@JEREMYLLDC
Listen & Lead
Jeremy Dela Cruz
Town Meeting Candidate for Precinct 10
As a proud Coolidge Corner resident, I offer a new voice in Precinct 10 dedicated to amplifying issues of equity and belonging. My upbringing in the California Central Valley, a region enriched by the communal wealth of cultural diversity, continues to inform my approach to building spaces optimized for action:
I aim to listen first and lead second.
Our Brookline needs representatives who proactively seek new perspectives and prioritize groups historically underrepresented in Town Meeting—I will advocate for People of Color, immigrants, and younger community members to ensure their voices continue to be heard, appreciated, and welcomed.
On May 4th, look for the longest name on the ballot—
Prinz Jeremy Llanes Dela Cruz—and you'll find the 25 letters that spell
real progress for Precinct 10.
Choose Dela Cruz for Precinct 10
Priorities
Immigration Justice
Advocacy
As a first-generation American, I remain committed to promoting the rights and interests of immigrant communities. Foreign-born individuals constitute almost 30% of the town's population and Brookline has the responsibility to ensure they can fully participate in all aspects of public life.
Advancement
Massachusetts is home to around 65,000 immigrant entrepreneurs, who generate $27.6 billion in annual sales. Brookline should actively support POC-owned businesses, especially those operated by immigrant founders, with economic and professional development resources.
Public Safety Reform
Community Outreach
Brookline Police Department should continue efforts to improve and earn public trust, particularly with communities subject to discrimination. The town must also prioritize food and housing security and access to public transportation as vital to public safety.
Oversight & Transparency
I endorse certain recommendations from the reports compiled by the Select Board related to the establishment of an independent committee of police oversight. Such a civilian-driven committee should operate under a hybrid mandate to review, investigate, and audit BPD policies and complaints. I also support measures for transparency and standardization with respect to Brady Lists compiled by the Norfolk District Attorney.
Housing Justice
Multi-Family & Affordable Housing
Brookline should continue the trend toward zoning flexibility for multi-family housing and encourage Chapter 40B affordable housing development to cultivate greater socioeconomic diversity. Moving forward with more affordable housing projects will help us avoid the complacency of achieving a little over the bare minimum safe harbor threshold (10.21%) under the State's Chapter 40B statute.
Pro-Tenant Rent Reform
As a fellow renter on Beacon Street, I stand in solidarity with apartment residents in Precinct 10 and will advocate for banning broker fees. Broker commissions should not be passed onto renters—many of whom use free apartment hunting websites without the need of middlemen—and should instead be paid by those who benefit from the service: landlords and property managers. Brookline, alongside Boston, can follow in the steps of New York City and the vast majority of the United States in which broker fees are rare and restricted.