Five candidates are in the race to represent Irvine’s new District 2 on the City Council, an area that includes the Great Park.
This is the Irvine City Council’s first by-district election cycle. Currently, the council has four elected-at-large members and an elected-at-large mayor. After this election, the council will have six district representatives plus the mayor.
The District 2 candidates, in alphabetical order, are: Gang Chen, William Go, Mohamed Kothermydeen Jeff Starke and Parrisa Yazdani.
Gang Chen
Chen, an Irvine resident since 1997, said “recent crime issues, traffic problems and increased housing prices” are the main reasons motivating him to run for office again.
Chen unsuccessfully ran for Irvine mayor in 2016 and Irvine City Council in 2018, when he finished 10th in a field of 12 candidates. City documents show Chen organized a campaign to run for mayor in 2020, but didn’t file for the ballot.
He said he’s committed to stopping the expansion of the Bowerman landfill, one of the nation’s biggest landfills, near the intersection of Highway 133 and Highway 241.
As far as housing, Irvine needs to plan for more than 23,000 new housing units to comply with the state housing mandate, and the current City Council approved a plan to concentrate those units in three areas across the city, including around the Great Park. Chen said he opposes that plan.
“It’s crucial to distribute new housing developments more evenly (across Irvine),” he said.
Chen received his master’s degree in architecture and his doctorate in planning from USC. He is a director at an architectural firm based in Irvine.
“Achieving Irvine’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030 will require robust city outreach and collaborative efforts,” he said. “My expertise in sustainable design positions me to contribute effectively to this initiative. I am committed to advancing Irvine’s development in a way that not only meets, but exceeds environmental sustainability standards. To accomplish this, I advocate for integrating cutting-edge green technologies, promoting energy-efficient practices and engaging the community in sustainability efforts. My goal is to ensure that Irvine develops in a manner that aligns with our climate objectives while maintaining our city’s high quality of life.”
William Go
Go is a partner at a commercial real estate asset management firm.
Born in the Philippines, Go said he immigrated to the United States as a young child. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in business from UC Irvine. He’s lived in Irvine with his wife, Jennifer, for more than two decades.
Go, a member of the Great Park Development Task Force, said shepherding the development of the park is one of his top priorities, as is preserving open space in Irvine while planning for new housing around “walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that help Irvine meet its climate goals and reduce traffic congestion.”
Go is also a former city transportation commissioner. He said he has specific steps he’d like to see Irvine take to meet its 2030 net carbon zero goal. Those include: installing more EV charging stations at public properties, completing the transition of the city fleet to zero-emission vehicles and “advancing local rebates” to spur private investments in solar, heat pumps, EV chargers and other green energy technologies.
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Mohamed Kothermydeen
An IT services manager, Kothermydeen said he would work with others in the community and get expert recommendations to identify what is needed most in Irvine and work collaboratively to make things happen.
“I will bring our city to a world-class level by building (a) community experts team and strategic plan with each resident’s input,” he said.
He said he’ll focus on building out a strategic plan for Irvine to meet housing and climate goals, though did not offer further specifics.
From a leadership standpoint, Kothermydeen said, “I always care, help and serve others, from childhood, with dignity and high value to humanity and diverse community.”
Jeff Starke
A small business owner and self-described “PTA dad,” Starke and his family have lived in District 2 for almost 10 years.
On housing, Starke said he supports Irvine’s general plan update, including zoning for more housing in District 2.
“This housing will allow more of the people who commute to Irvine the opportunity to live in our city,” he said. “It will help reduce car trips and pollution. It provides a lot of middle-income housing for the type of people and jobs the city requires to function, such as teachers, firefighters and nurses. I believe this housing can be a catalyst for a more robust transit system which can help us reduce road congestion and transportation pollution.”
Starke added that he’s committed to advancing the numerous projects planned in the Great Park, and he’d hold monthly town halls to keep residents informed on project updates.
On climate, Starke said he would push the city to finalize a climate action and adaption plan with enforceable goals. This summer, the current City Council directed staff to complete the city’s climate action plan, which while robust, has remained as a draft for years.
“Transitioning Irvine to a greener future is an important priority for me,” he said. “Irvine can be a leader in how a city transitions to clean energy while also protecting our quality of life and business community.”
Parissa Yazdani
Yazdani, a mother of three school-aged children, is a self-employed construction contractor and a city planning commissioner.
Her top priorities are public safety and wildfire preparedness, affordable housing and facilitating the development of small businesses, including “dedicated portions of new commercial spaces for local small business owners,” she said.
Yazdani said she also supports the city’s climate goals.
“On the local level, we must take steps to work toward a zero-carbon economy on both new developments and municipal services,” she said. “That means 100% renewable energy, updating our energy grid and transforming city facilities and vehicle fleets using energy-efficient technologies.”
Read more about where each candidate stands on important issues in the OC Register’s Voter Guide at ocregister.com/voter-guide/.
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