Third District City Council Candidate Kailee Caruso Q & A

Our conversation with Caruso spanned multiple hours, both in person and over the phone, and has been edited for clarity and length. It is our hope that the reader will receive a digestible dialogue concerning the policy, politics, and personal histories that are animating this race.

What are going to be your main issues if elected? What’s gonna be the issues that you’re really focused on?

My priorities right now are kind of all intersectional. And it’s inclusive of what I talk about when I say this holistic public safety framework. It includes public safety, it includes homelessness and housing. It includes infrastructure in terms of traffic, transit, safety, environment, all these different things, and mental health and resources. 

The other component that that includes is community building. There are gaps in how we can do this better. How can we bring folks together? How do we engage all of District Three in the conversation of how to improve our city? That’s having community meetings all over the district. Not just prioritizing certain areas of the district, but all of the business areas in the district. 

Definitely homelessness, housing and safety, and how we take a holistic approach to fill the gaps right now. So our constituents and residents feel a difference, but also putting in long-term policy and working with a lot of folks to be able to do that. Well, that includes tracking data, that includes working with nonprofit and the private sector of how we do that well in the city. I mean, we’re the second largest city in LA County. A lot of other cities have seen increases of homelessness but haven’t seen as much. It definitely shows gaps that Long Beach has to fill and also what we haven’t been doing as well. We are a huge city and we have to act accordingly. So it is important to look at what other cities are doing as well. And what’s working and what isn’t. 

The environment is also very important to me. And then there’s service response, transparency, communication with the Third District. And the small things after the last few years are just like, how do we not allow things around us or things that are happening in the world to divide us? The pandemic did impact a lot of us. So how do we build community again? And what does that look like? And how do we have community meetings all throughout District Three and really engage folks and make it accessible for people to build community and get to know each other again?

When and why did you first decide to run?

I first decided to run [at] the beginning of March, so I had a very short period of time to file. I show up with Democratic values and I’ve shown that in community meetings and my grassroots efforts and canvassing for Democratic candidates and ballot measures. That’s why I decided to change my political party from independent to Democrat.

I was looking at the other candidates that were running in the primary, no incumbent. I was thinking about the last two years with COVID, just really highlighting the inequalities in our city. The impacts that some communities have more than others, the lack of resources, it’s really allowed space for us to have more conversations around those things.

I was unimpressed when I was looking at other folks that [were running]. There [weren’t] solid platforms in the primary, I just really felt like we deserved better. So with my experience, my education, it’s literally relevant to the challenges we’re facing right now. I honestly felt called to do it. And so I answered that call.

I am the only registered Democrat [in this race]. I didn’t know anyone in City Hall before this. But I am the Dem now in the general. I got a lot of phone calls the day I moved up to the top two. And I appreciate the support. And I built a lot of meaningful relationships with folks. But I want to make sure people know that I’m an independent thinker. Even though I’m a Democrat, I want to be pragmatic, I want to work with everyone. We have to build bridges, we have to work together in order to do these things and really create real change and move Long Beach forward.

So that’s why I ran. I don’t think it’s by mistake that I’m here. And we’ve activated a lot of folks just in terms of the people that are supporting me and share the same values as me.

Honestly through all of this, it’s felt like I’m just the messenger. This is even bigger than me. So I always wanted to be a singer growing up. I guess my voice was meant for something.

You earned a master’s degree in policy and public administration from CSULB and work as a program administrator working directly with adults, youth, and young families experiencing homelessness. Can you tell me about your professional background?

So [I] moved to Long Beach in 2001. I really came here for the dance program at Cal State Long Beach. I did ballet, I did hip-hop and modern. I did a lot of different dance growing up. And I took one sociology class. That was all it took.

I started working with youth. After that, I started working in group homes when I was in college in Orange County. I was a therapeutic behavioral specialist after that with kids as young as eight to 18. I had my own children.  I’ve worked in treatment centers that have been nonprofit, have been private, for at-risk youth. I worked at Harbor View in Long Beach during college as well. That was youth that came right out of juvenile hall and they were re-entering back into the community, but they’re taking one step before that. So a lot of experience with folks that are experiencing a lot of different challenges, from trauma to mental health challenges to broken families, substance abuse, addiction, all of the above. 

