Get to Know Lori

Lori Droste was District 8’s representative on the Berkeley City Council from 2014–2022 when she retired. She is currently Housing and Planning Policy Director for SPUR, one of the Bay Area’s longest-standing and most influential public policy organizations. SPUR advances state and regional policies, with a focus on the Bay Area’s three largest cities–Oakland, San Francisco and San José.

Lori previously served as Berkeley’s Vice Mayor, an Alameda County Transportation Commissioner, Chair of Berkeley’s Commission on the Status of Women, Vice-Chair of Alameda County’s Human Relations Commission, and a member of Berkeley’s Housing Advisory Commission. She also served on the board of the East Bay Women’s Political Alliance.

Her public service includes work as a high school teacher and a service provider for unhoused individuals in Alameda County. After earning her Master of Public Policy, she taught political underrepresentation and policy analysis at Mills College, where she mentored aspiring and current elected officials.

As one of the few Berkeley councilmembers raising young children, Lori took a particular interest in improving affordability and the quality of life for families and children. She draws inspiration from her mother, who served as mayor of Circleville, Ohio. Lori lives in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood with her wife, Carrie, and their children, Simon and Cora.

Lori’s Recent Accomplishments

Lori’s legislative achievements have been instrumental in tackling pressing issues facing our community. Her groundbreaking legislation to eliminate exclusionary zoning has been a catalyst in addressing the root causes of skyrocketing housing costs and the pervasive homelessness crisis. This initiative garnered national and international attention, earning recognition from the White House and sparking similar reforms nationwide. For her outstanding efforts, Lori was honored with the Housing Hero Award by the Housing Action coalition. Her work in championing a global movement to address housing scarcity, affordability, and displacement has been featured prominently in esteemed publications such as The Economist, The New York Times, NPR, Harvard Law Review, Bloomberg News, and Time’s Top 100 Must-Read Book, Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America.

Lori’s seven-year effort to modernize outdated parking requirements culminated in unanimous approval by the City Council. This achievement was acknowledged in the book Paved Paradise, named one of the best books of the year by The New Yorker. Her advocacy inspired state lawmakers to pass similar legislation the following year, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing the bill into law amid great fanfare.

Lori’s commitment to equity extends to education and tax policies. She led efforts to educate the community on inequitable tax policies, notably Proposition 13, and challenged the Disney Corporation in a high-profile battle that garnered national attention. The ensuing uproar led to Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, promptly apologizing, and donations poured into Berkeley’s local elementary school. Her appearances on CNN and the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, linked with her battle with Disney, have further amplified her message, ensuring that her efforts resonate far and wide.

Her leadership as Chair of the Budget Committee ensured responsible spending on essential infrastructure and adherence to voter-approved allocations. Lori’s dedication to supporting small businesses led to the creation of a subcommittee focused on addressing their challenges, resulting in changes to the retail quota system in the Elmwood neighborhood to foster greater opportunity.

Furthermore, Lori’s focus has been to help families across the Bay Area. She secured funding for traffic calming measures and authored Berkeley’s Vision Zero plan, aiming to eliminate pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities through effective traffic management. In times of political turmoil, Lori has stood firm in defending the rights of undocumented residents, authoring the January 2017 reaffirmation of Berkeley as a sanctuary city and championing initiatives to support and protect vulnerable communities. One of her last acts in office was championing the Willard Clubhouse, which will provide the City of Berkeley’s families with affordable childcare and a community space for South Berkeley.

Her tireless advocacy, strategic leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice have made a profound impact on the Berkeley community and beyond. Upon her retirement, she was honored by the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club with their “Trailblazer” award in honor of her contributions to the community.

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