Love Where You Live

A Oakland business owner’s journey from crisis to civic duty

Editor’s Note: In our new Candidate Forum section, Oakland Report is providing space for candidates for local offices to share their personal stories, motivations for seeking office, and desired policies with voters.

Ms. Matoury is a candidate for Oakland City Council At-Large

The views that candidates share are their own. Oakland Report does not endorse candidates.

All local candidates are invited and encouraged to submit a view, provided that it adheres to Oakland Report’s editorial standard for reasoned, evidence-based, verifiable information.

The sound of shattering glass and metal against brick is one that stays with you, even after the dust and debris has settled.

It was an early summer evening when a car exploded through the front of Howden Market, my small business in downtown Oakland. It wasn’t just my store that was nearly destroyed—it was my livelihood, my dreams, and the sense of security I had worked so hard to build.

My journey as a business owner began in 2007, when I opened Spice Monkey Restaurant next to where Howden Market would later stand. It quickly became a vibrant hub where serving my heritage fusion cuisine to customers would sometimes lead to engaging conversations about my home country of Cambodia. To see the impact one restaurant can have in vitalizing a neighborhood confirmed for me a favorite quote from Barack Obama—small businesses “are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of our communities.”

When I opened Howden Market a few years later, it was with the same vision; to create a space that brought together community over great food. Both businesses were born out of my deep connection to this city and my desire to contribute to its vibrant, diverse culture.

And then the pandemic hit. As a long-time performing arts venue hosting Comedy Oakland and performances by jazz legends like Pete Escovedo (with poet Maya Angelou once even joining us), Spice Monkey couldn't survive without a live audience. 

After months of negotiating with my landlord, while riding the roller coaster of constantly changing Covid mandates, I made the heartbreaking choice to close Spice Monkey at an enormous financial loss. 

During this time, I also struggled with the decision to keep Howden Market open given the risks to customers and our employees’ wish to quarantine. With no staff, my partner Ananda and I chose to mask up, and together we taped six foot distancing signs on the floor and limited entry to four customers at a time. After a few months, staff began to return as restrictions lessened and business ticked up.

The Crash

On that fateful Saturday evening still in the midst of the pandemic, Ananda and our cashier Hope were working in the store when a Mercedes SUV driven by a 21 year old Stockton man, somehow rented through Turo despite his license being suspended, suddenly careened through the front door. I had just picked up my young daughters, and as we pulled up and stepped into the gathering crowd, the police arrived. All I could think of was if anyone was hurt—followed by fears of how to fix the store’s gaping hole as darkness began to fall.

Luckily, my neighbor Juan was already on the way to pick up materials before the hardware store closed. He and my staff stayed with me through the night cleaning piles of broken bottles and twisted window frames, mopping up pools of wine before the fruit flies amassed. As dawn broke, I finally made it to bed where my hopes of sleep drowned in a sea of panic. Thoughts of how long it would be before I could reopen—or how to make ends meet—chased away any semblance of rest as days turned into weeks of stress-induced insomnia. 

Those weeks stretched into months as repairs were set back by pandemic-driven shortages of contractors and materials. Delays seemed endless as I navigated the piling bills, watching my savings dwindle while waiting on insurance reimbursement for accumulating out-of-pocket expenses.

As this inched along, the financial strain and uncertainty overwhelmed me. There were moments when walking away seemed like the easiest choice, but I couldn’t bring myself to give up on Oakland or my dreams. 

Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t. When we reopened in the summer of 2022, welcoming staff and customers back was a moment of triumph. To have somehow overcome this challenge left me feeling empowered–and thankful for what remained of all I’d built.

But bad news was soon to come. Though this crash wasn’t our fault, our insurance company dropped us. I searched relentlessly, as agents told me no one wanted to issue coverage in our area. It could have been this claim on our record, or that during the time I was closed for repairs, three other restaurants within a block also had cars violently crash into them.

During those long months without insurance, the stress was overwhelming. I could barely sleep, terrified that another crash might happen while we weren’t covered. 

