Michael Tubbs
Questionnaire by the GrowSF Endorsement Team, responses by Candidate
- Office: Lieutenant Governor
- Election Date: June 2, 2026
- Candidate: Michael Tubbs
- Due Date: April 7, 2026
- Printable Version
Thank you for seeking GrowSF's endorsement for the June 2, 2026 primary election! GrowSF believes in a growing, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous city via common sense solutions and effective government.
As a candidate for state office, your day-to-day responsibilities in office will affect not just San Francisco, but California as a whole. As a representative of the people of California and of San Francisco, the policies you bring to Sacramento should reflect the best of what we have to offer.
The GrowSF endorsement committee will review all completed questionnaires and seek consensus on which candidates best align with our vision for San Francisco and have the expertise to enact meaningful policy changes.
We ask that you please complete this questionnaire by April 7, 2026 so we have enough time to adequately review and discuss your answers.
Your Policy Goals
We'd like to get some details about your high-level goals and how you intend to use your elected office to achieve them.
What policies do you hope to change or preserve by running for Lieutenant Governor? Please be specific, and list them in order of priority.
Housing affordability:
The housing shortage is a problem all over our state. And it especially affects young people. We need leaders who understand this squeeze. I'm 35 years old and see so many of the people I grew up with struggling with housing costs and weighing whether they can stay in this state that they love.
The average age of most first-time homebuyers in California is now almost a decade older compared to the 1980s. The share of 35-45-year-olds in California who own their own home has fallen roughly 10 percentage points since 2000.
So what needs to change? One answer is: Permitting -- it's not sexy, it's a big reason why California isn't building the housing we need. I proudly supported and testified in legislation hearings for efforts like Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks' effort to streamline the production of multi-family housing (AB 609) and Scott Wiener's bill to build more around transit stops (SB 79). I look forward to partnering with legislative leaders on the next steps to build more housing in California, and most importantly build in smart ways.
Higher education affordability:
Sitting on the boards of the UC, CSU, and community colleges, the lieutenant governor should be the state's higher education czar. In that role, we have to be intently focused on affordability – yes on tuition but also other needs that students have like housing and food.
More than 70% of students at California community colleges reported being food insecure, followed by more than 50% of Cal State students and 42% of UC students. That's unacceptable.
As lieutenant governor, I'll be advocating for things like making it easier for students to enroll in CalFresh by connecting it to the financial aid system, as well as finding any unused land owned by the UC/CSU/community college systems and using them to build housing for students, faculty, and staff.
Economic mobility:
In my travels up and down the state as the founder of End Poverty in California, I've seen and heard just how many Californians were living on the edge. This is an unacceptable status quo. I'm proud of my work in Stockton where we had the nation's first universal basic income pilot program, and as senior advisor to Gov. Newsom, we established $1 billion worth of child savings accounts for every 1st grader. There are a lot of good things that we've started that need to be continued and expanded. One of the reasons I want to be LG is to take the baton from Gov. Newsom and be one of the statewide leaders who continues this work.
Why those policies?
California is the 4th largest economy, but the 4th largest economy for who? Knowing that California is tied with Louisiana for the highest poverty rate in the country, we need to be serious about policies that tackle affordability and economic mobility––like I have across my career from doing the first ever guaranteed basic income pilot in this country's history to founding the non-profit End Poverty in California.
Explain why your #1 goal is your #1 goal.
Quite simply, we haven't built enough housing. The status quo of people obtaining home ownership and then fighting to prevent new units to be built near them has resulted in a massive shortage of all kinds of housing. I'm the only candidate running for lieutenant governor who's a millennial and seen friends I grew up with leave this state because they can't afford to live here. I proudly consider myself a YIMBY because we need to move with urgency to address these issues because another generation of Californians find themselves unable to stay here.
How will you build the coalition and political capital to enact your #1 goal? What obstacles will you face, and how will you overcome them? Will the power of the office of Lieutenant Governor be enough to achieve this goal?
Through this campaign, I'm proud to have grown a broad and diverse coalition, which––in my opinion––is the only way to push for progress: by convening different stakeholders at the same table. Some of my first endorsers were Congressman Sam Liccardo and Congresswoman Lateefah Simon––two Democrats on different sides of the ideological spectrum. I've earned endorsements from both the Abundance Network and ACCE Action––two housing advocacy groups that usually push for very different kinds of solutions. I've gained the support of folks who have been around California politics for decades, like Mayor of Oakland and former Congresswoman Barbara Lee and I've also gained the support from the next generation of progressive Californians through Project Super Bloom and the Sonoma State Young Dems.
