[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 193 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1269-E1270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE ANNE OLIVA AS SHE ENDS HER TERM OF SERVICE ON 
                       THE MILLBRAE CITY COUNCIL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2022

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and 
colleague Millbrae Mayor Anne Oliva as she steps down from the city 
council at the end of her present term, and after serving nine years on 
the council. She has distinguished herself by doing outstanding work 
while in elective office.
  Anne has lived in Millbrae for more than 20 years. She was appointed 
to the Millbrae City Council in 2013 to fill a vacancy and was elected 
to a full four year term in November of that year. Her top priorities 
at the time were building economic strength and sustainability, 
protecting private property rights, and ensuring public safety. 
Millbrae was emerging from the housing recession and its downtown 
business district was suffering. Hotel occupancy taxes, a major source 
of city revenue, were significantly depressed. The city's budget had 
been cut repeatedly and difficult decisions lay ahead.
  In subsequent years, Anne and her colleagues made tough choices. They 
contracted for police services from the San Mateo County Sheriff's 
office, a decision that was discussed at great length due to the 
affection that the people of Millbrae had for their own department. 
Economic growth came with controversy. Millbrae is a major 
transportation hub with a combined BART and Caltrain station serving 
thousands of daily commuters. The council approved a large development 
on the BART parking lot, delivering hundreds of units of needed 
housing, a new hotel and accompanying tax revenue, offices, and retail 
to serve all. Anne supported the development as part of her promise to 
build the economic strength of the city and the sustainability of its 
budget.
  Her experience as a real estate agent and broker has informed her 
public service. She served on the Board of Directors of the San Mateo 
County Association of Realtors, including on its legislative committee 
and as President. She also served on similar legislative committees for 
the California Association of Realtors and the National Association of 
Realtors. When the County of San Mateo sought assistance from property 
owners and managers to find apartments for persons holding

[[Page E1270]]

federal housing vouchers, Anne worked with my office and San Mateo 
County to identify willing owners and managers. She and her brother 
also manage hundreds of apartment units and homes. They encourage 
property owners to accept federal housing vouchers and many do, thus 
helping low-income households throughout San Mateo County.
  At least part of her dedication to ending homelessness arises from 
personal experience. Anne once noted that, ``One of the most impactful 
and tough experiences in my life was the night my husband Jose and I 
received a call that we will never forget. We learned that our son, who 
suffers addiction and mental health issues, was living on the street. 
We are blessed that he is fine now and doing much better. But my 
family's story is all too typical. I refuse to accept the status quo on 
homelessness. We cannot continue to let people live and die on our 
streets.''
  Over her 20+ years as a resident, Anne has been a volunteer for the 
PTA, the Mills High School Athletics Booster Club, and the Italian-
American Women's Guild. She is a local coordinator for the Coats for 
Kids program, and in 2010 she was awarded the Community Service Award 
by the realtor's association. She also fundraises for the San Mateo 
County Historical Association.
  We thank her husband Jose, daughter Francesca, and two sons Joey and 
Marco, for allowing Anne time to serve the public. Her presence will 
now be more predictable, and they have the satisfaction of knowing that 
Anne's occasional absences were needed to build a better Millbrae for 
everyone. Most importantly for Anne, she will now have time to spend 
with her two new grandchildren, Carolina and Isabella, born October 10, 
2022. It may be a step down from public service to leave a city 
council, but it's a step up in service to humanity to become a 
grandmother. Anne is very fortunate to have received a promotion at 
this point in her life.
  It is now time to say farewell to Anne Oliva as she leaves public 
life, but thankfully she isn't moving away. Her ever-present smile and 
can-do attitude will be evident in her community, and her willingness 
to volunteer will endure. When local businesses seek an advocate, they 
will always have Anne as an ally. Importantly, she will continue to 
work her magic in the real estate market, providing housing to those 
who need it, opportunities for those who seek the American Dream, and 
fair returns to owners. The wind and fog that occasionally sweep 
through Millbrae will continue to have their rival in Anne's energy, 
and the optimism about the future that she exudes will be remembered as 
a major force for good during the nine years that she served Millbrae, 
a community that she loves.

                          ____________________