I am really passionate about policy and all the community work that I do. I know how important people power is and activating folks on a community level and community action. And we need to be thoughtful and intentional about having folks in leadership that will bring people to the table. And I’m mindful of the way I look and the way I identify and how I should take up space and how I shouldn’t and how I have contributed to harm in our communities and society and how I continue to work every day to do the opposite of that. And be more mindful of how I can use my privilege for good. 

You have highlighted that you are the only Democrat in the race. Your opponent is registered with no party preference. Why is this important to highlight in a nonpartisan race?

People want to know what party we’re with. That’s why I think it’s most important in this race, even though it’s nonpartisan, with the political climate in our nation, world. And then locally, it’s important to people right now. I hope that folks [will] not make emotional decisions in terms of when they vote or not do their research and find someone that matches their values and where we think our city should be going. So that’s the most important part to me. And with the redistricting for District Three, it’s a brand new district, no one’s ever ran a primary or a general in this district before. And we have a higher percentage of Dems now.

Would you describe yourself as a progressive, and what does that mean?

Socially, absolutely. What I’m doing now—looking at all the gaps that have been inequitable— that haven’t benefited everyone that have caused us to face the challenges that we [face] right now. And to be able to look ahead and see how we fill those gaps, bring our community together, ensure that there is more accessibility to resources and quality of life. And to raise your family the way you want to. Work where you live. Buy a home if you’d like. Know that your children will be able to have the same opportunities. Know that your parents as they grow older will be okay. Be able to pay your mortgage or rent or put food on the table. So it’s a full spectrum to ensure that we all are able to live well, thrive, and take care of ourselves in our community.

You said in the primary that you felt like you already won in this race because you pushed the conversation. What is being talked about in this race that you don’t think would have been talked about, had it been another top two candidates?

I think people throughout our district are talking about it: how can we do better? How can we have courageous people naming systems that aren’t effective or aren’t working or are over-budgeted? And our budget in the city is a reflection of our values. I’ve been told at the doors that my message is bringing people hope. That it’s a breath of fresh air. And it’s allowing people to have someone to actually vote for, not just vote against.

What systems aren’t working in Long Beach?

Just to name one, we have a 17-year life expectancy gap depending on what [zip] code you live in. So the intersectionality with the environment, with access to resources, how do we ensure that there’s equity throughout our city? The safest communities have the most resources. So how can our city budget reflect that? That’s the number one goal of government and being in our role as an elected official: to ensure safety. So we need to be able to have leadership that can re-evaluate our budget. And it doesn’t mean dramatic cuts or costs, it means doing it with intention and strategy, and effectiveness.

You’ve received the endorsement and financial backing of the LA County Federation of Labor, which is currently embroiled in a scandal involving a leaked recording of a racist and homophobic conversation between the organization’s president, Ron Herrera (who has since resigned), and three members of the LA City Council. The day after the story broke, you wrote on Twitter: “There is zero tolerance for anti-Blackness and racism in our communities and LA City politics. I stand with our Indigenous and Black communities, our workers and their families.” Did this statement go far enough? 

Yes, that statement went far enough. When someone truly represents anti-blackness, anti-racism in their talk and walk, we need to prove that we stand with the community that’s calling for accountability and the communities that are most harmed and impacted by this scandal and by the words. I’m very mindful of the position I’m in and how I identify and how much space I needed to take up during that. So I continue to stand with those most impacted in calling for accountability. And those include the workers and their families. It’s over 800,000 workers throughout LA County, a lot right here in Long Beach.

Should you have called for Herrera’s resignation?

I stand by my statement saying that I stand with the folks that were calling for accountability and that included what that accountability looked like.

Have you considered renouncing your endorsement by the LA County Federation of Labor?

I’m continuing to stand with the people most impacted and harmed in their call for accountability. And that includes the workers and the families that are part of the LA County Federation of Labor.

