(SACRAMENTO, CA.) — Scott Lau, a 34-year-old urban planner born and raised in the heart of Sacramento, has officially launched his campaign for City Council District 7. Running on a platform of safety, affordability, and small business support, Lau positions himself as a local son ready to fix the "broken streets and empty stores" of the community that raised him.
In a recent wide-ranging interview with Open Governance News, Lau detailed a vision for District 7 that moves past what he calls "the status quo." Despite the district containing affluent areas like Land Park and Greenhaven, Lau argues that a 2022 redistricting has masked a burgeoning affordability crisis.
Lau’s connection to the district is deeply personal, rooted in his upbringing as the son of immigrant working-class parents. He recounted childhood years spent at his grandparents' house on Wentworth Avenue while his father worked as a waiter, and noted that his parents still reside in the district today. As they age, Lau says their deteriorating vision and hearing have made the district’s infrastructure failures a daily concern. "I want to take my parents out to eat dinner at night... but a lot of restaurants in our area are closed down," Lau said, citing a lack of local amenities that forces elderly residents to drive long distances. "I care about their well-being... is it going to be safe for them to get to that restaurant on the other side of town because there’s nowhere else nearby?"
This personal concern for his family's mobility informs his professional focus on what he calls an "infrastructure revival." Drawing on his background in urban planning, Lau argues that many of the district’s corridors, like Freeport Boulevard and Florin Road, were built for an era of fewer cars and slower speeds. His proposed interventions for his first 100 days include replacing outdated four-way stop signs with roundabouts to slow traffic and redesigning intersections to accommodate modern foot traffic. Central to this revival is finishing the Greenhaven bike trail, a project Lau says was promised to residents in the 1980s but remains a "fragmented connection."
Beyond physical infrastructure, Lau is determined to push back against the narrative that District 7 has no unmet needs simply because of its affluent reputation. He noted that 60 percent of his district is aged 65 or older, many of whom live on fixed incomes and struggle with rising utility, broadband, and housing costs. "Broadband is not a luxury anymore; it’s a central commodity," Lau stated, suggesting the need for more regulation to keep monthly internet costs stable for families and seniors.
Addressing these economic pressures also requires a new approach to public safety and neighborhood vitality. On the issue of homelessness and mental health, Lau proposed a "layered security system" to reduce the burden on traditional law enforcement. He envisions a network of private security guards patrolling commercial corridors to handle non-violent issues like loitering. Lau explained that increasing "consumer confidence" through this visible presence would help revitalize the district’s many vacant storefronts, which currently act as magnets for vandalism and neglect.
When asked how he would fund these ambitious initiatives in a deficit year, Lau pointed to the "cycle of studies" that he believes plagues city projects and drains resources. He criticized the practice of commissioning new environmental and impact reports every decade for the same unfinished projects, such as the bike trail. "We’re wasting money on all these studies, but no result," Lau concluded. By cutting through this bureaucratic red tape, he intends to "start actually delivering a real product" that the people of District 7 can finally use and be proud of.
(Scott celebrating Chinese New Year Culture Association’s 29th Annual Lunar New Year event. Photos courtesy of Scott Lau.)
The community response to Lau’s "infrastructure revival" platform has been charged, with residents on Nextdoor framing the election as a choice between long-standing political alliances and a need for local results.
Richard W., a South Land Park resident who has been involved in local politics since 1986, argues that the current representation is more focused on city-wide political maneuvering than District 7’s specific needs. "Councilmember Jennings is playing political games here with his constituents," Wake stated, alleging that the incumbent’s supporters attempted to clear the field for an easy victory. "The plan was to get rid of all opposition in District 7 so he coasts to victory... The end result is results aren’t being delivered in District 7 while District 1 gated communities get everything."
Wake further emphasized the urgency for a shift in leadership to address the homelessness crisis on the levees. "Help us elect an independent voice to the council who will focus on results in District 7... we are sick and tired of this. NIMBYISM in this city must end NOW," he added.
Other residents echoed the sentiment that the district has been stagnant. Larry G., from the Alhambra Triangle, questioned if voters are simply "weary of the do nothing District 7" representation, while Christina K. from Arden West succinctly noted Lau's platform: "I like his ideas."
For Lau, his campaign is less about political climbing and more about a homecoming. By focusing on the tangible—the sidewalks his parents walk and the storefronts that have sat empty for decades—he is betting that District 7 is ready to prioritize local results over city-wide posturing.And as the election nears, Lau remains focused on the "fragmented connections" of his youth, promising to turn decades of bureaucratic studies into a "real product" for the neighborhood. "I want to be that guy that is there for my people," Lau concluded, grounding his technical expertise in his roots. "I'm bringing up the issues specifically for my district. The place I came from."
For more information on Scott Lau’s campaign, visit his Facebook page.
Submit Sacramento County tips and story ideas to Sarah Denos at sarahkdenos@gmail.com.
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