City of Cupertino
J.R. Fruen
hildren and families are foundational to any community and I strive to make the protection of their interests the cornerstone of my campaign. I view policymaking through the lens of trusteeship: the community is focused on immediate matters and trusts its councilmembers understand the needs of the community and to act in its best interests.
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In a recent poll by Choose Children 2022 of likely general election voters, more than half of parents with children under age 18 say they are likely to move out of the Bay Area in the next few years. What do you think are the top three issues affecting our children and families and how will you make our region a place where all families can thrive?
(1) The cost of living, (2) affordable childcare, (3) access to school resources. Children and families are primarily leaving the Bay Area due to the outrageous cost of housing. I plan to shepherd the construction of homes at all income levels to reduce the burden of housing costs. Promoting better distributed affordable housing will also allow parents more flexibility in work options to reduce childcare costs and open high-resource neighborhoods with better schools to families of all economic types. We should also partner with our school districts to create more opportunities for low-cost childcare and school enrichment programs.
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As we have learned over the past three years, without quality, affordable, childcare, parents can’t go to work. What will you do to address challenges accessing childcare and preschool programs in our diverse communities?
Due to Cupertino’s relatively low population of 60,000, as well as our low percentage of low-income families, we could reasonably leverage public funds to assist those on the margins with regard to access to childcare. We can partner with our school districts to create and expand school enrichment and extended study programs that allow children to remain supervised in a trusted environment during working hours. By also focusing on reducing the burden of housing costs, families would be free to spend their hard-earned dollars on childcare of their choice.
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Much of the student achievement gap has been linked to the opportunity gap that children in low-income families and children of color confront (e.g., lack of access to healthy food, preschool, tutors, and enrichment activities). If elected, what will you do to increase equity of opportunity?
The Cupertino City Council is primarily responsible for land use, as many of its functions are ultimately carried out by contracted companies or separate governmental entities. Thus, I would want to focus my efforts on how our city planning will allow for every family’s success. In particular, we should use the state’s Housing Element update process to incentivize more and better distributed affordable housing in high-resource areas. We can also provide more public learning spaces through new mixed-use projects and by negotiating strong community benefits. We can reduce reliance on the automobile through smarter planning, allowing families of all income to access the same opportunities.
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What steps will you take to support inclusion and outcomes for children with special needs or with disabilities and their families to be fully included in our community?
I would expedite a planned project to house and service families and individuals with developmental disabilities. I serve on the board of the Cupertino Rotary Housing Corporation, which has been planning such a project for several years. Through the state’s mandatory Housing Element update process, we are finally moving forward. I would utilize that process to ensure that our housing options in Cupertino make specific room for these families. As we revise the Housing Element, we should learn from that experience and expand on it.
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There is a mental health crisis among children, youth, and those who care for and educate them. If elected, how will you use the resources of your new role to improve access to mental and behavioral health services?
I would expedite a planned project to house and service families and individuals with developmental disabilities. I serve on the board of the Cupertino Rotary Housing Corporation, which has been planning such a project for several years. Through the state’s mandatory Housing Element update process, we are finally moving forward. I would utilize that process to ensure that our housing options in Cupertino make specific room for these families. As we revise the Housing Element, we should learn from that experience and expand on it.