Then came an unrelenting surge of smash and grabs that put our city in a state of siege; “bippers” terrorized the neighborhood with impunity littering our streets with tiny squares of shattered glass. Businesses were being repeatedly broken into for often nothing more than a delivery app tablet. Customers vanished overnight, a number of regulars telling me they couldn't risk coming downtown so they just ordered everything online now. 

As I watched our streets empty, the sense of community that had once been so strong seemed to be fraying at the edges. I felt abandoned; left to pick up the pieces without the support we needed from our city leaders. 

Increasingly desperate to find insurance for Howden Market, I spoke to agents who explained that skyrocketing rates were due to rising car thefts, with stolen cars sometimes being used as battering rams to steal ATMs. Mounting fear had me looking for a way out-should I just sell the store and get out of here? 

Eventually, I did find a company willing to insure us, but the new policy was nearly four times higher than before—over $1,000 a month with a much higher deductible. To make matters worse, the provider required a full year’s payment upfront, adding more debt to my business already struggling with declining customers. And this new deductible wouldn’t cover losses under $5,000, so I couldn’t report future burglaries or vandalism without risking even higher rates or losing coverage altogether. I’ve since endured three more burglaries, paying out of pocket each time, accepting it as another cost of doing business in Oakland.

I couldn’t take this anymore. Why should l have to bear this? Why am I literally losing everything I’ve worked for simply because Oakland can’t enforce its most basic laws?

A Seed Planted

The saying "loss comes in threes" proved tragically true. My father, Khay Matoury—a former political leader and founder of Cambodia’s first human rights organization—passed away suddenly at his Oakland home under suspicious circumstances. I found him unresponsive with visible injuries, and yet the explanation of his death didn’t add up. Despite my requests for an investigation and autopsy, I was told by an officer that it probably wasn’t going to happen due to limited resources “but I could go down to the police station and try”. And so I did, with family in tow. Not only did the officer’s words prove right, but the dysfunctional process endured left me heartbroken. There would be no investigation, and no answers.

I was devastated—not just by my father's death but by the city's ineffective response to our dire need. My family’s takeaway was that Oakland's essential services—whether investigating a suspicious death, responding to a robbery, or addressing any urgent need—are failing. And if they failed us, how many more will be left without support, without answers, without justice?

While laying my father to rest, I reflected upon his life’s work. And how it taught me that in the face of adversity, we must rise to the occasion and be the change we want to see. Inspired, I began talking to other business owners, to neighbors, and friends. I was struck by how many shared the same struggles, and similar frustrations with our city services. They had reached a tipping point—something must change. 

The need for change became all too urgent, as the worsening crime and loss of customers saw restaurants fall like dominoes. Beloved institutions like Brown Sugar Kitchen, Calavera, Chop Bar, Duende, Elephant Sushi, Hopscotch, Le Cheval, Lion Dance Cafe, Mushin, Palmetto, Parlour, Tribune, Wise Sons and others closed their doors at unimaginable losses. The sheer number of these high profile closures in such a short time was heartbreaking; Downtown Oakland’s once vibrant restaurant scene was all but a memory. 

For those of us who remained, we’re exhausted with Oakland. We’re  tired of feeling unsafe. Tired of feeling abandoned. Tired of the skyrocketing costs to do business. And tired of watching our dream of building a life in Oakland slip away.

It’s Time

As I watched more businesses close their doors, and neighborhoods I helped shape crumble and turn to blight, it became painfully clear—no one was coming to save us. I couldn’t just stand by, I had to do something. 

Since our council members weren’t coming to us, I decided to go to them. I emailed, called, texted—and like so many others in Oakland, I didn’t get far. So in the spirit of the old adage “to get something done, sometimes you have to do it yourself”, I began to think, should I just run for city council?

As a restaurateur and a market owner, I never envisioned being a politician. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe this was exactly what Oakland needed. Someone who understood the struggles of small business owners, who had been victimized by crime and seen the impact of a declining local economy—not only from a distance, but up close and personal. So in March of this year, I filed as a candidate for the City Council At-Large seat–and joined the race.

Perhaps my passion to protect and serve was instilled by nine years in the Air Force Reserves—which is why it’s frustrating to see our leadership fail to do so. Why does it take hours for the police to respond to significant property crimes? Why did the mayor’s office fail to submit the grant to secure millions in retail theft funding—potentially preventing these incidents from happening in the first place?