Through this broad and empowering coalition, I believe the bully pulpit of the Lt. Governor's office can push for big change.
Will the power of the office of Lieutenant Governor be enough to achieve the other goals?
The Lieutenant Governor position has typically been treated as California's most ceremonial office – a title you hold while waiting for something better to come along. But I've never been interested in titles for their own sake. I'm interested in what you can do with them.
California's housing crisis demands an all-hands-on-deck approach. We need to use every lever available – including the ones gathering dust in the lieutenant governor's office. The Lieutenant Governor sits on the governing bodies for both the University of California and California State University systems, and chairs the State Lands Commission. They're positions of actual authority over some of the most valuable public land in America that can be leased and used to building much needed affordable housing for our neighbors, teachers, students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and the unhoused.
There is also the bully pulpit of the job. The LG can – and should – go above the official job description and lean into needed policies. Gavin Newsom did this when he was LG when he was the lead backer of statewide ballot initiatives to legalize marjuana and outlaw high-capacity firearms. I'd look to that model to highlight important policies like universal basic income.
What is an "out there" change that you would make to state or local government policy, if you could? For the purpose of this question, you are not constrained to the office of Lieutenant Governor.
The pandemic highlighted just how many Californians were living on the edge. Pandemic relief checks and other local pilots have shown how UBI can be a critical backstop for so many families. UBI is a policy with growing enthusiasm – 44 mayors in California have signed up to support Mayors for Guaranteed Income, a non-profit that I founded following Stockton's successful guaranteed income pilot. I worked with Gov. Newsom to make California the first state to begin supporting basic income programs. This is something I'm deeply passionate about and want to make economic opportunity — whether it's through UBI or other means — a reality for more Californians who so desperately need it.
Your Leadership
We'd like to learn more about your leadership style and plan to execute effectively once you assume office.
Why are you running for Lieutenant Governor?
I was raised by three strong Black women––my mother, my grandmother, and my aunt. As my mother navigated life from teen pregnancy to affording a home at the age of 26, she inspired me to pursue public service.
Today, as a father of three young children, I see California's future through their eyes. I know firsthand how the statewide decisions we make in the next few years are going to shape California for decades to come.
California is the 4th largest economy in the world, but for who? Far too often, it's not working for everyday people who need affordable housing and groceries. Sacramento is not producing results for the average Californian and that's a huge reason why I decided to step into the race.
I'm running for LG to build a California future that sets the example for how government can work for everyone. This state should lead the nation not by talking about problems, but solving them.
In your own words, what are the core constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the Lieutenant Governor?
The Lt. Governor sits on the boards of the UC, CSU, and CA community colleges, which would make me the state's higher education czar. Notably, the Lt. Governor is the only person to sit on all three boards. The UC is one of the largest employers in the state, which means I can advocate for pro-worker policies that could have massive ripple effects. The UCs, CSUs, and community colleges are also massive land owners––which could have a meaningful effect on the housing crisis if we leverage these institutions to build affordable housing.
I plan to use the bully pulpit of the LG's office to be a voice and advocate for the most economically distressed parts of the state. I have done just this as the founder of End Poverty in California, where we have held listening sessions up and down the state to understand the needs of working people and work with policymakers on solutions to better their lives.
Although the LG doesn't have a direct role in the legislative process, that wouldn't stop me from forcefully advocating for, sponsoring and testifying on behalf of pro-housing and pro-worker bills. That's what I did earlier this year by testifying and whipping votes for two controversial pro-housing bills in the legislature.
Beyond the bully pulpit, the Lt. Governor serves as the chair of the State Lands Commission, which would provide me the opportunity to advocate for the acceleration of offshore wind and wetlands restoration, as well as standing up against polluters that want to drill for oil off California's coastline. On the Coastal Commission, I'd support adapting standards in accordance with sea level rise to ensure Californians have living shorelines. Lastly, because the Lt. Governor works with higher education boards from community colleges to UCs, I'd support leveraging land assets on these campuses for renewable energy that we know is needed to transition from fossil fuels that drive the climate crisis.
What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?
The contrast I bring to the race for LG is the fresh voice at a time when voters are eager for new ideas and perspectives. I'm proud of my track record of accomplishments in local government, including raising more than $20 million to create the Stockton Scholars, a scholarship and mentorship program for Stockton students. We can learn from those local accomplishments by finding ways to collaborate on vocational training and pathways through higher education institutions into good paying union jobs.
