State Assembly District 17
Major YIMBY ally who authored AB 2923 for BART housing and votes reliably for pro-housing legislation.
Chiu is a major ally to YIMBYs, both in substance, for example authoring AB 2923 which allows BART to build more housing on its land, and sentiment, having spoken at many YIMBY events. He is a reliable vote for pro-housing legislation, such as SB 50 and SB 330. The anti-housing views of his opponent in the close 2014 race that brought Chiu to the assembly, demonstrates his “value above replacement” to AD-17.
Chiu has also authored bills to expand Medicaid, fund transit, and pursue other progressive priorities.
His record isn’t perfect, as he’s also been the chief advocate of rent control---which benefits incumbents at the cost of newcomers---in Sacramento, authoring AB 1482, signed in 2019. He’s also authored AB 857, which enables cities to create “public banks,” a performative institution that advocates falsely claim will enable them to essentially print money for government projects, avoiding real solutions like taxes and permitting the market to deliver critical services like housing.
Chiu’s opponent, Starchild received 56 write-in votes in the primary, and while he has progressive values on zoning, sex work, and immigration, he has no public policy experience and advocates counterproductive policies like abolishing the police and reducing lawmaker compensation.