Priorities
Solving Homelessness
Sasha Renée Pérez understands the systemic challenges facing those experiencing homelessness. After experiencing the devastating loss of two loved ones who had been chronically homeless, Pérez chose to utilize her experience to help others.
Supervisor Hilda Solis appointed Sasha Renée Pérez to serve on the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) in April 2022. Her service on the authority is a volunteer position. Pérez does not receive any payment for her service on the LAHSA Board. Publicly available data does not support Yvonne Yiu’s critiques of Pérez’s attendance.
On LAHSA, Vice Mayor Pérez has approved over $100 million for supportive services and stable housing across the San Gabriel Valley and led efforts to launch a working group on Latino Homelessness to explore the challenges our unhoused undocumented communities face. She has chaired the Government Affairs and Public Relations committee, authoring support for state and federal legislation related to homeless services. She has placed her focus on uncovering the specific needs of diverse groups facing homelessness, such as Women, African Americans, and Latinos.
Pérez has played a significant role in tackling Alhambra's homelessness crisis, increasing the number of unhoused individuals receiving housing from 14 in 2020 to 54 in 2023. The housing placement rate in Alhambra has increased nearly 4 times since her election to the City Council.
Pérez spearheaded efforts to build over 80 permanent supportive housing units for families with children, reduced housing costs, and improved rental assistance to working families. She has worked tirelessly to lower the cost of housing, improve rental assistance to families, and expand mental health services to those experiencing homelessness.
Public Safety and Gun Control
Sasha Renée Pérez has made public safety a top priority. She expanded Alhambra’s Homeless Outreach Mental Evaluation (HOME) team, a partnership between Alhambra Police Department, LA County Department of Mental Health and LA Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, which provides a comprehensive response to individuals experiencing mental health crises or alcohol/drug addiction. It is one of the only crisis teams in the San Gabriel Valley that is available to respond 7 days a week, day and night. The success of the HOME Team has led the program to be used as an effective model for other cities across California.
Alhambra has not reduced the number of police officers serving the community since Vice Mayor Pérez was elected to the City Council. She has kept response times low by ensuring the retention of highly skilled and well-trained officers, and ensured Alhambra has maintained its status as one of the safest cities in Los Angeles County.
Pérez understands that gun violence continues to be a growing concern for our community, especially following the Monterey Park mass shooting. She led a motion to require all applicants for concealed carry-weapons permits to complete a mental health background check to ensure those carrying firearms are not harming themselves or others.
Pérez will continue to prioritize public safety funding to keep response times short, ensure public safety teams have the support they need to remain fully staffed, and work with local and county partners to provide a compassionate and comprehensive response to those in need of help. She is the only candidate in this race supported by Safer California PAC and California Professional Firefighters representing all local Fire Associations in SD-25.
Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care
Sasha Renée Pérez has been a powerful advocate for reproductive health care locally and statewide. In 2021, Pérez led a motion to declare Alhambra the first Reproductive Freedom City in the San Gabriel Valley in partnership with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley. Following this success other cities, such as Pasadena, passed similar motions. A year later, Pérez helped lead the Yes on Prop 1 campaign to protect access to abortion and contraception in California’s constitution.
As your State Senator, Pérez will continue fighting to protect your right to make personal reproductive health decisions. She is the only candidate in this race endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley, Reproductive Freedom for All CA and California Women’s List.
Education
Sasha Renée Pérez was the first in her family to earn a college degree from Cal State LA. She knows the doors that college access and career programs can open for working families and has spent her career ensuring students can achieve their college dreams. Pérez led a campaign to secure $97 million to expand college access for California students. Over the past decade, she has worked on education legislation to simplify the FAFSA application, increase financial aid awards for college students, and ensure high school students have access to college prep coursework.
As State Senator, Pérez will continue to build on these policies by working to ensure all Californians have the same access to educational opportunities and decrease the extreme financial burdens of obtaining a college degree. She is the only candidate in this race endorsed by students, educators and school administrators.
Climate Action
Sasha Renée Pérez is an environmental champion. In 2021, Pérez was honored as Active San Gabriel Valley’s Elected Official of the Year for her work to reduce plastic waste and create dedicated bike lanes. She serves on Alhambra’s Vision Zero Sub-Committee where she has led the creation of an active transportation plan to eliminate traffic-related deaths and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging residents to use alternative modes of transportation. In 2022, Pérez was honored by Congresswoman Judy Chu as Congressional Woman of the Year for her work to create and fund Alhambra’s first Sustainability Plan, which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
As State Senator, Pérez will prioritize funding for active transportation and public transportation to reduce the massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions vehicles produce. She’ll hold big polluters accountable, reduce diesel truck congestion and emissions, and increase affordable access to renewable energy sources particularly in dense and low-income communities. She is the only candidate in this race endorsed by Sierra Club, California Environmental Voters and Foothill Environmental Coalition.
Housing
Sasha Renée Pérez knows how challenging it is to pay for rent or purchase a home in California. She was part of a citywide campaign to pass an “Inclusionary Housing Ordinance” requiring all new developments to create 15% affordable housing units. Pérez has worked to increase affordable housing for families locally, and passed ordinances to protect vulnerable tenants from homelessness.
As State Senator, Pérez will work to expand federal, state, and county first-time homebuyer programs, and work to make federal funds go further. Beyond protecting the current number of housing units, Pérez will work to increase the number of affordable and market-rate housing units so that more Californians have the opportunity to become homeowners.
Jobs and a Economy that Works for All
Sasha Renée Pérez has experienced first-hand the challenges of navigating rising inflation. The cost of food, housing and utilities has risen rapidly over the years, but wages have not kept up. As the daughter of a union electrician and the granddaughter of an AFL-CIO organizer, Pérez knows that union jobs can help rebuild the middle class. She has worked with labor unions and local businesses to bring hundreds of good-paying jobs to her community.
Pérez understands small businesses play a significant role in our local economy and help bring character and identity to our communities. She worked with small business leaders and restaurant owners to save them money by capping the fees that third-party delivery services charge, and ensured essential workers received the pay they deserved and could afford to support their families.
As State Senator, Pérez will continue to fight to protect workers, expand access to good-paying jobs and ensure that small business owners receive the protection they deserve.