10B Action - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

912435.5 -3-November 19, 2024 Additionally, when vacancies have occurred, the Council has declined to appoint Asian Americans to these open seats, the most recent example occurring earlier this year after the District 1 Councilmember vacated her seat. See Yumori Kaku v. City of Santa Clara, 59 Cal. App. 5th 385 (2020) (affirming trial court's liability findings where the evidence showed political exclusion, among other things, by way of the fact that Santa Clara City Councilmembers and Mayors rarely publicly endorsed Asian American candidates). The Council has also failed to ensure that the City's commissions, which often act as a feeder to elected office, are demographically representative of the City. Mr. Bulatao, for example, has applied for commissions on parks, police oversight, and arts & libraries and has never been appointed. III. Asian American voters in the City of San Leandro are represented by Mr. Bulatao and experienced counsel. Our client Robe1i Bulatao is a Filipino resident and registered voter in San Leandro. He is a father to children who attend public schools in San Leandro and is active on the PTO, as well as local political organizations, particularly in police accountability and healthcare/disability advocacy. Mr. Bulatao ran for District 6 in the November 2024 election and lost. His opponent raised about $100,000 more in campaign funds than Mr. Bulatao. GBDH has extensive experience representing voters in other jurisdictions across California on challenges to at-large election systems and engaging and educating the public in districting and redistricting processes. GBDH is a civil rights law firm based out of Oakland, California with expertise in class action and complex litigation. GBDH has successfully litigated and/or resolved CVRA cases against other jurisdictions, including the cities of Palmdale, Anaheim, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Bellflower, and Cypress, school districts like ABC Unified, and special districts like AC Transit. GBDH also served as appellate counsel for Plaintiffs on their CVRA claim against the City of Santa Monica, which resulted in the California Supreme Court's affirmation of voting rights in Pico Neighborhood Ass 'n v. City of Santa Monica, 15 Cal. 5th 292 (2023), and now as trial counsel on remand from the appellate courts. We hope that the City of San Leandro carefully considers remedying its CVRA violation, including by transitioning fully to single-member districts. We recognize that the City went through a redistricting process recently following its receipt of 2020 Census data, and two of the City's six Council districts are majority or near-majority Asian American. We are open to a discussion with you about whether the City's existing six-district map with an at-large mayor could be sufficient to remedy its CVRA violation. Please contact us at your earliest convemence. Sincerely, L. Grimes (she/her) GLG/kbm