About Melvin
Melvin Willis was born and raised in Richmond and has been working hard to better his community since 2011. He has worked for years as a Community Organizer with Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment to protect the rights of renters and homeowners. He is a longtime rent control advocate, working to protect tenants whose rent prices continue to rise higher and higher. He has also worked to defend the rights of homeless people, many of whom were displaced from their homes due to skyrocketed rent.
Councilmember Willis is committed to bettering the lives of Richmond residents. Melvin has helped to extend health care for undocumented people living in Contra Costa County. He also introduced an ordinance that led to the raise in the Richmond minimum wage.
During his time on the Council, he has fought for an increase in Richmond’s minimum wage to $15, rent control protections, keeping immigrants’ information safe from ICE, “Ban the Box” on job applications so the formerly incarcerated can rejoin the community, and preserving the Pt. Molate shoreline so it can be accessible to the public.
Councilmember Willis is a longtime activist and looks forward to continuing to shape Richmond into a place where we can all rise together.