Experience, Purpose, & a Life of Enterprise
Hatim (Tim) Arnous is running for Congress because, like so many San Diego parents, he thinks every day about the future his young daughter will inherit. He believes this community deserves a government that works as hard as the people who live here — so families can afford to stay, build careers, and put down roots. Born in Saudi Arabia and raised largely in San Diego’s 50th District — including San Marcos, Rancho Santa Fe, and La Jolla — Tim knows how special this region is. From our beaches and small businesses to our research hubs and military families, San Diego is built by people who show up for each other, and Tim is committed to protecting that future for the next generation.
Tim is a self-made entrepreneur who built his career in global energy and commodity markets. He studied philosophy and psychology, including time abroad at the University of Newcastle in Australia, experiences that shaped his belief that real leadership means listening first, solving problems, and delivering results people can actually feel in their daily lives.
Tim is running because too many politicians in Washington listen to lobbyists and party leadership before they listen to the people they represent. While families here face rising costs and economic
uncertainty, career politicians argue, delay, and protect a system that isn’t working. Tim is focused on lowering costs, strengthening supply chains, supporting American energy production, and making sure our economy works for working people, small businesses, and the next generation.
For Tim, this campaign is about making sure his daughter — and every child growing up in San Diego — has the chance to build a life here. He believes San Diego’s best days are still ahead if we have leaders willing to fight for this community. He’s running to bring San Diego’s voice, values, and work ethic to Washington, and to help build a future worthy of the next generation.
(Census Bureau, 2025)
Leadership Strategy
For too long, the system has worked for billionaires, corporate PACs, and lobbyists, and San Diego families are paying the price. I’m running for Congress because too many people who grew up here are being priced out of their own communities. I’ve spent my career going toe-to-toe with powerful interests, and I’ve seen how big money rigs decisions against working people. I’m ready to fight to make sure San Diego belongs to the people who live and work here, not corporations and wealthy insiders.
Right now, rent, housing, groceries, childcare, and energy costs are rising faster than paychecks. Young families are wondering if they’ll ever be able to buy a home here. Seniors are being pushed out of neighborhoods they’ve lived in for decades. Small businesses are fighting to stay open. That is not the future this community deserves, and I won’t stand by while it gets worse.
In Congress, I’ll fight to get big money out of politics by banning corporate PAC money, ending congressional stock trading, and protecting the basic promise of our democracy: your vote should matter more than any billionaire’s check. That means strong national voting protections, fair access to the ballot, and rules that stop politicians and special interests from putting barriers between people and their vote. I’ll work with anyone, in any party, who is serious about lowering costs and delivering results. But I won’t play partisan games or political theater while San Diego families struggle. I’m running to fight for lower costs, more housing, and real relief people can feel.
San Diego is worth fighting for. I’m running so families can afford to stay here, so our kids can build their lives here, and so this community stays in the hands of the people who call it home. I’m ready to fight for that future every single day.
Platform
Rent Relief for Working Families
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The San Diego metropolitan area has the fourth-highest percentage of renters in the country, with nearly 48 percent of households renting their homes. These families form the backbone of our local economy, yet each year more residents are forced to leave the region as housing costs continue to rise.
As Congressman, I will fight to pass a renter tax relief bill that provides a refundable $2,400 tax credit for renters who pay rent on a primary residence. Homeowners already receive meaningful tax relief through the mortgage interest deduction. Providing similar relief to renters strengthens household stability, supports local economies, and creates a more balanced and equitable tax code. Working families need immediate relief to afford essentials like food, childcare, and transportation, while staying rooted in the communities they love.
Unlocking Homeownership & Housing Supply
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Outdated tax rules are driving up housing costs and locking families out of homeownership. The capital gains tax exclusion is still capped at $250,000 for single homeowners and $500,000 for married couples, limits set nearly 30 years ago that no longer match today’s housing costs.
I will fight to modernize this policy by increasing the capital gains tax exclusion to $1.5 million for single homeowners and $2.5 million for married couples. This change will allow more homeowners, especially seniors who want to downsize, to sell their homes without being punished by an antiquated tax code.
More homes on the market means more choices and lower prices for first-time buyers, working families, and veterans. This policy will unleash new housing supply and help more families access affordable homes.
Data Privacy Bill of Rights
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Your privacy is a fundamental right, yet too many politicians have failed to defend it. Corporate giants have built a shadow economy where personal information is bought and sold without your knowledge, turning everyday Americans into the product instead of the customer. We believe data privacy is a human right, tied directly to your autonomy and property rights.
As Congressman, I will introduce legislation to establish a Data Privacy Bill of Rights. Under this plan, you will have the right to know what data is collected about you, access your information in a portable format, correct inaccurate records, and delete your data when you choose. You will also have the right to object to automated decisions that affect your life.
To curb corporate abuse and put power back in your hands, we will eliminate the excessive leverage corporations use to coerce, manipulate, and profit from the public. Companies will be prohibited from collecting personal data without clear, informed consent. No more clicking “I agree” without understanding what’s happening to your data. Companies that buy or sell personal data must register with federal regulators, disclose their data sources and customers, allow individuals to see and delete their data, and provide a full opt-out from data sales. Handling personal data without proper consent will be illegal.
