Berkeley editorial board endorses Majdi Gaith for District 4 City Council

The Berkeley Daily Californian editorial board has endorsed Majdi Gaith for the District 4 City Council seat in Berkeley, citing his convincing solutions to local challenges. Gaith owns Jaffa Coffee Roasters in Downtown Berkeley and uses his small business experience to guide his approach to governance.

District 4 is a central part of Berkeley, containing the highest density housing outside UC Berkeley dormitories and Downtown Berkeley. The area has faced rising rents and many storefront vacancies, leading to concerns about affordability and the vitality of small businesses.

Gaith's platform focuses on five key areas: maintaining a balanced city budget, promoting green infrastructure, supporting small businesses, increasing affordable housing, and enhancing public safety. He advocates for housing development and accessibility to affordable housing.

To combat housing vacancies, Gaith supports strengthening and extending Berkeley's vacancy tax on empty homes to encourage property owners to rent units at lower prices. His approach aims to address immediate district needs while also considering citywide initiatives.