British oil company partnered with local developers to drill for oil within 1,000 feet of Brentwood homes, I rallied 700 residents to petition a moratorium on oil and gas drilling. I’m proud that together, our efforts led to a city-wide ban. Additionally, city staff recommended renewing the lease of a natural gas pipeline running through the middle of Brentwood. I denied the proposal, halting pipeline flow amid safety and environmental concerns that had not been made public. Had no idea it would become national news!
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Fulfilled my commitment to restore faith in Brentwood’s emergency services, specifically an understaffed East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) with response times in dire straits. Nefarious organizations for years have pushed for property tax increases on 3 separate occasions to resolve the city’s shortcoming, but I fought to deliver a better solution with NO COST to residents - A merger between ECCFPD and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con-Fire). It was an uphill battle met with resistance, but we triumphed! Funded by Measure X, the merger paves the way to expand headcount and build 2 new fire stations.
PUBLIC SAFETY: A staunch advocate for our exceptional Brentwood police department, I’ve approved every funding request during my tenure, including the addition of a 5th beat. We’re now actively training new recruits. Public safety is priority one and my goal has always been to guarantee all residents, young and old, have access to reliable protection and swift emergency assistance.
TRAFFIC: As one of California’s fastest-growing cities, Brentwood faces traffic challenges from two decades of intense development. I'm advocating against urban sprawl and remain involved in crafting policy around traffic and zoning plans. I’m pleased to say that, after 20 years, we're hiring a new traffic engineer.
BRENTWOOD SPORTS COMPLEX: After a 20-year stalemate, I’ve resurrected and earmarked federal funding for the long-anticipated Sand Creek Sports Complex at Fairview Ave and Sand Creek Road. This state-of-the-art sports facility will feature up to five full-size soccer fields and vibrant recreational areas, representing a vital step forward for our underserved youth.
MEASURE Q: State lawmakers are pushing for residential projects that ignore local zoning, environmental concerns, and infrastructure needs. I sponsored and supported this unique ballot measure that protects Brentwood’s Open Spaces from intensive housing development, preserves our parks, golf courses and other natural areas of our community. Overwhelmingly approved by Brentwood voters in 2022, Measure Q creates a Voter- Protected Open Space overlay, restricting intensive development of these areas unless approved by Brentwood voters. Shadow Lakes Golf Course brought back to life!
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Before my election in 2020, Brentwood’s affordable and inclusionary housing policy was inadequate. Developers were only required to include 3% affordable housing in new projects, often opting to pay in-lieu fees instead—a practice widely exploited. I aimed to eliminate the in-lieu fee option and mandate a variety of housing choices to ensure equitable access to affordable housing for all community members. I successfully crafted Brentwood’s new Affordable Housing policy, which we approved in July 2022. This policy now mandates that all new developments include 13% affordable and inclusionary housing, creating a clear path to homeownership in Brentwood for households earning under $246,000 annually.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM: Previous council members opened the door to special interest groups by accepting exorbitant campaign donations, some as high as $20,000. This often led to votes that favored contributors over constituents, so I initiated a measure to limit individual donations to $500 max. This levels the playing field, giving more candidates the opportunity to run for office through grassroots support.
BUDGET AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Our city’s budget is strong. We’re not only prepaying future pension obligations but also maintaining a robust 30% reserve and stabilization fund. This prudent fiscal management ensures a secure financial future for Brentwood.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY: I initiated a public interview process for appointing planning commissioners ensuring they serve residents, not outside influences. I refuse private meetings with special interest groups, as transparency is crucial for building trust. Non-residents and developer applicants should present their agendas in a public forum, not behind closed doors.
FREE SPEECH AND RESIDENT PARTICIPATION: I implemented a “free speech” policy to protect employees and residents from intimidation by special interest groups seeking to silence their role in shaping Brentwood’s future. There is a small group lobbying to end Zoom broadcasts and remote participation in city council meetings. I’m 100% committed to keeping meetings accessible via Zoom, ensuring that residents—especially seniors and parents—can participate in local decision-making.
SMART GROWTH, NO REZONES: Brentwood’s ‘General Plan’ is designed for an optimal mix of Housing, Commercial and Parks. For too long, previous councils and planning commissions deviated from a resident-approved General Plan by rezoning parcels of land in favor of excessive development. That puts the city’s infrastructure at risk, creates traffic nightmares and leads to urban sprawl. We’ve righted the ship as I’ve led a new council to ‘stick to the plan’ with no rezones. Never forget, we also beat MEASURE L.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: It’s time we brought our commuters home! I've enhanced job growth in Brentwood by adding Golden State Orthopedics, which will create over 300 new jobs. The arrival of Costco will provide more employment opportunities to residents and expects to generate up to $1million in annual tax revenue for Brentwood. My vision for revitalizing the Streets of Brentwood is coming to life with new ownership taking over soon. I’m proud to have funded and supported the Downtown Brentwood Coalition, which has successfully transformed and bolstered local businesses in the area. I’m laser focused on developing the Innovation Center Business Park (PA-1), a 300-acre project located between Sand Creek Road and Lonetree Way which will further boost our local economy.