The City of Irvine recently passed an ordinance that will require safety devices for hotel employees and also establish workload regulations, very similar to an initiative passed in Long Beach in 2018 and was backed by labor. The ordinance exempts unionized hotels from the workload regulations. Proponents of these carve outs say that they make employers more amenable to unionization. As a councilmember, will you vote in favor of such workplace regulations? 

I’m all for protecting working-class folks. That’s the intention of unions and organizing and encouraging folks to join unions. Obviously, I want to be mindful [of] how it can have an impact on other groups of folks who aren’t in unions, or the companies, or the business owners. So I definitely will always stand with working-class families and what will best support working-class families because I know it’s the foundation of folks truly thriving in our community. So if that’s what union workers are doing, I want to support that. And I want to see how there’s other ways also to accomplish that if folks aren’t joining unions, because we can’t just leave folks out to not have living wages, health insurance coverage.

How does your work with individuals experiencing homelessness inform how you view the issue?

We need folks that are going to be in leadership and come from a lens of really understanding the root causes of homelessness and why it exists and who it impacts the most. So that’s taking biases out, that’s taking stereotypes out. That’s seeing these folks for being real humans. That’s not criminalizing them. That’s also going to be preventative. I have real life examples, right? I have personal experience. Working with vulnerable people. Just this week, I got a call that someone I worked with had passed. And that’s one of many in the last year. 

So how do we bring humanity to this conversation? How do we look at policy and say, who’s going to be harmed by this? Is anyone going to be impacted more by this? If that’s the case, we have to reevaluate our policy. 

How much does housing affordability factor into homelessness? A lot of politicians focus on drug addiction and mental health, which are obviously big factors in being unhoused…But do you believe affordability is a driving factor?

A huge part. [In the] 1970s, California decreased their funding for affordable housing. We see the impacts decades later. Same thing with mental health in terms of [the] 1980s. When we take resources away for certain things, literally two things that we’re experiencing challenges with, it’s a common denominator. So housing is huge. Our populations have increased and our housing has not. So sometimes it’s [as] basic as economics: the more housing we have, the less expensive they’ll be. And now folks can’t afford to live here. So housing is a huge part of it.

You support the creation of a Department of Mental Health in Long Beach. Currently, The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) is the governmental agency responsible for providing mental health services in Long Beach. It provides direct services, as well as subcontracts with a variety of mental health providers in the city. Why would it be better for Long Beach to have its own mental health department?

If we had our own mental health department we could just rely on more accessibility, more resources, jobs, and true prevention here in Long Beach. So it would just make it closer to home and we wouldn’t have the barriers that might exist with it being through LA County. So for example, with the health department, we know that having one in Long Beach created more accessibility and a quicker response time to the pandemic and being able to have accessibility to vaccinations and education around it. And the same thing would go for mental health services directly in Long Beach. I think having our own mental health department will truly fill that gap.

Do you support the creation of more bridge housing and permanent supportive housing for unhoused individuals in Long Beach? 

I’m supportive of filling the gaps where we need to. I think Long Beach is tracking data around homeless services and resources and programs, but I don’t think we’re doing it well enough or effectively enough. And I would really want to look at that data first and see where our gaps [are]. Right now, we don’t have enough outreach teams. And that’s a crucial first step. I’m definitely pro-housing first and working with homeless folks. 

I know we need the other components too because not everyone is the same in terms of what they need. So I think we need more resources on this side of town and in the Fourth and Fifth [districts] compared to a lot of them being in [North Long Beach]  and downtown. And I know that that’s because sometimes those councilmembers are the only ones that would take more homeless resources or shelter. I think all districts have to be mindful of what will benefit the entire city in terms of creating more resources that are accessible to everyone. 

I’m less likely to go downtown to get a cup of coffee. It’s very similar for someone experiencing homelessness; to go downtown if they’re located in this district or a district nearby ours. I would support [bridge housing/permanent supportive housing] near the Third District. I don’t know if it necessarily needs to be directly in the Third District. I’ve looked at some areas because it’s important for it to be near transit. I think if we had one near Anaheim and PCH… We just need to make it [as] accessible as possible.