Having grown up in poverty and later founding the organization End Poverty in California devoted to addressing poverty, the challenges of working people aren't theoretical or distant to me. Operating on the local level, my track record of results back my rhetoric. My main competitors have put in many years of noble service in Sacramento, but it's time for new leadership that can sell fresh ideas that California desperately needs.
What three measurable outcomes should Californians use to evaluate your success after your first two years in office?
To me, it's all about affordability. As mayor, success meant measurable progress on my top priorities. As LG, it would mean making a dent in utilizing unused state-owned land to build housing, reforms to keep college and university tuition stable, and fighting off the Trump Administration's efforts to drill oil off California's cherished coastline.
The Issues
Next, we will cover the issues that voters tell us they care about. We hope to gain a better understanding of your policy positions, and we hope that you use this opportunity to communicate with voters.
UC and CSU face rising costs, enrollment pressures, workforce needs, campus safety issues, and public trust challenges. As a voting member of the UC Regents and CSU Trustees, what measurable goals would you set for California's higher-education system over your term (e.g., time-to-degree, cost of attendance, transfer throughput, workforce alignment)? What specific actions will you take within board governance to achieve those goals?
I plan to use the LG's position on the UC Board of Regents, the CSU Board of Trustees, and the State Lands Commission to unlock public land for public good. I think California should explore land leasing as a revenue stream, especially as it pertains to public higher education. The UCs and CSUs haven't had a facilities bond since 2006 and the CSUs rely 60% on state funding. That is a crisis we need to address and land leasing could be a start because California's universities sit on some of the most valuable land in America. I believe we can put that land to work — not just for education, but for housing affordability, workforce stability, and long-term state revenue.
Using the UCs, CSUs, and California Community College's right to build, land could become a public asset for housing through long-term ground leases, which keeps UC/CSU land in public hands while leasing it for 50–99 years to mission-aligned or nonprofit developers. We could additionally develop faculty & staff workforce housing through that framework. Through revenue-sharing leases, we could monetize without privatizing. A portion of lease payments would flow back into student aid, scholarships, campus maintenance, and innovation funds, which would in turn keep tuition down. At the cornerstone of these land leases would include public benefit covenants: every land lease must include affordability, sustainability, and labor standards. As Chair of the State Lands Commission, I will map and mobilize underused state-owned parcels near UC/CSU campuses and major job centers.
California faces concerns about business flight, regulatory complexity, housing costs, and global competitiveness. How would you use the office's role in economic development and international trade to strengthen California's competitiveness? Please identify one specific economic indicator (e.g., job growth in key industries, export volume, foreign direct investment) that you would track and aim to improve.
California must compete with not just other states, but around the world for our economic standing. Unfortunately, the actions of the Trump Administration reckless tariffs and wars have diminished America's global standing and made our trade and economic prospects more challenging. I plan to be an LG at the frontlines of California's international competitiveness and constantly serving as an ambassador and spokesperson for why companies around the world should be investing here.
The Lieutenant Governor must assume executive authority when the Governor is out of state and help coordinate during emergencies. How would you prepare for moments when you must act as Governor? Please describe one example from your experience demonstrating your ability to make time-critical, high-stakes decisions under uncertainty.
A mayor, like a governor, is an executive position that requires decisive decisionmaking when the stakes are the highest. When I was Mayor of Stockton, I fought against Jeff Sessions who targeted Stockton because of our sanctuary city policies. I stood resolute in my values and refused to comply.
I also mention this to say that we need strong Californian leadership who can affirm that this state has been made stronger by immigrants throughout our history. plan to continue that fight as Lt. Governor.
The Lieutenant Governor plays an informal but important role convening local, state, and federal stakeholders on issues such as housing, drought, wildfires, and infrastructure. Choose one issue that requires state–regional coordination (e.g., housing production, drought resilience, port modernization & automation). What concrete steps would you take to convene stakeholders, identify bottlenecks, and produce measurable progress?
In Stockton, I led with roundtables. I would bring young people, labor leaders, and non-profits and city offices and police officers and folks from all corners of the city to the same table to find solutions to problems. It's how we drove down homicides in Stockton 40% in 2018 and 2019. I plan to lead with a similar philosophy in the Lt. Governor's office. I think it's incredibly important to bring all voices to the table to guide leaders as they make the decisions that will shape this state's next 50 years. Those roundtables would certainly include students and community members.
