Jake Levine

Jake Levine earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 2007 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 2013. His career experience includes working as an advocate.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Jake Levine. I’m a third-generation Angeleno, husband, and new dad. I’m running for Congress because it’s time for a new generation of leaders—with fresh ideas and a proven track-record of getting things done.

I decided to run for office after losing my childhood home in last year’s fires and witnessing the lackluster government response. Together with fire survivors, I founded the Department of Angels, which is delivering critical resources for LA’s rebuild.

I’ve spent my career building across the public and private sectors to lower utility costs, deploy clean energy, and build infrastructure. As an attorney, I’ve defended the rights of immigrants and our most vulnerable.

After growing clean energy company Opower from startup to IPO, I created the California Climate Action Corps, the largest service corps in the nation, which has put 20,000 young Californians to work. At the National Security Council, I defended American interests abroad, and while serving at the Development Finance Corporation, I grew investments in clean energy and infrastructure from $450M to nearly $4B per year. I know how to build coalitions to get things done efficiently. We need a fighter in Congress doing the same.

We’re at a crossroads now requiring true leadership. In Congress, I’ll build affordable housing and lower utility costs, secure down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, create jobs, a national service corps, and bring down costs for working people and families.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We need to build more housing immediately– and make it more affordable. The average age of a first-time homebuyer in 1960 was 23 years old. Today, it’s older than 40. On top of that, more and more renters in LA are getting priced out of housing– spending nearly half of their income on skyrocketing rent. In Congress, I’ll create the National Housing Development Bank to streamline construction, support first-time homebuyers with a down payment assistance program, and help renters save for their first home through a Federal Renters Tax Credit.The American Dream is dying in our lifetime. We see it everywhere: homeownership is out of reach. Rent is crushing families. Childcare is unaffordable. People are skipping higher education because they can’t pay off the loans. Working people in CA-32 – healthcare workers, firefighters, teachers, creators – should be able to live comfortably in the areas they work and send their kids to school in. We will expand, guarantee, and inflation-proof the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, guarantee paid family leave and paid sick leave for workers, expand affordable childcare for families, make college affordable, and ensure that no Angeleno gets left behind.Production is leaving Hollywood at lightning speed. Feature film shoots in Los Angeles are down 16.8% since just last year, and TV and commercial shoots have declined nearly 15%. The rapid disappearance of LA-based production has cost the San Fernando Valley and LA billions of dollars of economic opportunity and thousands of good paying, union industry jobs, from catering and driving, to prop-making, carpentry, and construction. In Congress, we'll restore LA-based production by advancing an uncapped tax credit on domestic productions, reinstating the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules designed to break up corporate control over production, and empowering the FCC and FTC to break up monopolies.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Climate, Clean Energy, Housing, Affordability, Cost of Living, Public Safety, Education, Technology

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

League of Conservation Voters Action Fund

California Environmental Voters

Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund

Simi Valley Democratic Club

Our Revolution

Malibu Democratic Club

Jane Fonda Climate PAC

Iranian American Democrats of California (IADC)

East Valley Indivisibles

San Fernando Valley Indivisible

Future Urbanist Club

Chicano Latino Immigrant Democratic Club of Los Angeles County

California Young Democrats

Ventura County Young Democrats

San Fernando Valley Young Democrats

Black Los Angeles Young Democrats

United Democrats for Progress of Ventura County

Westside Young Democrats

Stonewall Young Democrats

California College Democrats

Rep. Howard Berman

Rep. Henry Waxman