PRIORITIES
PUBLIC SAFETY
As our City grows, I remain committed to ensuring Irvine remains one of the safest cities in the United States. As a forward-thinking leader, I have already taken significant steps as your Councilmember to enhance public safety and will continue to prioritize innovative solutions as Mayor.
My record on public safety includes successfully securing funding for security cameras around senior centers, community centers, and parks. These cameras provide our Irvine Police officers with essential tools to monitor and protect our residents more effectively. Additionally, we have stepped up efforts with our drone program, leveraging technology to enhance our response capabilities.
I led the initiative to create Irvine's own Hate Crime Reporting Portal in multiple languages, making us the first city in Orange County to have a dedicated platform for tracking hate incidents. This portal, launched in April 2021, is a crucial tool in our fight against hate and ensures that all residents can report incidents in their preferred language.
I have worked to increase safety measures for e-bikes and have supported ordinances that give IPD the tools to combat catalytic converter thefts and street drag racing.
I am also committed to ensuring cultural competency within the Irvine Police Department. I am working closely with IPD to ensure our police force is inclusive and culturally sensitive, fitting the needs of our diverse community and supporting a police force truly integrated within the community.
Moreover, I have hosted California Attorney General Rob Bonta and local community leaders for a roundtable discussion to address important community issues. Building strong relationships between our government agencies and nonprofit partners is imperative to protect our communities by fighting hate and protecting consumers.
As Mayor, I will continue to enhance our public safety measures by further integrating advanced technology into our strategies. By improving our use of technology in strategic areas, we are taking proactive steps to maintain and enhance the public safety levels that our residents have come to expect. I will remain dedicated to making our city a safe and welcoming place for all residents.
HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
As a forward-thinking leader committed to solving Irvine's housing challenges, I prioritize creative solutions and strategic development. I firmly believe in addressing Irvine's housing needs through strategic and thoughtful development. Given Irvine's 93% population growth over the past 15 years and the increasing number of renters, we need to be bold in our housing approach. My top priority is to create housing options for every income level, with strong support for workforce housing programs that benefit mid-salary professionals like teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters who add to the fabric of our community, but are priced out of the existing housing market.
As a Councilmember, I led efforts to redevelop empty retail centers and prioritize infill projects rather than altering established residential areas, particularly in the Irvine Spectrum area and the Irvine Marketplace that are near job centers.
I am committed to balancing growth while preserving our quality of life by considering factors like traffic and school capacity in new developments. To meet state housing requirements and maintain local control, I advocate for increasing our housing stock. I ensure that Irvine's general plan remains flexible to adapt to our changing needs while upholding the core principles of our master-planned community.
By taking a proactive and creative stance on housing, I strive to keep Irvine at the forefront of responsible urban planning. My leadership is about balancing growth with preservation to create housing solutions that benefit all residents, maintaining the high quality of life our city is known for.
ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Irvine’s future is ripe with opportunities, and I am dedicated to transforming our city into a leading center for innovation.
As a candidate for mayor with a robust business background, I am passionately committed to economic growth in Irvine. My strategy involves enhancing relationships with both emerging and established businesses to not only bring quality jobs to our community but also to expand our city’s tax base significantly.
My tenure as a Councilmember has been marked by proactive efforts to propel Irvine into a hub of innovation, especially in the tech sector. A testament to this is the successful launch of Irvine Tech Week, an initiative I spearheaded to foster a dynamic ecosystem where tech entrepreneurs can connect with investors and grow their businesses right here in our city. Now in its second year, Tech Week has evolved into a landmark event featuring startup fairs, cryptocurrency seminars, and networking sessions, all aimed at ensuring local innovators don't need to relocate to thrive. My goal is simple: when good ideas start in Irvine, they should be able to stay and grow in Irvine, potentially becoming the tech leaders of tomorrow.
As Mayor, my vision for Irvine as an economic powerhouse, where innovation fosters high-quality jobs and a robust business environment, is central to my agenda.
Looking ahead, I will secure Irvine's status as a premier destination for business founders and innovators. My policies are designed to support forward-thinking industries, creating a foundation for sustained innovation and global leadership.
As your next mayor, I pledge to continue nurturing an environment where technological advancement and entrepreneurship flourish and become the cornerstone of our local economy. Join me in ensuring Irvine remains at the cutting edge of economic development and innovation.
https://www.ocbj.com/oc-homepage/irvine-tech-week-event-launches-in-march/
https://www.ocbj.com/oc-homepage/ocbj-insider-152/
https://www.ocregister.com/2024/04/16/aspiring-techies-can-find-community-in-irvine-this-week/
GREAT PARK
Since getting elected, I have been determined to reverse years of inaction and mismanagement at the Great Park, making it a priority to restore its intended purpose and potential. My leadership has catalyzed the transformation of the park by putting the PARK back in the Great Park by focusing on reintegrating essential park elements and enhancing community facilities, such as the development of a 125-acre botanical garden and a veterans' memorial park.
My commitment to correcting past mismanagement was also evident during the negotiations with a major public corporation regarding the proposed amphitheater at the Great Park. I strongly advocated for an agreement that ensured the city maintained control and maximized benefits for our community, resisting a business model that would have limited our oversight.
As we continue to build out the Great Park, I am dedicated to seeing through projects that will serve as cultural and recreational hubs for our community, including a world class library, permanent amphitheater, cultural terrace, lake/water feature, and a food and beverage hall.
I remain committed to advancing the Great Park in a manner that reflects the diverse voices and needs of all Irvine residents, ensuring it becomes a cornerstone of our community's recreational and cultural life.