I will work with federal regulators to ensure they have the staffing and funding needed to enforce these protections, because privacy rights are meaningless without real enforcement. The hidden data economy will be brought into the open, because corporations should work for the public, not exploit it.
Once our data rights are secured, we must turn to the next technological frontier: artificial intelligence. Washington is unprepared to meet the challenge of AI regulation, and more research is needed to understand its impacts on jobs, privacy, competition, and public safety. I will significantly increase federal investment in AI policy research to identify emerging risks and establish clear industry standards that protect individuals and small businesses from abuse and exploitation.
I will also work with workers, creators, and industry experts to protect people and industries being undermined by AI companies. Large corporations are training AI systems on the hard-earned work of everyday Americans, then using predatory pricing and market power to push them out of the marketplace. AI was supposed to give people more freedom to create, build, and innovate, not strip workers of their livelihoods. I will fight to strengthen protections and funding for artists, musicians, engineers, and other creators whose work has been taken without consent, and ensure innovation benefits working people, not just corporate shareholders.
Abolish and Prosecute ICE
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has left a permanent stain on our nation’s legacy through repeated abuses of power. Over the past year, ICE agents have detained U.S. citizens, spread fear in immigrant communities and violated basic constitutional protections by entering homes without a warrant.
Now, the masked ICE agents operating in our streets have killed two United States citizens in Minneapolis in separate fatal shootings. This comes after at least 32 individuals died while held in ICE custody during 2025. Any response other than abolishing ICE and prosecuting every agent and agency official who has broken the law is unacceptable.
While ICE shows us the worst our country has to offer, our voices are powerful when we use them in unison to stand up to injustice and corruption. Call your local legislators and demand they defend our neighbors and our rights.
We also want to be clear that strong communities depend on strong public safety and emergency response systems. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders play essential roles in protecting the public and must be supported with resources, training, and clear accountability. The same is true for immigration enforcement: our country needs systems that uphold the rule of law while ensuring due process and constitutional rights. However, ICE, as currently structured, has repeatedly failed to meet these standards. We believe ICE should be abolished and replaced with accountable institutions that can enforce immigration law in ways that are effective, lawful, and consistent with our democratic values.
Protect Our Coasts, Air, & Communities
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As Congressman I will fight to allocate federal funds to state and local programs to support efforts to clean up our beaches, coastlines, and neighborhoods. As stewards for the next generation, we must prioritize our environment and ensure our children have access to clean air, clean water, and a clean ocean to enjoy.
Protecting our environment cannot wait for another election. Join us for our beach cleanups held every other Sunday from 10:30–11:30 a.m. Additional information is available in the events section of our website.
Reduce Regulations & Increase Accountability in the Housing Market
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Excessive regulations are stifling the housing market and slowing the development of affordable housing. As Congressman, I will eliminate unnecessary roadblocks and outdated rules that stand in the way of a healthy, affordable market.
I will also work to protect communities from developers who exploit loopholes to push through projects opposed by local residents, often without the affordable housing needed to keep young families and longtime neighbors in San Diego.
As Congressman, I will support raising taxes on housing development companies managing $20 million or more in assets that do not commit to building affordable units.
I will also fight to ban hedge funds from buying homes. We must stop large investment firms from buying up our neighborhoods and pricing families out of their communities.
End the Homelessness Crisis
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Every dollar wasted by the government is a dollar not used to help people in need. As Congressman, I will launch a federal investigative committee to hold agencies accountable for mismanaged funds meant to address homelessness.
There is no excuse for allowing this crisis to continue when we already have the resources and proven solutions to make real progress. Let’s fix this issue and end homelessness immediately.
Support Young Families
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Becoming a parent makes you realize that you have a lot more power than you realize, and more responsibility than you ever thought possible. As a new father, I see every day the rising costs of starting a family. Essential items such as food and clothing, and newborn supplies like cribs and diapers are becoming increasingly unaffordable, as housing prices continue to squeeze families. I pledge to lead a federal effort to work with state and local leaders to remove sales tax on essential items that families rely on every day.
Childcare has become the second mortgage no family can afford. In San Diego, childcare can cost families thousands of dollars a month. As Congressman, I will work with industry experts to identify gaps in our childcare system and redirect federal funds to ensure every family has access to high-quality, affordable childcare.
Education is a Right, Not a Privilege
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Education shouldn’t be a luxury. Our community is home to top schools and world-class biotech research facilities, yet too many families across the country struggle to afford rising education costs driven by bloated administrative expenses and tampering by the current administration.
We will work to cap the cost of attending colleges and universities so all families can afford to send their kids to school, because education is a right, not a privilege.
Healthcare is a Human Right
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We will reduce the influence of large private corporations over health insurance and expand federal investment in comprehensive healthcare programs that serve all constituents. In the near term, we will work to lower costs, improve care, and protect families from predatory practices in healthcare, childcare, and senior care. Our long-term goal is simple and bold: guarantee universal healthcare so every American can access care without financial barriers.
The Policy Feed: Real Policies for Real People
