Jose Solves Problems

Helping Homeowners - As a former Planning Commissioner, I know we can do more to address the housing crisis. I have worked alongside local advocates for the past four (4) years to eliminate costly barriers to Accessory Dwelling Units.

Helping Renters - All residents deserve protections and displacement prevention, such as ensuring the proper implementation of state legislation that can ensure homes for all.

Boost Homeownership - To protect the stability of our neighborhoods for homeowners, I will work to expand federal, state, and county homebuyer programs so that low- and moderate-income families can access homeownership, and better allocate funding from HUD/CDBG funds.

Follow The Law - Serving on the board of directors of a regional housing nonprofit, I understand and read Housing Element plans from across Southern California. I participated in the Southern California Association of Governments Housing Policy Leadership Academy, and know what it will take to implement measures that protect the stability of our communities and enable us to do our part in solving the regional housing crisis.

Buena Park can lead the way in creating a sustainable future for the next seven generations.

Currently, Buena Park has the least amount of park space per resident, our air quality routinely ranks amongst the worst in the State, and we do not have a Climate Action Plan.

Stopping the Climate Crisis, establishing new parks, and beautifying our neighborhoods requires both a bold vision and actionable plans.

Having served as a Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Beautification and Environmental Commissioner, South Coast Air Quality Management District Youth Advisory Leaders Council Member, and Santa Ana River Watershed Project Champion, I will push for the creation of an ambitious Climate Action Plan to establish, track, and report progress on benchmark goals for reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants released by cars, trucks, trains and planes.

I will work to increase Buena Park’s green space through identifying parcels of land for new parks, create alternatives to driving through protected bike lanes and frequent, reliable public transportation, streamline electric vehicle charging station permitting, and partner with our waste services provider to expand programs to prevent waste from entering our landfills, boost on-site organic composting, encourage gardens, and plant more trees.

Our children deserve to grow up in a community with cleaner air, more park space, and the knowledge that we are doing all that we can to leave them a home that is sustainable.

Buena Park residents do not feel safe. Many have seen or experienced some type of theft (auto/home/garage). Some have seen or experienced crimes related to gang activity or the homeless.

Drug abuse, vandalism, graffiti, insufficient parking, poor lighting, dangerous speeding, and theft are all increasing, yet many residents do not report crime because of fear of retaliation, language barriers, don’t know how, or misinformation.

As your city council member, I will preserve the safety of our communities and ensure we are addressing the root causes of crime.

Making sure communities feel connected with their neighbors, police officers, fire fighters, and elected officials are all part of the solution. That is why I served as a Community Emergency Response Team member for 5 years.

Studies show that investing in the community leads to reductions in crime and violence. “When it comes to solutions, a growing body of evidence also demonstrates the promise of micro-level place-based interventions (such as rehabilitating vacant lots or increasing the number of community organizations) in significantly decreasing violence within these neighborhoods.”

We can increase community safety through prevention efforts, such as strengthening neighborhood watch programs, organize safe parking, installing traffic calming infrastructure, ensuring youth have access to supportive year-round programs, and providing access to mental health resources.

Buena Park’s vibrant local businesses are the backbone of our community. But COVID-19 has hit our residents and small businesses hard.

We need sound economic policies that support small businesses. For example, the city must continue seeking state and federal funds, pass ordinances to allow businesses to operate safely, and protect businesses from excessive regulatory barriers and fees.

Overall, Buena Park needs to make greater investment into the rich diversity of our restaurant community. We are an entertainment destination - people travel from all over to shop, play, and eat here. We can better celebrate our identities through exciting events such as night markets, food halls, and other innovative ways to inspire local entrepreneurial spirit in partnership with accelerators and business incubators.

Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, I will push for programs to ensure a prosperous long-term economy. That includes youth programs, workforce development, and efforts to attract and support diverse businesses to Buena Park.

Prosperous businesses, good jobs, and a strong tax base all help create a thriving city. 

Buena Park residents deserve leaders they can trust. That is why I am the only candidate for District 2 that has made a public commitment not to take campaign contributions from harmful industries - like fossil fuels - so when I vote, you know I vote with residents’ interests in mind.

