Ahead of the special election for the Irvine City Council District 5 seat, the Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Anthony Kuo
Other political positions held: Irvine City Council (at-large, 2018-2022)
City where you reside: Irvine
Also read: As voting begins for Irvine’s Fifth District election, here’s where the candidates stand on issues
In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing Irvine? And, what do you plan to do about them?
One of the major driving forces of Irvine’s success and vibrancy as a community is our Master Plan. The idea that neighborhoods can have access to their own schools, recreation, shopping and trails that connect them all is unique and adds to the charm and sense of community in each of our villages. Protecting the Master Plan, especially our open spaces, must be a key priority of the City Council that is balanced against the health of Irvine’s local economy and often overreaching mandates of the state. And, to further enhance neighborhood aesthetics and bolster our commitment to the environment, I support the mayor’s efforts to develop an urban forestation plan and to plant more trees throughout Irvine.
Whether local, state or federal, government’s first responsibility is to keep our residents safe. I’m proud to have partnered with local law enforcement to develop and implement new ideas and seek out resources to curb the rise of crime, including Irvine’s involvement in task forces to stop street racing, halt human trafficking and address property crimes like package and catalytic converter theft. My focus on these issues has earned me the endorsements of Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes and the Irvine Police Association.
What is your vision for the city as undeveloped land becomes scarcer but its population continues to grow?
While there are many neighborhoods throughout our community that are already at “build-out,” there are opportunities to bring housing options in areas of our city that don’t impact the traffic, schools and quality of life of existing residents. When new communities get built, more neighbors move in, but the impacts must be mitigated through road improvements, investment in our infrastructure, partnerships with local schools, expansion and improvement to our parks system and more. As new development occurs, we must be smarter about how Irvine executes and lives up to our Master Plan.
There are those who want to move to Irvine and enjoy a more urban lifestyle. I hope that we can work with property owners to address their needs in areas that don’t change the quality of life for those who chose Irvine for its quieter and more subdued villages.
What do you think the city should do to address homelessness? Are you in support of building and operating a city-run shelter?
In 2018, the county of Orange announced a plan to move thousands of homeless individuals living in tents along the Santa Ana Riverbed next to Angel Stadium to the Great Park. I worked with the local neighbors, city staff and county leaders to push back. Together, plans were developed that addressed the real needs of the homeless rather than moving their “tent city” from place to place. Since then, I’ve worked with local food banks, social services non-profits, affordable housing advocates, veterans organizations and others to tackle the greater issues causing homelessness.
I support building a city-managed homeless shelter with services and opportunities to put clients on a pathway. The question is and will always be “where?” and “how?” We must locate the shelter convenient enough for clients to be able to seek out much-needed resources and humanely delivered services, but also not impacting neighborhoods, schools and parks.
Irvine set a goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, but staff said last year the city won’t hit that target in time. What are your ideas to make Irvine more energy-efficient and greener?
I fully support efforts to explore reducing Irvine’s carbon footprint. Discussions are already underway to establish a city-supported solar rooftop and battery storage program for residents. We must also continue working with local homeowners, businesses and property owners to incentivize investments that reduce their carbon footprints, as well as through new construction methods, better window efficiency and newer and more energy-efficient appliances. These ideas were the driving force behind what is now the “One Irvine” program, providing loan and grant incentives to local homeowners.
As technologies in building, automotive and other uses continue to develop (many of which are developed right here in Irvine), we can quickly adopt innovative ways of being an energy-efficient city.
What makes you a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your district and city?
I often tell people that I credit my very being to Irvine. Having grown up in Irvine and the newly-drawn District 5, I’ve been a direct beneficiary of Irvine’s excellent public schools and amenities that encourage a healthy lifestyle and safe communities. My immigrant grandmother, who helped raise me, took advantage of the walkable community and a community that showed kindness to her despite language barriers. That’s why I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to give back to Irvine.
I’ve contributed my time and talents, and even a few checks, to local PTAs and the Irvine Junior Games to enhance the lives of Irvine’s youth, Irvine’s 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee to honor our service members, and both the Exchange Club of Irvine and Rotary Club of Orange County / LA to find local and international service projects to bring to reality.
What I’m trying to say is that I live and breathe District 5. It’s where I grew up, it’s where I attended public schools, it’s where I worship at church, and where you’ll see me walking my dog. District 5 is where I can take my diverse background and upbringing to have fruitful conversations with my neighbors about keeping Irvine the incredibly special place it’s always been.