Your opponent has made it pretty clear: more cops, less crime. In a recent debate she said, “If we can increase the presence of officers on the streets, that is going to address our issues with crime. It’s a proven fact.” Do you agree with this? 

So since the primary I’ve been really consistent with what I’ve named around public safety. And that is: why can’t we come from a curious place and put on the table having more than one solution to public safety? We have to be creative right now. We have to look at preventative data in terms of crime and violence and that data is calling for filling in the gaps with non-emergency crisis teams, mental health workers, and social workers responding to non-emergencies and mental health crises. So a part of my platform right now is noticing those gaps and filling those gaps. So right now we have recruitment and retention challenges with police, fire, healthcare workers, teachers, 911, dispatchers, and city workers. 

Our residents and business owners are calling for more safety now. I’m not going to use fear-mongering tactics to get votes. I’m going to be honest and transparent with the residents and constituents

What do you believe are the root causes of crime and what can you as a councilmember do to respond to these causes? 

In terms of the root causes of crime, we just have to [acknowledge] that certain communities, more vulnerable communities that don’t have the resources they need to have a stable job, pay for health care, pay for childcare, [don’t] have accessibility to education and mental health services—that increases crime. 

We have to be able to look at the data and see what works in terms of prevention of crime. And that’s bringing [an] equitable amount of resources to the communities that need it most. And it’s not just resources in terms of the things I just named, but it’s also being mindful [about] if [these communities] have [adequate] response times from emergency vehicles, if they have healthy grocery stores in their neighborhood. There’s all these other components. If their public schools are just as successful as the other public schools throughout our city. So it’s coming from all different directions to ensure that there’s equity.

During the primary, you said that you think that the number of sworn police officers should decrease. But in a recent debate you said, about the police budget: “It’s not about increase or decrease, it’s about the leadership in Long Beach.” If elected, would you vote to increase the police budget?

So like I mentioned earlier, it’s about leadership.. And that’s why I made the comment, it’s not about increase or decrease right now. The police budget has increased this year, the police have a budget enough to fill 100 more officers, but recruitment and retention challenges exist. So right now, there’s no need to increase it. 

Should law enforcement serve as a primary access point for unhoused residents to obtain homeless services?

It can be something that happens simultaneously, while we’re building up [civilian] teams, because the [Long Beach Police Department] Quality of Life team does have relationships with homeless folks, and does have experience doing that. I want mental health workers and social workers and folks that are specifically in that line of work to respond. And I’m someone that is trained to do that. So I know firsthand the importance of all the training that I’ve had. [It] is crucial to be effective in being the first responders.

Your opponent has received the endorsement and financial backing of the police officers association. What do you think about the political influence of the POA in this city? Did you seek the endorsement of the POA?

The POA has a lot of influence in Long Beach. I did [seek their endorsement]. I’ve met with Rich Chambers, president of the POA. I have a relationship with him. I’ve met with the POA board. Relationships are so important. If you’re going to run and be in a leadership position in the city, you need to have relationships with everyone. And you need to be able to find common ground and be okay with the things that you don’t agree with either. And I’ve had great conversations with him taking deep dives into public safety and what that looks like and how we could work together and how I could be a bridge to the communities.

I will continue to build a relationship with Rich Chambers. We’ve taken deep dive conversations into what the community is experiencing. What police are experiencing. How that can shift and change. I think it’s really important for the POA to have relationships with folks in all different realms in the community. They need allies to a degree to also model what talking that talk and walking the walk looks like. 

We can’t perpetuate the belief: well you believe this? Then we won’t talk to you. When we provide space for that, we learn and we unlearn. And we bring new ideas, and we see people’s humanity. And sometimes we have the same goals but we don’t agree on everything. So I think it’s important for leadership to be able to create spaces for that and to have an open door and to build relationships because that’s how we’re going to create effective change. 

You said you would support a rent stabilization ordinance in Long Beach. Given that an exact number is subject to negotiation in the legislative process, what do you think is an appropriate cap for annual rent increases on Long Beach apartments?