The Lieutenant Governor serves on the Commission for Economic Development and is often a public-facing ambassador for civic participation and governance. How would you use the platform of the office to strengthen voter trust, civic engagement, and transparency?
Transparency is a huge priority for me. Last year, I attended a CSU Board of Trustees meeting with SEIU CFA and the Teamsters. They shared that the only way to communicate with the Board is to attend a monthly meeting. There's no email address, no phone number –– nothing. This lack of transparency is appalling and something we must change. I ensure to keep transparency at the forefront of my tenure as Lt Governor, and I will also fight for my partners to remain as transparent and responsive as possible, as well.
In November 2025, I attended the UC Board of Regents meeting with SEIU CIR to advocate for virtual open bargaining on their behalf after the board had tried to make the bargaining process less transparent for their members.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lci72__HXA3uo6T51kJ2gC8klFR8fJA4/view?usp=sharing
The Lieutenant Governor sits on the California State Lands Commission, which oversees offshore leasing, coastal infrastructure, and key decisions that affect the development of renewable energy projects. Please identify one specific project or investment area you would champion, and the measurable outcome you would aim to achieve by 2028.
The Lt. Governor serves as the chair of the State Lands Commission, which would provide me the opportunity to advocate for the acceleration of offshore wind and wetlands restoration, as well as standing up against polluters that want to drill for oil off California's coastline. On the Coastal Commission, I'd support adapting standards in accordance with sea level rise to ensure Californians have living shorelines. Lastly, because the Lt. Governor works with higher education boards from community colleges to UCs, I'd support leveraging land assets on these campuses for renewable energy that we know is needed to transition from fossil fuels that drive the climate crisis.
What do you believe is the most important long-term challenge California must solve over the next decade, and how will your role as Lieutenant Governor contribute to that vision? Please describe both the problem and the measurable progress you would aim to make during your term.
Housing and affordability. I've answered in previous questions how I plan to make progress using both the official and unofficial powers of the LG office. I'm raising three young kids in this state, and I refuse for the next decade to be a time when our state becomes a place where they can't afford to live in when they grow up. That's what motivates me to campaign hard for this seat, and most importantly make measurable changes once in office.
Personal
Tell us a bit about yourself!
How long have you lived in California? What brought you here and what keeps you here?
My entire life.
What do you love most about California and/or your hometown?
The people. The fact that this campaign has built such a broad and diverse coalition is proof that California is home to people from so many different walks of life –– and I want California to be a place where everyone from every background can thrive.
What do you dislike the most about California and/or your hometown?
The fact that California is tied with Louisiana for the highest poverty rate in the country. California's leaders need to work harder to uplift folks out of poverty and create genuine economic opportunities.
Tell us about your current involvement in the community (e.g., volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, civic and professional organizations, etc.)
My journey began in South Stockton. My mother gave birth to me when she was 16 years old, and my father has been incarcerated my entire life. I was raised by three forceful women – my mother, aunt, and grandmother. Despite the odds, my family and faith community instilled in me the values of resilience and service. That foundation paved a path from poverty in South Stockton to the classrooms of Stanford. I ran for political office while I was still a senior at Stanford, successfully campaigning for Councilmember for the City of Stockton District 6 at just 21 years old.
In 2016, I was elected Mayor of Stockton at the age of 26. I was the city's first African-American Mayor, and the youngest Mayor of any major city in American history. As Mayor, I raised over $20 million dollars to create the Stockton Scholars, a universal scholarship and mentorship program for Stockton students. Additionally, I piloted the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the country.
Under my leadership, Stockton saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019 and led the state of California in the decline of officer involved shootings in 2019. Because of initiatives, investments, and work I spearheaded, Stockton's unemployment rate was near a record low at around 5.7% in 2019 – down from around 15% in 2012. It was even named the second most fiscally healthy city in California––after I saved the city from literal bankruptcy.
I'm running to be California's next lieutenant governor to build a California future that sets the example for how government can work for everyone; that leads the nation in not just talking about problems, but solving them. It's a future where education – whether vocational programs or college – is accessible to all without crippling debt. It's a future with enough affordable housing so folks can afford to live here. And it's a future where we leverage guaranteed basic income programs to end poverty and prevent homelessness.
I was also the Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility; the Founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income; and the Founder of End Poverty in California (EPIC).
Thank you
Thank you for giving us your time and answering our questionnaire. We look forward to reading your answers and considering your candidacy!
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