▁to ▁address ▁ev ict ions ▁and ▁high ▁rent ▁increases ▁that ▁were ▁occurr ing ▁in ▁V ancouver ' s ▁West ▁End ▁neighbourhood . ▁▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁becoming ▁an ▁M LA , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Park ▁Board . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Park ▁Board ▁commission er ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁municipal ▁Co al ition ▁of ▁Progress ive ▁Elect ors ▁party . ▁While ▁on ▁the ▁Park ▁Board , ▁he ▁voted ▁against ▁removing ▁the ▁requirement ▁for ▁a ▁refer endum ▁on ▁an ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Aqu arium ▁but ▁later ▁voted ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁the ▁expansion . ▁He ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁b icy cle ▁v alet ▁service ▁at ▁large ▁public ▁events , ▁investig ating ▁environment ally ▁friendly ▁means ▁of ▁dispos ing ▁of ▁animal ▁waste , ▁and ▁implementing ▁a ▁zero - net - loss - of - gre ens pace ▁policy . ▁▁ ▁Ch andra ▁Herbert ▁is ▁open ly ▁gay ▁and ▁married ▁his ▁partner , ▁Rom i ▁Ch andra , ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁After wards , ▁he ▁leg ally ▁changed ▁his ▁name ▁to ▁Sp encer ▁Ch andra ▁Herbert . ▁Both ▁men ▁have ▁been ▁active ▁supporting ▁causes ▁within ▁the ▁L GB T ▁community . ▁At ▁the ▁provincial ▁level , ▁Ch andra ▁Herbert ▁has ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁a ▁community ▁victim ▁services ▁worker ▁in ▁Dav ie ▁Village , ▁a ▁special ized ▁tele phone ▁line ▁for ▁people ▁to ▁call ▁to ▁report ▁inc idents ▁involving ▁gay - bash ing ▁or ▁ver