A longtime Foster City resident and current city councilmember, Phoebe Shin Venkat views strong climate policy as vital for a “coastal community…on the front lines of sea level rise.” For Phoebe, bolstering Foster City’s investment in renewable energy is not just a policy platform plank, but a component of a broadly integrated vision for a sustainable, inclusive, and more affordable city. 

She sees transitioning away from fossil fuels as an “opportunity to lift up low-income families,” by leveraging the city’s existing partnerships, with entities like WestLight Energy, to defray the costs associated with energy efficiency upgrades. Large-scale, municipally-funded construction projects, she points out, present a similar opportunity; prioritizing solar panel, battery storage, and energy-efficient appliance installation when the city renovates its existing multifamily dwellings or builds new affordable housing can lower utility bills in addition to improving residents’ quality of life. Phoebe will also seek to further develop Foster City’s transit infrastructure and expand the reach of its renter pilot program, which provides qualifying households with portable heat pumps and window shading at no cost.

 “Taking bold climate action is not a distant policy goal,” Phoebe asserts, but “a baseline necessity to keep our families safe and our neighborhoods secure.” 350 Bay Area Action is pleased to endorse Phoebe Shin Venkat as she seeks to continue to represent the people of Foster City in pursuit of these objectives.

Campaign website: https://www.phoebeshinvenkat.com/  

Volunteer some time: https://www.phoebeshinvenkat.com/get-involved

__________________________________

Image credit: Phoebe Shin Venkat, used with permission