I will also expand election finance transparency by making election finance documents publicly available to residents, and easier to file with long-established digital services like ‘Netfile.’

In Orange County, I’ve seen how corruption at any level holds back democracy at every level.

As your city council member, I will be open and available to ensure I hear you and can meet your needs as they relate to city matters.

Buena Park residents have ties around the world. We are intricately tied to families and businesses in Mexico, Korea, India, Pakistan, North Africa, Middle Eastern/Arab, Central, West, East and South Africa, Europe, South America, Philippines, Samoa, Pacific Island Nations, Australia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and Native American Nations.

I speak multiple languages, and am committed to increasing Buena Park’s number of translation services at public meetings and community events to reflect community needs.

As a candidate trained in Anthropology, I am keenly aware of how cities can strengthen our local economy with stronger international relationships through our Sister Cities.

I also understand that active participation from all members of our community strengthens local government, which is why I will lower barriers to participation by holding easily accessible town halls, introducing language interpretation services for our non-English speaking residents, and increasing technological access so that those who cannot physically attend meetings can still be heard.

Our health care system is broken. Not only that, but Buena Park doesn’t have enough community clinics or a single hospital, and our existing clinics and neighboring hospitals are overwhelmed or unable to uniformly provide world class quality of care. Buena Park residents cannot afford to wait to protect their health, or for costly trips to the doctor and pharmacy.

Even with Covered California and employer-based insurance, doctor’s offices are overwhelmed and there is a doctor and nurse shortage nationwide that we can feel right here at home. Our local hospitals and nurses were overwhelmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and my heart sank watching the rise of tents in parking lots, knowing full well that we need to build more hospital beds for the current and forthcoming senior retirement booms, as well as train more nurses for facility-based and at-home hospice care.

Coming from a large family that works in the medical field, I know what it will take to fix our broken health care system at the local level. That is is why I will advocate for more clinics and a hospital to call Buena Park ‘home.’

We deserve to have streets that are safe and efficient for everyone. That includes designing our streets for people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether we are travelling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders.

Reducing traffic means that neighbors should have the choice to ride a bike, scooter, wheelchair, and stroller without weaving around parked cars, broken sidewalks, utility infrastructure, and homeless encampments.

In fact, I walked to the Buena Park Metrolink Station for school and work every day for 5 years. I was even invited to be a Metrolink Brand Ambassador due to my social media engagement.

Now, I ride my e-bike instead of driving my car for trips under 2 miles from my home, and know firsthand what it’s like to bike and ride public transit around Buena Park.

That is why I am 100% all in for better active transportation options and reducing traffic congestion.

Buena Park has many school districts, from Buena Park School District, Centralia School District, and Fullerton Joint Union High School District, it is important that the City partner with our schools to ensure that all residents, especially our youth, have access to the latest information, education, technology, and programs for a better future.

We also need leaders who take steps to ensure that school shootings, like those that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown and Robb Elementary in Ulvade, never take place in our city by supporting additional trainings for our police officers and mental health support for struggling families.

As your council member, I will use my experience as a former Parks and Recreation Commissioner and School District Personnel Commissioner to invite everyone to the table and pass new memorandums of understanding to secure a better Buena Park to live, work, learn, and play.

We love Buena Park because of our vibrant businesses, charming neighborhoods, and access to amenities.

As your council member, I will fight for policies that strengthen city services and improve our quality of life.

That includes reducing traffic, increasing our access to green space, maintaining and updating our infrastructure and preserving our historic neighborhoods.

I have spent my life advocating for working people of all backgrounds - Native American, Latino, Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Asian-American, Indonesian, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern & North African, Black and White.

We need leaders who not only value diversity, equity and inclusion, but also understand its role in government systems.

As your city council member, equity and inclusion will not simply be standalone goals. It is the lens through which I view all policies.

That’s why this policy platform was developed after hearing from residents, community leaders, nonprofits, businesses, agencies and other stakeholders, through conversations, webinars, workshops, and listening sessions.

This platform is representative of your values, and as your city council member, this reflects how I will serve you.