Meet Eric

A Born and Raised Petaluman

St. Vincent de Paul Church

I was born at Petaluma Valley Hospital to parents who immigrated from Honduras and Mexico, seeking what most families want when they come to a place like Petaluma: a place to call home. I've lived on the east side my entire life, and I'm a proud product of our public schools, from Miwok Valley Elementary to Casa Grande High School. Soon after, I attended Santa Rosa Junior College and later transferred to UC Berkeley, commuting daily, to earn my Political Science degree in 2022. Along the way, I worked retail and drove for DoorDash to make ends meet, during which I met hundreds of neighbors and came to believe that government should be built around the needs of working people, not around whoever has the loudest voice or the deepest pockets.

Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds

A Career in Housing, Advocacy, and Change

Providing First-Hand Testimony in
Support of ACA 4

Today I work at EAH Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider serving seniors, veterans, and low-income families across California and Hawai'i. In my role as the Education, Advocacy, and Government Affairs Associate, my work continues to focus on advocating for the policies that help our most vulnerable neighbors keep a roof over their heads. That work has shown me what public investments can do, but also how broken our housing policies often are.

It’s my commitment to our residents and families who are in dire need that has shown me where we need to continue pushing for affordable solutions, while also calling out how broken our housing policies are. I’ve seen firsthand how the families we hope to house don’t even have the income needed to qualify, or how local cities are still required to meet state-mandated requirements that treat affordable housing development as a checkbox rather than a real commitment to working families.

Attending Housing California’s Lobby Day

Public service doesn't start or end with a single job title. I've built a record of consistently showing up for the issues and people I care about.

  • City of Petaluma Transit Advisory Committee — Vice-Chair (2024 to Present)

    • This work is personal for me. My grandmother has relied on Sonoma and Marin County buses her whole life, and riding alongside her as a kid taught me what affordable transit means for seniors and working families. I've since helped move the city toward electric buses, pushed to close service gaps on corridors like Lakeville Street and McDowell Boulevard, and added nearly a dozen new bus shelters for the people who depend on them.

  • Petaluma Museum Association — Board Member and Treasurer (2024 to Present)

    • I’ve stewarded the association's finances while supporting the work that ties Petalumans to our shared history, from the Youth 250 Program for local high schoolers, to pushing to preserve our historic Carnegie Library from future earthquakes.

  • Sonoma County Conservation Action — Board Member (2024 to Present)

    • I’m proud of the work I’ve done to broaden the organization's view of its mission, because protecting the environment isn't separate from labor, housing, or electoral politics. I've pushed our board toward coalition building with those movements and helped bring on new members with real environmental expertise.

  • Wine Country Young Democrats — Vice President, then President (2022–2025)

    • Over four years of club leadership, I expanded our reach across the county and brought in younger, first-time voices, including restarting our annual fundraiser in 2024, raising over $10,000 for young Democrats across Sonoma County.

The Role of an Activist

Supporting Our Hospice Care Workers

Attending Santa Rosa’s West End Halloween Parade with Then-Candidate Caroline Banuelos

Providing Public Comment in Support of Petaluma’s
Mobile Home Park Rent Stabilization Ordinance