It’s time to accept that we’re paying into a system that isn’t working.

I decided to name my campaign “Love Where You Live,” because it's more than just fixing what’s broken. It’s about rekindling the spirit of Oakland, about reminding people that this city is worth fighting for. It’s about bringing practical, real-world solutions to the table—solutions that reflect the needs and desires of the people who actually live and work here.

But this is also about something deeper—about the idea that leadership should reflect the diversity and values of those we serve. Oakland is a city of many voices, and I believe that all of them deserve to be heard; I am committed to ensuring that our city is a place where everyone feels welcome and respected. 

Looking back on when the car crashed into Howden Market, I can see now that it was an important turning point—not just for me, but for my relationship with this city. It was a moment of crisis that forced me to confront the realities of life in Oakland, to see the challenges we face not as insurmountable, but as opportunities. 

I know that running for City Council won’t be easy. The issues facing Oakland are complex, and the road ahead is uncertain. But I believe in this city, and our values to help create a better life for everyone. "Love Where You Live" isn’t just a campaign slogan—it’s a call to action. Like when Michelle Obama recently called on us at the Democratic National Convention—to do something.

A Campaign Focused on Service, Not Ambition

Despite its challenges, I love Oakland—the city that gave me a home after escaping war and corruption in Cambodia. I’ve seen the tremendous potential in this community, and with the right leadership, I believe we can turn things around. Serving on city council shouldn’t just be a stepping stone to higher office, but about delivering solutions that uplift everyone and moves Oakland forward.

We must make public safety a top priority because everyone has the right to feel safe. I support increasing our police force to 1,000 officers, raising the number on duty from 96 to 143 per shift. It's essential that when someone calls 911, help can arrive quickly.

But it’s not just about having more police, it’s about building trust, and ensuring law enforcement is a force of good for all. I’ll fully support budget proposals that include community policing, crisis intervention, and better retention of officers we paid to train instead of losing them to other cities.

Street safety is another key priority. Our roads are in disrepair, putting everyone at risk. I will prioritize fixing potholes and maintaining our streets to prevent continued costly lawsuits that we all pay for. Additionally, I support implementing technology solutions to better enforce traffic laws and reduce dangerous street takeovers.

But none of this is possible without responsible budgeting. Oakland’s >$130 million in annual debt interest payments are more than other cities our size and crippling our ability to fund our essential services. I happen to know how to negotiate loans, and already drafted a measure that will cut our interest payments by over $50 million a year—enough to hire 190 additional officers. We can do better with the resources we have, including contracting an independent auditor to identify unnecessary spending and operational inefficiencies such as our permitting and approval processes.

Ultimately, we need to change the negative perception about Oakland, and its impact on our small businesses and their contribution to our city’s budget. So I drafted a Small Business Recovery stimulus program that offers rent, tax, and fee incentives to help existing businesses stay afloat while attracting new ones. By reversing declining sales tax and license fee revenues, we can strengthen Oakland’s finances to fund the services we depend on.

But we can’t talk about Oakland’s future without addressing housing security. I can’t accept that our unhoused crisis is worsening, while improving in neighboring cities. We need to adopt new ideas, and bridge the new encampment enforcement laws with humane support programs to ensure our streets are safe and clean for everyone.

We need to build affordable housing more quickly. I’ll advocate for streamlining the building approval process to reduce bureaucratic delays, and incentivize developers to meet construction goals. I’ll support pathways to ownership through land trusts, inclusionary zoning, rent-to-own programs, and fast-tracked approvals to make the dream of buying a home a reality for anyone.

By adopting best practices from cities that manage their finances well, we can address budget shortfalls and reallocate funds to public safety, infrastructure, and housing. To accomplish this, we need leadership that is collaborative and effective.

So here I am, a business owner who started with the dream of Spice Monkey and Howden Market, now standing for those pursuing their own American dream. I’m ready to serve, to listen, and to do something. Because this isn’t just about fixing a broken storefront—it’s about building a better city for all of us.

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