Former San Leandro City Councilmember Surlene Grant Announces Campaign for Alameda County Supervisor

Written By Jonathan Bash

Housing Advocate and Business Leader Enters District Three Race

​

SAN LEANDRO, CALIF., MARCH 16, 2022—Today, Surlene Grant, who served 10 years on the San Leandro City Council, formally announced her campaign for Alameda County Supervisor in District 3, the seat previously held by esteemed Supervisor Wilma Chan, who lost her life in a tragic accident in 2021. 

“Over the past 25 years, I have consistently used my voice and community connections to develop the next generation of leaders and be an advocate for change,” said the former Vice Mayor of San Leandro. “I’ve worked hard to transform our neighborhoods into more inclusive and accessible communities. As Supervisor, I will fight for all residents and ensure Alameda County takes real action on housing, the economy, sustainability and public health.”

Grant’s Kick Off will take place on Saturday, March 26 at 11:30 a.m. at San Leandro’s Toyon Park, 14432 Bancroft Ave., San Leandro, CA. Community leaders, volunteers and residents will celebrate the launch of the campaign and begin connecting with their neighbors.

As the first African American and person of color elected to the City Council of San Leandro, Grant passed the city’s first inclusionary housing policy, requiring that 15 percent of all new homes built are affordable to lower income residents. She also established a local purchasing ordinance that supported small businesses. All throughout, she worked hard to diversify city staff, bringing new leaders into City Hall, breaking up the “old boys’ club.” To honor this legacy of collaboration and innovation, the City of San Leandro named its latest community meeting space after her—the Surlene G. Grant Community Meeting Room.

As an elected official, Grant worked at the County level as Chair of the Housing Authority of Alameda County, and with the Alameda County Transportation Commission. She also served as Supervisor Chan’s appointee and County Representative on the Oversight Board for the Successor Agency of the former San Leandro Redevelopment Agency. 

A business owner and award-winning community relations professional, Grant has served on the Board of Directors of the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce, and is the founder of the San Leandro African American Business Council. Her business has partnered with local governments and organizations to build broad community coalitions around major local housing and infrastructure projects, including Kaiser Oakland Hospital, BART projects and Mandela Gateway affordable housing.

As County Supervisor, Grant’s priorities will include: 

  • Expanding access to housing of all types, including affordable apartments, single-family homes and the “Missing Middle”—duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes.

  • Protecting our environment by looking at innovative approaches to climate change, renewable energy and land conservation; creating more parks and community gardens; and developing complete streets projects that promote safe walking and biking.

  • Promoting the health and safety for all by establishing more effective mental health services, forming non-police responses to psychiatric and homeless emergencies, and ensuring public safety, transparency and accountability.

Surlene Grant is endorsed by a broad coalition of Alameda County leaders, including:

  • San Leandro Mayors Pauline Russo Cutter, Stephen Cassidy (Fmr.) and Shelia Young (Fmr.)

  • San Leandro City Councilmembers Pete Bellew, Deborah Cox, Corina Lopez, and Fred Simon

  • Former San Leandro City Councilmembers  Orval Badger, Bob Glaze,  Michael Gregory, Ursula Reed and Diana Souza

  • State Senator Liz Figueroa (Fmr.)

  • Oro Loma Sanitary District President Rita Duncan

  • Eden Health Care District Chair Gordon Galvan

  • Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Aisha Knowles

  • San Lorenzo Unified School District Board Member Penny Peck

  • Oakland City Councilmember Lynette Gibson-McElhaney (Fmr.)

  • Chamber of Commerce Leaders Emilio Garcia, Jerry Garcia and Gary Offenberg

  • Dewayne Cornelius, San Leandro Chamber Member & Business Leader

  • Bernard Ashcraft, Director of the Bay Area Business Roundtable

  • And dozens of community, business and nonprofit leaders

“Surlene has been a change agent helping to bring San Leandro into the 21st Century,” said San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter. “I’m confident she is the person who can build the coalitions necessary to tackle tough issues like the Bay Area housing crisis, transportation, and the health and safety of our community.”

For more information, visit Grant’s website at www.surlenegrant.com. 

​

###

Jonathan Bash
Previous

Thank You