ASM Avila Farias on Capstone Conversation Podcast

Host Jared Asch interviews Assemblywoman Ana Maria Avila Farias about her background and priorities representing 13 of 19 Contra Costa County cities from Crockett to Brentwood. A third-generation resident based in Martinez, she describes 30 years in housing and community development across local, state, and federal government, including work under mayors Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom and over $5 billion in affordable housing financing through the California Housing Finance Agency board. She discusses balancing public service and parenting and outlines legislative priorities to increase housing production, reform infrastructure and impact-fee burdens, reassess past housing laws, and expand ADU financing tools. She advocates a long-term goal of universal childcare and near-term increases in capacity. She addresses the district’s refinery concentration, supporting cleaner innovation and biofuels while noting gaps in EV infrastructure. She highlights bills that restrict problematic ICE agents in California law enforcement and limit ICE activity near polling places and childcare centers, and emphasizes accessibility and community engagement.