City of Palo Alto

Katie Causey

https://www.katiecauseyforcouncil.com

Children are not just the future, they are the present. Children and families are impacted most deeply by every challenge our city faces, from housing stability, street safety, and belonging and more. When we center children’s well-being, we set them and our society up for success.

Over 80% of voters polled say they want elected officials to prioritize children and families. What are the top three issues affecting our children and families and how will you make our region a place where all families can thrive?

The top 3 issues affecting children and families are housing stability, safe street infrastructure, and a sense of belonging.
In my work in our housing nonprofits I’ve sat with families as they debated if they should live in their car until their kids graduate from PAUSD. Creating stable homes for all will ensure all families and children can thrive in our community.
We need to improve street infrastructure so that it is safe for kids and parents to walk or bike to school or work.

I’m also running on having our first LGBT+ pride celebration and more community cultural celebrations, during a time of rising loneliness that is especially hitting youth hardest, it’s more important than ever tha
High quality childcare improves school readiness and parents' workforce participation. What will you do to improve access to high quality childcare and preschool programs in our diverse communities?

As a member of the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission I am currently leading our research on how we can successfully expand childcare access. City government can play a role in improving access to high quality childcare and preschool programs by helping raise awareness of resources and services, and making sure that our educational facilities continue being well-funded and well-resourced. By creating more homes and improving housing stability, we can also help parents stay closer to where they work, help childcare providers stay in our community, and reduce housing costs for families so they can better afford programs and services.
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?

I am endorsed by members of our school board, and I bring strong relationships with our schools and teachers. Our school board has identified that a huge source of the opportunity gap is a lack of stable housing, if you are a far from grocery stores or don’t know if your family can make rent next month it is hard for you to focus on your education. I’ve received the endorsements of all our local housing organizations and the sole endorsement of the attorney general for my work toward improving stable housing for all families to address this gap and improve equitable opportunity.
What steps will you take to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families in our community?

As a Human Relations Commissioner, one of the areas I oversee is which nonprofits receive City funding. Many of these nonprofits directly support children with disabilities and their families. I will ensure that these nonprofits doing good work in our city can continue providing their services and improve outcomes for our children and families.
If elected, how will you use the resources of your new role to improve children's well-being and access to mental and behavioral health services?

Right now on the Human Relations Commission, I am exploring paths to improving access to childcare. Having grown up in Palo Alto during the youth suicide clusters I understand the priority of you mental health and continuing to work with local nonprofits and county officials to expand our mental health resources. Right now we are finding that we have many resources available in the city,, but unfortunately they aren’t being utilized due to a lack of awareness. I will be prioritizing increasing outreach to ensure more members of our community learn about and receive these services.