District 4 candidate
Christine Brady, 50
Democrat
What is your background and why you are running for Chula Vista City Council?
I have degrees in physics and engineering from Princeton and Stanford Universities. I have worked 35 years as president of the Americas Foundation Fundacion de las Americas building schools, establishing arts education programs, and promoting binational community development in Tijuana and San Diego. I founded and direct the La Esperanza kindergarten, elementary and high schools and the free binational “More Art = Less Violence” program of Arts and Sports for teens. Previously I worked for the Navy for eight years managing a $650 million dollar program. I have been recognized by the California State Assembly as a “Woman helping Women,” received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association and won the American Institute of Architecture Award for Socially Responsive Building.
I have lived in Chula Vista for 25 years and want to see it grow in a positive manner. I have been attending City Council meetings regularly for three years and serve on the Arts and Culture commission.
Chula Vista has resources that have not been, but could be, applied productively to improve the quality of life of everyone living in District 4. The youth living on the west side of Chula Vista need municipal sports and arts programs funded and activated. Businesses and nonprofits need rent protection and support. The homeless need access to treatment and housing. Artists need low-cost performance venues. Recreation Centers need to be properly outfitted, funded, and promoted to support Arts, Sports, and wellness programs. Public buildings, parks and spaces that have been abandoned or minimally used need to be recuperated. All development projects should conform to standards of spaciousness, aesthetics, onsite parking, and a potential secondary use.
What are your top three priorities as a council member and why?
My top priorities are providing municipal services to youth and seniors in District 4, creating an Arts/Cultural district to provide jobs and support mental health, and providing a solution to the homeless crisis which will include housing coupled to mental health treatment. I am running for City Council because I am a 25-year resident and proven problem solver who sees millions of dollars being spent and not benefiting anyone. I want to see valuable resources applied productively to improve the quality of life in District 4 and all of Chula Vista.
What is District 4 excelling in and why?
District 4 has a nice library on Orange, a LGBTQ youth center, a nice little Lauderbach park and some mega stores like Costco and Walmart. However, District 4 is excelling in losing businesses, disappearing youth programs, excessive street parking, congestive traffic, growing gang violence, and expanding homeless encampments.
What is District 4 lacking and what plans do you have to create solutions?
District 4 is bearing the brunt of the homeless crisis in Chula Vista. Millions of dollars is being spent on the Bridge Shelter designed to accommodate 128 people but is only occupied by ten. Millions are being wasted moving fences around and chasing the homeless from one location to another. I have a plan to couple housing with mental health treatment that includes creating a Mental Health Facility behind the Otay River Industrial Park that would be integrated with 192 small homes (650 sq ft each). The requirement for two-year residency would be mental health and trauma treatment. This complex would take up 16 acres, be close to services and not impact negatively on residential or retail areas. The plan is based on the successful program of Salt Lake City.
In the meantime, I would activate the Bridge shelter so that 128 homeless can be accommodated immediately.
District 4 is lacking in services and available facilities for youth. The Boys and Girls Clubs in the district closed down. The Chula Vista Community Youth Center that was built by the City has been taken over by the Sweetwater Union High School District and is slated to store construction materials. Baseball fields are restricted to school use and are not used nine months of the year. The recreation center only provides concrete floors for dance spaces which are unacceptable to dance instructors. There are no sponsored sports tournaments or “clash of the bands,” or civic youth orchestra, etc. I would promote free after school public transportation for youth, new arts and sports programs, upgrade of recreation facilities, funding for promotion, low-cost performance venues, a civic youth orchestra and band, etc. I am presently campaigning for the Chula Vista Community Youth Center to remain at the service of the youth and for the school district to enter into joint use agreements with the City.
District 4 is lacking in aesthetics. It is a combination of the bedroom community and a few streets lined with unattractive tire shops, strip malls and mega stores. New development produces more congestion while lending nothing of beauty, interest, or character to the area. There is no Art, nor music. Skyrocketing rents are driving businesses out, while there is nothing for tourists to come into. I am proposing a new arts district of low-cost performance venues, museum, sculpture garden and practice studios that would provide jobs in construction, training in design and scenery construction, arts promotion, etc., as well as contribute to the mental health of the community.
What makes you the better candidate for City Council and why?
I am a better candidate because I have plans, and accomplishments. Everyone is aware of the problems and can expound on them. No other candidate is presenting plans or has the experience I have of creating and establishing social institutions and resolving social issues, founding, and building the La Esperanza schools renowned for their architecture, arts programs and helping developing communities to install public services for 35 years or managing a $650 million development program for the Navy. I am the only candidate with concrete accomplishments and who values Art and Culture. I am also the only candidate who has been attending City Council meetings for the past three years and in voluntary service to the City on commissions.
I also do not have a record of criminal convictions.
What else would you like for voters to know about you?
The public should know that I only have their interest at heart and am not representing any interested group. I am an engineer who listens and works with people. I have dedicated my life to positive community development, arts education and helping kids.
