BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Ahead of the November 5 general election, 17 News will profile candidates for federal, state and local offices. This week, we’re featuring the race for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2, one of three city council races this year. 17’s political reporter Jenny Huh spoke one-on-one with Michael Cardenas, a newer face to Bakersfield. The Los Angeles native said he moved to Kern County in 2019 because it was the only place he could afford a home. Child death review: Car accidents are the leading cause of childhood deaths in Kern Cardenas argued he's not entirely new to the area, though. He said he's passed through the Central Valley often for work and that as a kid, he frequented Kernville with his grandfather. "I just started going to meetings, asking people what to do, talking to the City Clerk," the candidate said, explaining how he got his foot in the door of Bakersfield politics. To campaign, he's relied on door knocking and social media presence, Cardenas said. "I think that [City Council is] not spending their money well enough… Everyone says [homelessness is] getting worse. I believe that it's getting worse," he added. Cardenas said his biggest issue with his opponent -- incumbent Andrae Gonzales -- and the current City Council is how they tackle the topic. "Having more beds and shelters and throwing more money at the problems to the nonprofits obviously isn't doing anything about it. We need to start facing the front end of the issue rather than the back end of the issue," Cardenas said, suggesting that the 'front end' is affordable housing. "I want to reduce our minimum lot size and reduce our minimum house size so we can start building housing that can actually accommodate the person at the beginning of their career -- the nurse fresh out of school, the truckers that just got their license," Cardenas detailed. He also stated he's like to offer more work-live buildings in Bakersfield. The city also lacks facilities for mental health and drug addiction treatment, Cardenas said. That to Cardenas includes mandated services, such as the state's CARE Court: "If you can't take care of yourself, and you're causing a disturbance to the community, we have an obligation to help them get back on their feet and sometimes it's through mandated programs." And with these shelters, Cardenas emphasized the need for accountability, like tracking which individuals are coming through, for how long they're staying, as well as the purpose of their seeking shelter. Ward 2 is the third largest in terms of population, with about 59,000 residents. Extending as far as Ming Avenue to the south, Bernard Street to the north; and from Mohawk Street to the west and Sterling Road on the east, Ward 2 is known as the "downtown" ward -- the most urban and diverse. City council members make $100 monthly.A freelance cameraman and owner of two small businesses -- one for advertising and another for pet treats -- Cardenas said he first considered a run for office in 2020, seeing Gonzales running unopposed for reelection. "I thought to myself, that's just not right," Cardenas recalled. Cardenas is a registered Republican and lives on H Street near Stockdale. On the topic of crime, the 33-year-old said as a victim of break-ins himself, he's all for being tougher on crime. He also said he shares the frustrations of local businesses. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage "I have it all on camera. The police say there's nothing we can do," Cardenas said with a chuckle. "When people have nothing, they have nothing to lose, Cardenas added. "We're not being serious enough about [crime] in the state of California. There are not consequences to these actions. And sometimes those consequences, that rock bottom, could be the thing that helps turn their life around." Cardenas said while more law enforcement is needed, more accountability is also a must. He pointed out the should-be-closed divide between officers and their community. Cardenas also said he'd like more public data on what the police are doing. When asked about small business retention, Cardenas proposed, "[getting] rid of franchises because it's what's drawing people away from small businesses." 17's Jenny Huh: "How realistic do you think that is in a city as large as Bakersfield?" Michael Cardenas: "It's not realistic at all, but it's going to get people thinking. And that's the entire point of me running." On the topic of business security grants, offered by the City of Bakersfield, Cardenas called them a mere "Band-Aid on the wound." Click here for the full interview with Michael Cardenas.