Recognizing the Honorable Anne Oliva As She Ends Her Term of Service on the Millbrae City Council

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague Millbrae Mayor Anne Oliva as she steps down from the city council at the end of her present term, and after serving nine years on the council. She has distinguished herself by doing outstanding work while in elective office.

Anne has lived in Millbrae for more than 20 years. She was appointed to the Millbrae City Council in 2013 to fill a vacancy and was elected to a full four year term in November of that year. Her top priorities at the time were building economic strength and sustainability, protecting private property rights, and ensuring public safety. Millbrae was emerging from the housing recession and its downtown business district was suffering. Hotel occupancy taxes, a major source of city revenue, were significantly depressed. The city's budget had been cut repeatedly and difficult decisions lay ahead.

In subsequent years, Anne and her colleagues made tough choices. They contracted for police services from the San Mateo County Sheriff's office, a decision that was discussed at great length due to the affection that the people of Millbrae had for their own department. Economic growth came with controversy. Millbrae is a major transportation hub with a combined BART and Caltrain station serving thousands of daily commuters. The council approved a large development on the BART parking lot, delivering hundreds of units of needed housing, a new hotel and accompanying tax revenue, offices, and retail to serve all. Anne supported the development as part of her promise to build the economic strength of the city and the sustainability of its budget.

Her experience as a real estate agent and broker has informed her public service. She served on the Board of Directors of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors, including on its legislative committee and as President. She also served on similar legislative committees for the California Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. When the County of San Mateo sought assistance from property owners and managers to find apartments for persons holding federal housing vouchers, Anne worked with my office and San Mateo County to identify willing owners and managers. She and her brother also manage hundreds of apartment units and homes. They encourage property owners to accept federal housing vouchers and many do, thus helping low-income households throughout San Mateo County.

At least part of her dedication to ending homelessness arises from personal experience. Anne once noted that, ``One of the most impactful and tough experiences in my life was the night my husband Jose and I received a call that we will never forget. We learned that our son, who suffers addiction and mental health issues, was living on the street. We are blessed that he is fine now and doing much better. But my family's story is all too typical. I refuse to accept the status quo on homelessness. We cannot continue to let people live and die on our streets.''

Over her 20+ years as a resident, Anne has been a volunteer for the PTA, the Mills High School Athletics Booster Club, and the Italian- American Women's Guild. She is a local coordinator for the Coats for Kids program, and in 2010 she was awarded the Community Service Award by the realtor's association. She also fundraises for the San Mateo County Historical Association.

We thank her husband Jose, daughter Francesca, and two sons Joey and Marco, for allowing Anne time to serve the public. Her presence will now be more predictable, and they have the satisfaction of knowing that Anne's occasional absences were needed to build a better Millbrae for everyone. Most importantly for Anne, she will now have time to spend with her two new grandchildren, Carolina and Isabella, born October 10, 2022. It may be a step down from public service to leave a city council, but it's a step up in service to humanity to become a grandmother. Anne is very fortunate to have received a promotion at this point in her life.

It is now time to say farewell to Anne Oliva as she leaves public life, but thankfully she isn't moving away. Her ever-present smile and can-do attitude will be evident in her community, and her willingness to volunteer will endure. When local businesses seek an advocate, they will always have Anne as an ally. Importantly, she will continue to work her magic in the real estate market, providing housing to those who need it, opportunities for those who seek the American Dream, and fair returns to owners. The wind and fog that occasionally sweep through Millbrae will continue to have their rival in Anne's energy, and the optimism about the future that she exudes will be remembered as a major force for good during the nine years that she served Millbrae, a community that she loves.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source