Affordable Housing for the Next Generation: Housing Elements

Jeremy Levine, Moderator
Policy Manager, Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County

Jeremy was hired as HLC’s Policy Manager in March 2022 to help the organization track housing laws across San Mateo County. Born and raised in Lafayette, California, Jeremy has dedicated his career to promoting equitable government policy. Before joining HLC, Jeremy studied economic development with UC Santa Barbara’s Economic Forecast Project. He also spent almost three years with the California Center for Public Policy studying how tax policy can be used to reduce inequality. After almost five years working in economic research, Jeremy founded a nonprofit, Inclusive Lafayette, in his hometown, dedicated to promoting affordable housing development. He is excited to continue supporting affordable housing with HLC! Want to talk about housing policy in San Mateo County? Schedule a meeting with Jeremy at https://calendly.com/jlevine97.

Nevada Merriman
Director of Policy, MidPen Housing

Nevada Merriman currently serves as MidPen Housing’s Director of Policy; over the last 14 years she’s held many positions in the Real Estate Development team including project manager and most recently was the Director of Housing Development for the Peninsula and Silicon Valley. She has contributed to the development of over 3,000 homes in Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, and has a passion for building acceptance for including our unhoused community members in every new housing opportunity. She looks for ways to partner and support great organizations, including working with LifeMoves on the restructuring and recapitalization of two homeless shelters, and also working closely with nearly every affordable housing advocacy organization in the Bay Area. Ms. Merriman is currently an Advisory Board Member of the County’s Home for All effort. She also is on the technical committee for All Home; in her free time, she serves as a Housing Commissioner for the City of Menlo Park.

Craig Castellanet
Attorney, Public Interest Law Project

Craig has enforced Housing Element Law throughout California since 1995. Working at the Public Interest Law Project, he has both required compliance with the law, and supported local jurisdictions when pro-housing policies have been challenged.

Kalisha Webster
Senior Housing Advocate, Housing Choices

Kalisha is the Senior Housing Advocate at Housing Choices, an organization serving people with developmental and other disabilities wanting to live independently in their communities. Kalisha trains and organizes self-advocates to educate local elected officials, city and county housing staff, and housing developers about opportunities to plan for and include people with developmental and other disabilities in their local housing plans.Prior to taking on her role as Housing Advocate, Kalisha was a Housing Coordinator at Housing Choices, working directly with individuals and families with children with developmental disabilities to help them find and retain housing in San Mateo County.