Who is Berkeley City Council candidate Majdi Abuhamdieh?

Name: Majdi "Gaith" Abuhamdieh

Age: 37

Occupation: Policy analyst & business owner

What office are you are running for? Berkeley City Council, District 4

What is the main reason you are running? I am running because District 4 deserves a council member who fights for the people who live here. I am a renter, a small business owner, a dad and a Palestinian American. I watch rents climb while storefronts sit empty and small shops close. I watch City Hall listen to developers and insiders instead of neighbors. I am running because working families, tenants, students and small businesses deserve better.

Why are you qualified? I have spent my life in the work of protecting people. Over a decade in trust and safety policy taught me how to weigh evidence, solve hard problems and make decisions that hold up. I served on the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission, where I worked on community safety and civil rights. I am a UC Berkeley graduate and I run a family coffee business with my siblings, so I know the city's fees and permit process from the inside. I am a renter and a parent. I know these issues because I live them.

What sets you apart from other candidates? I am not a career politician. My opponent is the Deputy Mayor and the Chair of the Alameda County Democratic Party. He has the machine, the endorsements and the donor network. I have a bakery schedule and a canvass list. I have refused AIPAC money, police union money and big developer money. I lead with housing, small business survival and public safety as care. And I only promise what a council member can actually deliver. No fantasy. No excuses.

How and when did you end up in Berkeley? I grew up between San Francisco and Napa Valley. I came to Berkeley for UC Berkeley and I never really left. I have lived here about ten years. My family and I are in District 4. My siblings and I opened Jaffa Coffee Roasters here because this is where we wanted to build something. Berkeley is home. It is where I am raising my daughter and where I want to keep building.

What are the three biggest challenges for Berkeley in the next five years? Housing, small business survival and public safety. Rents keep rising and families keep getting pushed out. Storefronts sit empty while local shops struggle with fees, fines and slow permits. And we are failing people in mental health crisis by sending armed police to do work that should belong to care teams. Underneath all three is a fourth problem. City Hall listens to developers and insiders more than it listens to residents.

How would you begin to address them? On housing, Berkeley has a vacancy tax on empty homes. It sunsets in 2034. I will strengthen it, extend it and push for a commercial vacancy tax on empty storefronts. Penalties should scale with size of ownership so a senior with one extra unit is not treated like a corporate landlord. I support social housing, community land trusts and tenant right to counsel.

On small business, I will create a digital one-stop shop so permits, licenses and fees live in one place. I will reduce health permit fees and help displaced shops relocate.

On public safety, I will bring back the mobile crisis team and move mental health calls to unarmed responders. I will strengthen police accountability and oppose Flock surveillance.

What is one new idea you'd like to bring to Berkeley? A digital one-stop shop for small businesses. Right now an entrepreneur has to navigate separate systems for licensing, permits, taxes, grants and compliance. Most give up or pay consultants they cannot afford. I want one simple interface where a food truck owner, a baker or a shop owner can find everything in one place, in multiple languages. This is the unglamorous work that keeps local businesses alive.

How will you be accessible to constituents? I will hold office hours in parks and neighborhoods, not just at City Hall. I will answer emails and calls whether or not there is a camera in the room. I will hold community meetings before big decisions, not after. I will publish who I meet with so residents can see whose voices have my ear. And I will treat public comment as input, not inconvenience.

Are you using public financing? Yes

How much money do you expect to spend on your campaign? The campaign has raised roughly $47,200 so far, which includes about $11,500 in direct contributions and about $35,700 in Berkeley public matching funds. We expect to spend roughly $60,000 to $70,000 total by election day. Confirm this figure with the treasurer before submitting, since the number will be published and should match your filings.

A final thought? Berkeley is a city of people who care. We show up for each other. We believe government can do better. That is why I am running. Not because I have all the answers, but because District 4 deserves a council member who listens, tells the truth about what the office can do and fights for the people who live here.

Campaign website: majdiforberkeley.com | Instagram

See complete election coverage on The Berkeley Scanner.