With Mayor Steve Jones facing a term limit that prevents his re-election, Garden Grove voters will choose a new leader for the City Council next month, and seven residents want the job.
In the hunt are Phat Bui, Stephanie Klopfenstein, Musaab B. Mughal, Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen, Lan Nguyen, Thomas Thai Nguyen and John O’Neill.
Bui, president of NetResult, a software company that specializes in government work, is not unfamiliar to city government, having previously served on the council.
He talked about his business consultant background and about being a political refugee when asked by the newspaper’s voter guide about what he brings to leadership.
“Not only do I understand the plight of the immigrants, but experience them head on,” he said. “All immigrants, especially newcomers, work very hard to make ends meet. It is through this experience that I strive to represent all in my city.”
To help the city meet the housing needs of new residents, Bui said the city should look at technologies that will help the permit review process. He also believes the city needs more parking and public transportation to soften the impact of new homes. And he believes the city should “adopt new construction methods and techniques to lower the cost of new construction while improving quality.”
Klopfenstein is already on the council, representing District 5. She was first elected to the council in 2016 and her current term is up.
Along with her years on the council and her roots in the community, Klopfenstein said she brings “regional leadership, policy experience and legislative work” to the table.
She was part of the council that developed the city’s current housing plan and said she has done “my due diligence in making sure housing demands remain a priority while still holding true to neighborhood integrity.”
She touted the council’s community outreach and workshops focused on fair housing and advocacy. She also is proud of the city’s relationships with qualified builders of affordable housing.
Mughal, who describes himself as a student, responded to the voter guide’s question about leadership this way: “To follow, one must listen. Listen to the needs and demands of those who have elected you to lead.”
He calls for radical change in response to “a catastrophic” housing market, adding that change could include requiring owners of single-family homes to live in those houses and not use them as short-term rentals or investment properties. He proposes a city buy-back program for residents who lost homes to foreclosure, and for rezoning the northern stretch of Brookhurst Street to accommodate apartment complexes.
He also believes that “many parks must be renovated.”
Diedre Nguyen, a cancer scientist, is looking to return to the City Council. She was last elected to a four-year term that started in 2018.
“As a cancer scientist, I am trained to address the root cause of problems and find solutions,” she said in the voter guide about what she brings to leadership in a diverse city like Garden Grove. “As a teacher, I am equipped to mentor and guide individuals from diverse backgrounds.”
She said she’ll work with state leaders, home builders and building trade groups to advocate for “meaningful construction and zoning reform” as a way to help address the city’s housing needs.
“Government red tape, fueled by restrictive state environmental regulations, stifles urban expansion,” she said. “Increasing permits to build ADUs is just one step in addressing the urgent housing affordability and availability crisis.”
Lan Nguyen, an attorney and a former member of the city’s Planning Commission, said he was the “first minority member” of the Garden Grove Unified school board when he was elected to that body in 2002. “I’ve advocated for the underdogs from all backgrounds, such as refugees, immigrants and low-income people.”
While meeting the need for more housing, he said “the city must ensure quality of life, neighborhood quality, city beautification and other issues associated with overcrowding, such as parking spaces, landscaping or traffic flow, etc..
“Building code must be enforced to ensure quality of housing and safety for occupants and neighboring residents.”
Thomas Thai Nguyen is a businessman and media host who said he is “committed to inclusive governance and ensuring all voices are heard.”
If elected, Thomas Nguyen told the voter’s guide, he would “actively engage with every community, and create policies that reflect their unique needs.”
“My focus on transparency, public safety and economic growth demonstrates my dedication to improving the quality of life for all.”
Inclusionary zoning and offering incentives for constructing affordable units would help the city with meeting housing demand, he said. “Streamlining approvals for ADUs can also help.”
O’Neill is the District 2 representative on the council. He was first elected in 2016, and now faces term limits for the seat. The longtime Garden Grove resident said his career in the building and construction industry gives him “extensive experience in negotiating contracts, legal matters, and bringing people together when needed most, instead of division.”
