Lena’s Record of Accomplishment

In less than three years as your County Supervisor, Lena Tam has already delivered significant investments to our communities and is working every day to protect our neighborhoods while ensuring that Alameda County remains in a strong fiscal position.

Lena works closely with community partners, county staff, and her fellow Supervisors to break through the gridlock and get things done.

On the Board of Supervisors, Lena has:

  • Supported a $6.1 billion budget that addresses the County’s deficit without jeopardizing services, despite reduced revenue from state and federal sources. This budget makes robust investments in health, housing affordable, and vital municipal services. Lena has pledged to increase community participation in future budget processes, especially as the disastrous Trump budget and other reckless cuts to federal programs trickle down to the county level.
  • Authorized nearly $1 billion in investments in childcare and early child education. For example, through the County’s First 5 Measure C 5-Year Plan, child care providers can apply for one-time emergency grants ranging from $40,000 to $100,000. 
  • Since she took office in 2023, in coordination with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and Union Leadership, has ratified twenty-three union contracts by reaching three-year settlements and achieving labor peace. 
  • Secured $13 million for the Alameda Wellness Campus, a 50-bed Medical Respite Program serving 400 unhoused Alameda County residents annually.
  • Ensured greater food security through a new partnership with the Alameda County Food Bank. This will be especially important with recent federal cuts to food assistance programs.
  • Invested in the Central Kitchen and Food Security Hub for Alameda County. This secures more meals for unhoused residents, establishes mobile grocery distribution, and helps people in need join the culinary workforce.
  • Invested in youth programs like TRYBE, which is focused on revitalizing San Antonio Park, and Clinton Park,  making them a safe and welcoming space for families and kids of all ages.
  • Championed and led the passage of the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) ordinance in June 2025 to integrate gender equity into county policies, services, and budgets. The Commission on the Status of Women will continue to partner in its implementation.
  • Facilitated Homekey affordable housing funding for Lewelling Interim Housing to provide permanent supportive housing for at-risk families.
  • Continued the legacy of the late Supervisor Wilma Chan through continued support for Recipe for Health and Dig Deep Farms, programs that work to bring healthy foods to underserved communities through a $1 million grant funding to the Alameda County Foodbank.
  • Hosted a Know Your RIghts Virtual Workshop for Alameda County Community-Based Service Providers. This event focused on ensuring local service providers know their rights, their employees’ rights, and the rights of the people they serve, helping them develop protective protocols in responding to ICE and other federal agents.
  • In cooperation with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and former Supervisor Keith Carson, established the Elections Commission to ensure integrity in the election process and  oversee all public federal, state, district and municipal elections in Alameda County.
  • Developed the County’s Sideshow Ordinance to reduce the prevalence of dangerous sideshows in unincorporated areas.
  • Implemented a Tenant Protection Ordinance while transitioning the County out of the COVID-era eviction moratorium.
  • Worked with law enforcement and community leaders to establish the Sheriff’s Oversight Committee, bringing greater transparency and trust to the Sheriff’s office.
  • Advanced better data collection to understand and act on health disparities in underserved parts of Alameda County.
  • In process of forwarding a new County Language Access Policy, in close coordination with Asian Health Services, to improve translation and interpretation services across areas where Alameda County government intersects with the public.
  • Successfully advocated for the establishment of an Essential County Services Fund to help backfill cuts to social service programs like the food bank, suicide prevention, LGBTQ+and senior services while securing $1.4 billion for the county’s comprehensive program to address homelessness from Measure W funds.
  • Carved out $240 million from Measure W to support essential service needs such as Prevention and early intervention support and resources. $16.5 million of the Essential Services Fund has been secured to mitigate federal budget cuts and help to address the federal shutdown and delay in CalFresh payments.
  • Appropriated $10 million to restore the financial health of non-profit housing providers that provide services to low income tenants. The pandemic response reduced the amount of rent received by the non-profits thus affecting their ability to maintain its properties and to continue the quality of service it provides.
  • Supported the allocation of $3.5 million to expand the County’s rapid response hotline into the weekends, boost legal defense, and ramp up community education programs bringing the county’s allocation to support immigrant protection to $7.5 million.
  • Voted to approve the historic $10 million investment in food security to support all Alameda County residents experiencing insecurity due to the federal cuts to CalFresh and impacts of the federal shutdown. 
  • Supported the Board of Supervisors in approving the Ethical Investment Policy that discourages investing in companies with poor human rights records or those deriving significant revenue from harmful industries such as fossil fuels, firearms, tobacco, defence and correctional facilities. 
  • Sponsored and produced an Emergency Preparedness Community In Person Training with resource vendors and emergency kits for 200 attendees including interpretation services for Spanish and Chinese speakers. 
  • Successfully advocated for an independent investigation of the role of the social services agency in the death of Sophia Mason
  • Acted to protect immigrants and refugees with emergency resettlement funds, the Rapid Response Hotline, support for immigrant legal rights education and services including co-sponsoring a Know Your Rights webinar for immigrant-facing service providers.
  • Sits on the Alameda Alliance for Health board to guide the county in Medicare and Medi-Cal administration.
  • Represents the County on the Bay Area Air Board, protecting the environment, promoting clean air and water quality. Will sit on a committee to improve the permitting process.
  • Sponsored the ordinance to reinforce the State’s rules related to Street Vendors so that enforcement of those rules on the county level in the unincorporated areas can be done. The purpose is to protect the health, safety and welfare of customers, residents and vendors.

Lena’s Life of Service (A Partial List)

  • City of Alameda, Vice Mayor, Councilmember, 2006-2014
  • Alameda County Planning Commissioner, Chair, 2001-2004
  • City of Alameda Health Care Board President, 2002-2006
  • Asian Pacific Employees Association at EBMUD, Founding Board Member, 1999-2001
  • Friends of the Park Foundation, Board member, 2016-present
  • Alameda Hospital Foundation, Board member, 2019-present
  • American Association of University Women, Alameda Branch, Board Member
  • Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County, President
  • Asian Americans for Good Government (AAGG), Past Boardmember
  • Alameda County 100 Club, Member, 2017-Present
  • League of California Cities, At-Large Board Member, 2006-2014
    • Environmental Quality Policy Committee, Water Task Force, Employee Relations; Asian Pacific American Caucus
  • Alameda League of Women Voters, President, 1998-2000
  • Alameda County League of Women Voters, Chair, 1999
  • Sierra Club, Member
  • Save the Bay, Past Board Member
  • Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Board Member, 2005
  • East Bay Asian Voter Education Consortium, Past Chair, Board Member
  • National Women’s Political Caucus, Executive Board Member
  • California Federation of Business & Professional Women, 2001 Award for Women of Achievement