I don’t want to push band-aid solutions and sometimes I think rent control can be a band-aid solution. I know sometimes we need stabilization while we address the root and implement something for that, but I would like to be creative and see how we can maybe not just turn to something that we’ve always used and maybe has shown that it hasn’t always been effective where we continue to see the same challenges and concerns. So I want to go back to the drawing board. I want to ensure renters know their rights . I want to make sure landlords know their rights. And I want to make sure to come to the table and find wins. I want to bring a lot of landlords to the table. They have a lot of different perspectives, a lot of different concerns. And we want to make it more accessible for renters not only to be able to live in Long Beach, but look for home ownership one day as well.

Sea level rise is threatening long-term viability of homes in the Third District, specifically in the neighborhoods of Belmont Shore, Naples, and the Peninsula. Current predictions have sea level rise for the area at six to 22 inches by 2050 and as much as six feet by 2100. Short term, what can be done to reinforce the shore? 

We’re facing sea level rise, and we’re starting to experience it in real time. It’s easy for us to say that it’s further away when it’s happening sooner [rather] than later. In terms of what we can do about it, we definitely need a safety plan. We need to not just have berms as a plan to protect the peninsula, they need more secure protection in terms of a hurricane [or] severe sea level rise. But [the] Naples seawall is in phases, we’ve completed some of the phases [but] we haven’t completed all of them. And all of these projects are really expensive. So how do we also prioritize money for them and make it a priority.

In terms of a Climate Action Plan, we are prioritizing decreasing greenhouse gasses. We can always find ways to do it better. We can have carbon capture sources to be able to do that as well. But a part of it is inevitable. It’s how do we slow down the rise of the sea? I don’t think we’re going to be able to stop the rise, but how do we slow it down? And do everything we can and ensure that it’s a priority. And I think that’s the leadership’s responsibility to really inform the residents of its seriousness and how we’re going to move forward with it. And we have so many folks in Long Beach [who] have done this work for so long [and] are passionate about it, our experts. We need to bring them all to the table and be able to figure out how to do this well. And ensure safety.

What are your thoughts on ending oil drilling in Long Beach?

So we live in California, right? It’s just inevitable that we’re going to slowly move off of being reliant on oil and all these things. And my opponent has accepted thousands of dollars from oil companies. And I have chosen not to. I think it’s really important that I have relationships with all these folks and that we work together, and we need to be mindful of the economy. So how we do it is so important, and we need to make small win-win steps towards progress. And that’s why I’m really mindful of how intentional we need to be in how we spend the Tidelands Funds. I hear that we only have about seven to 10 years [of oil drilling in Long Beach]. And we have to think long term about how we can supplement the income that we’ve had and the benefits we’ve had from that income from oil if we were to slowly decrease it.

What is the biggest distinction between you and your opponent?

I’m a more serious candidate. I don’t have to reach to be qualified for this position and what this moment is calling for.

I’ve never worked in City Hall, I didn’t know anyone before this. My opponent worked in City Hall, years ago. My opponent co-owns a business, kind of just happens to be [a] mental health practice, but has worked in office administration. And I’ve worked directly with the homeless. I have a master’s [degree] in policy. I have years of community organizing around the challenges that folks [are] facing. 

Throughout my campaign, I’ve talked about courage and how important it is for leadership right now. And I’ve proven that throughout the entire campaign. Everything I say, or my priorities, or my perspectives, not everyone’s going to agree with but I’m always going to tell the truth. And I’m always going to call it how it is. And that’s with my constituents and the residents of District Three and all of Long Beach in mind. 

What is a failed policy that your opponent supports?

One I can think of is just talking about how we need more police and that will solve public safety. We’ve been relying on that system for decades, so if that was the case, why are we where we are right now? We need courageous leadership to name how we can really truly support our public safety framework.

Politicians want to fear-monger and want to say things just to make people feel safe temporarily. And I get that. I understand that some people, when they hear, “All we need is more police,” [they] feel safe temporarily. It will be my job and my responsibility as an elected official to ensure people are safe right now and in the future, not just feel safe temporarily. And that’s where I moved when I had these conversations, and I talk about these things.