OIL AND GAS DRILLING BAN: When a British oil company partnered with local developers to drill for oil within 1,000 feet of Brentwood homes, I rallied 700 residents to petition a moratorium on oil and gas drilling. I’m proud that together, our efforts led to a city-wide ban. Additionally, city staff recommended renewing the lease of a natural gas pipeline running through the middle of Brentwood. I denied the proposal, halting pipeline flow amid safety and environmental concerns that had not been made public. Had no idea it would become national news!
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Fulfilled my commitment to restore faith in Brentwood’s emergency services, specifically an understaffed East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) with response times in dire straits. Nefarious organizations for years have pushed for property tax increases on 3 separate occasions to resolve the city’s shortcoming, but I fought to deliver a better solution with NO COST to residents - A merger between ECCFPD and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con-Fire). It was an uphill battle met with resistance, but we triumphed! Funded by Measure X, the merger paves the way to expand headcount and build 2 new fire stations.
PUBLIC SAFETY: A staunch advocate for our exceptional Brentwood police department, I’ve approved every funding request during my tenure, including the addition of a 5th beat. We’re now actively training new recruits. Public safety is priority one and my goal has always been to guarantee all residents, young and old, have access to reliable protection and swift emergency assistance.
TRAFFIC: As one of California’s fastest-growing cities, Brentwood faces traffic challenges from two decades of intense development. I'm advocating against urban sprawl and remain involved in crafting policy around traffic and zoning plans. I’m pleased to say that, after 20 years, we're hiring a new traffic engineer.
BRENTWOOD SPORTS COMPLEX: After a 20-year stalemate, I’ve resurrected and earmarked federal funding for the long-anticipated Sand Creek Sports Complex at Fairview Ave and Sand Creek Road. This state-of-the-art sports facility will feature up to five full-size soccer fields and vibrant recreational areas, representing a vital step forward for our underserved youth.
MEASURE Q: State lawmakers are pushing for residential projects that ignore local zoning, environmental concerns, and infrastructure needs. I sponsored and supported this unique ballot measure that protects Brentwood’s Open Spaces from intensive housing development, preserves our parks, golf courses and other natural areas of our community. Overwhelmingly approved by Brentwood voters in 2022, Measure Q creates a Voter- Protected Open Space overlay, restricting intensive development of these areas unless approved by Brentwood voters. Shadow Lakes Golf Course brought back to life!
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Before my election in 2020, Brentwood’s affordable and inclusionary housing policy was inadequate. Developers were only required to include 3% affordable housing in new projects, often opting to pay in-lieu fees instead—a practice widely exploited. I aimed to eliminate the in-lieu fee option and mandate a variety of housing choices to ensure equitable access to affordable housing for all community members. I successfully crafted Brentwood’s new Affordable Housing policy, which we approved in July 2022. This policy now mandates that all new developments include 13% affordable and inclusionary housing, creating a clear path to homeownership in Brentwood for households earning under $246,000 annually.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM: Previous council members opened the door to special interest groups by accepting exorbitant campaign donations, some as high as $20,000. This often led to votes that favored contributors over constituents, so I initiated a measure to limit individual donations to $500 max. This levels the playing field, giving more candidates the opportunity to run for office through grassroots support.
BUDGET AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Our city’s budget is strong. We’re not only prepaying future pension obligations but also maintaining a robust 30% reserve and stabilization fund. This prudent fiscal management ensures a secure financial future for Brentwood.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY: I initiated a public interview process for appointing planning commissioners ensuring they serve residents, not outside influences. I refuse private meetings with special interest groups, as transparency is crucial for building trust. Non-residents and developer applicants should present their agendas in a public forum, not behind closed doors.
FREE SPEECH AND RESIDENT PARTICIPATION: I implemented a “free speech” policy to protect employees and residents from intimidation by special interest groups seeking to silence their role in shaping Brentwood’s future. There is a small group lobbying to end Zoom broadcasts and remote participation in city council meetings. I’m 100% committed to keeping meetings accessible via Zoom, ensuring that residents—especially seniors and parents—can participate in local decision-making.
Thank You East Bay Times for the Endorsement!
October 27th, 2020
Read the full article HERE.
Paid for by the committee Jovita Mendoza for Brentwood City Council District 3
FPPC #1429666
FPPC #1429666