BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
Parks Commissioner Yudy Deng is positioning herself as a community organizer and an outsider to City Hall in her campaign for Palo Alto City Council.
In particular, Deng said she has a background mobilizing the Chinese heritage community in Palo Alto. She hosts Mahjong tables on Cal Ave. and is chief development officer for the Society for Heart’s Delight, a nonprofit focused on engaging Chinese immigrants in the South Bay.
“As a council member, you don’t just sit there and study. You need to go into the community and talk to people,” she said in an interview.
Deng, 42, immigrated from China in 2011 and moved from Bellevue, Wash., to Palo Alto in 2018.
Deng said the city has moved too slow — on addressing RV dwellers, planning for housing and approving permits. “I’m very frustrated,” she said. Deng said she wants common permits to be approved in 30 days to reduce storefront vacancies and lower home improvement costs. She also wants to offer more same-day permit approvals and guarantee inspections within one week.
Deng said council isn’t monitoring City Manager Ed Shikada’s performance effectively, and it seems like he’s in charge. “
Council members should decide the trend of the city, not the city manager,” Deng said. Deng addressed her out-of-town support, with 24 of 39 donations coming from outside Palo Alto in her first fundraising report.
Deng said she asked friends from college, Bellevue and the nonprofit sector. She said most of her friends are tech engineers, attorneys or people she knows from nonprofit work.
“Nothing suspicious,” she said. Deng raised $82,307 through June 30, a record total at this point in the race.
She is endorsed by outgoing Councilwoman Julie Lytchott-Haims, Councilman George Lu, school board member Rowena Chiu, Assemblyman Marc Berman, state Sen. Josh Becker, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga and state Treasurer Fiona Ma.
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