Responsible development, he said, will preserve the neighborhood feel, but also provide opportunities for young families to move into town.
“We are always first in complying with state law and coming up with new ideas for developing infill properties.”
The newspaper’s voter guide also asked the candidates what they see as the biggest needs facing the city. Here is what they said:
O’Neill: “The constant need to provide the funds necessary for maintaining our aging infrastructure such as water, sewer and roads. We do everything we can to go after grants from federal, state and county governments. But this work takes many hours of administrative work. It’s a constant effort.”
Thomas Thai Nguyen: “The biggest needs in Garden Grove are tackling homelessness and fostering local business growth. I would expand affordable housing and mental health services while supporting local businesses to create jobs and boost the economy. Together, these efforts will strengthen our community and improve quality of life for all residents.”
Lan Nguyen: “Support small businesses to improve their tax base and economic development, provide more services to seniors and young adults and improve neighborhood quality. I’ll develop programs to assist businesses to meet demands of the digital world, encourage local residents to support small businesses, develop more healthy activities for seniors to improve their health and provide more activities for youth and young adults.”
Diedre Nguyen: “Timely removal of homeless encampments, timely graffiti removal, reducing trash on main streets and crime reduction, to name a few. The current elected leadership in the city has consistently been complicit in not acting in its residents’ best interest. Open communications from concerned residents during City Council meetings have been consistently ignored. If elected as Garden Grove’s mayor, I pledge an open and transparent local government for all Garden Grove residents to voice their concerns and allocate city resources to rectify them promptly.”
Mughal: “The biggest need Garden Grove has is a revamped education system for adults and children — one that rewards students for learning and provides educators with enough money to actually live in the city they teach in. Curriculum in Garden Grove schools must also adapt to provide environments for students to succeed in. One day, I hope to see the letter grade system completely abolished as it has only served to punish students for mistakes. High schools must also be conducive places of learning, but are precarious as students are at one of the most impressionable stages of life entering puberty. As much as free thought should be protected in school, it should not come at the cost of diminishing a student’s cultural or religious background. Garden Grove is also in dire need of more police officers, but also a state judicial system that prosecutes criminal charges in a timely manner with due diligence. Felony offenders as well as misdemeanor theft should be prosecuted in manners that serve justice on behalf of afflicted communities. With more police on duty at large events, the city can also prevent large homicide events. Education will provide security while productive education takes place in secure locations.”
Klopfenstein: “Since I joined the council in 2016, one of the top priorities facing our city has been homelessness. I am proud that we have addressed this issue head-on in Garden Grove with a forward-thinking, comprehensive and strategic plan. This plan provides emergency housing, rental assistance, supportive services, medical/mental health services and more. We have a strong partnership with our Garden Grove Police Department Special Resource Team, Be Well OC and CalOptima Street Medicine Program, and we opened our Central Cities Navigation Center in June on time and on budget. I look forward to addressing other top issues in our city with the same creative solutions and tenacity.”
Bui: “Garden Grove overall is doing quite well. Three areas that need to be addressed: Crime has increased many folds in cities throughout the state, and Garden Grove is no exception. I will hire more officers and put funding where it is most needed. I will also implement measures to arrest, book and monitor all who commit a crime, whether it is a small petty theft or a violent crime. Keeping track of their activities will reduce their tendency to recommit them.
“The chronic homeless issue. Garden Grove has spent more than tens of millions to build a shelter facility. For those who seek help, we shall help them to get back on their feet. For those who refuse assistance and choose a life of addiction on the street, the city will mandate that they move out of the public place and into shelter and seek assistance.”
The newspaper’s voter guide also asked the candidates questions about the budgeting, climate change and what makes a good leader. Check out what they said at ocregister.com/voter-guide. The guide includes all the races on the ballots.
