In order to sustain the Eastside’s desirability, we need to ensure that our community character is preserved and thoughtfully improved. Although we are a mostly built-out district with a balanced mix of residential, commercial and public land uses, there is constant pressure to develop the Eastside haphazardly and without regard to the charm and scale of our neighborhoods. Councilmember Jeff Harlan led the effort to direct future growth in the city where it makes the most sense – north of the 405 freeway, along our major commercial corridors, and close to transportation and employment centers. As an attorney specializing in environmental and land use issues, Harlan knows firsthand how to address these challenges with solutions that benefit all the City’s residents and businesses.
Keeping residents and businesses safe is a primary function of local government. During Harlan's tenure on the Costa Mesa City Council and Planning Commission, he has grappled with the Eastside’s most pressing public safety issues, including voting to deny applications for sober living homes that did not comply with City regulations.
Harlan has voted to approve increasing Police and Fire Department staffing levels, and provided our first responders with new equipment, facilities, and updated technology. He will continue to make sure our laws are faithfully enforced to protect residents, patients, and providers, in addition to advocating for additional support at the state and federal level. Harlan is the only candidate for District 6 endorsed by the Costa Mesa Firefighters Association and the Costa Mesa Police Officers Association for his proven track record of leadership on public safety.
Harlan has been a strong advocate for addressing homelessness in Costa Mesa. In 2020, the City opened our 100-bed Bridge Shelter, where the Council has invested in expanding access to mental health and addiction treatment. Harlan also championed permanent supportive housing initiatives, such as the conversion of motels into homes for at-risk seniors and veterans. By addressing the root causes and providing shelter, the City is working to end the cycle of homelessness. Costa Mesa has successfully housed over 370 people in the last five years, getting them off the streets and into clean, safe, and affordable homes. The City's efforts have not only helped the homeless directly, but also improved the quality of life for all residents.
It is critical for the City to have a sound economic development strategy. We have primarily relied on retail sales tax to fund City services for decades, and the pandemic only highlighted the fact that this strategy jeopardizes our fiscal health. With Harlan's leadership, the city has been enterprising and nimble to develop a more diverse and stable economy with new revenue streams. New restaurants have opened on 17th street in a booming and vibrant corridor, the new Mercado Gonazalez Northgate Market has become a regional destination, and city facilities like the Costa Mesa Golf Course have seen record increases in revenue.
Building off of his expertise in planning and development, Harlan has been a leader in exploring ways to keep our existing businesses growing, and to recruit new ventures that will provide jobs, additional revenue for the City, and spur investment in our neighborhoods. The city continues to see consistent growth in local revenue and Harlan has voted to approve a balanced budget with surplus every year on City Council.
Like other California cities, Costa Mesa must address the growing demand for housing. As new homes are in short supply and shelter is becoming increasingly unaffordable, the State of California is requiring cities to plan for and create more housing. Costa Mesa is fortunate to be jobs-rich, a place where employers locate due to our large customer base, available skilled labor, and locations that are safe, attractive, and accessible. But we must be smart about new investment citywide by locating housing near existing jobs, expanding transportation options, and reducing impacts to the environment.
Councilmember Harlan proposed, and the City Council adopted, $2.5 million for an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help incentivize new housing opportunities. He recognizes that when the City as a whole prospers, so does the Eastside.
In addition to teaching his daughters tennis and coaching their AYSO soccer teams, Harlan has been a longtime advocate for more local parks and trails in Costa Mesa, previously serving on the City’s Santa Ana River Trail Vision task force. As City Councilmember, Harlan has helped deliver renovations and improvements to local parks, including Jordan Park and Brentwood Park, as well as the Eastside’s newest facility, Perez Park. Engaging public space is essential for a lively community, and Harlan has been a champion for opportunities to design, operate, and manage our city’s public spaces to deliver quality social, economic, and environmental benefits. As an urban planner, he understands how to create value by enhancing our parks, streetscapes, and roadways, and will support future projects that promote sustainable design, bikeability/walkability, and neighborhood vitality.
Councilmember Harlan understands the critical importance of taking action to protect the environment and reduce the impacts of pollution and climate change. Costa Mesa has a growing fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles, and has installed EV charging stations at City Hall for public use with plans for more chargers underway. There's also now an electric shuttle bus serving the Senior Center. In partnership with Southern California Edison, the City Council voted to upgrade over 6,000 streetlights citywide to LEDs to achieve greater energy efficiency and cost savings.
Improving street safety and increasing pedestrian mobility options are priorities that Councilmember Harlan shares with many Eastside residents. This includes reducing speeding from through-traffic in residential neighborhoods, improving pedestrian street crossings, and creating safe routes to our schools and businesses. Harlan has successfully delivered the installation of new, protected crosswalks near Kaiser and Woodland Elementary Schools, as well as new bike lanes on the Eastside.
PAID FOR BY HARLAN FOR CITY COUNCIL 2024
FPPC #1469159