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A 29-year-old East Palo Alto native, Antonio López, who serves as the city’s mayor, said his firsthand experience with the affordability and cost of living crisis plaguing his district informs his commitment to ensuring equitable opportunities and a sustainable quality of life for San Mateo County residents.
As a first-generation college student, López left his hometown at 18 to attend Duke University, Rutgers-Newark and later received his master’s at Oxford. He speaks with a great sense of pride and gratitude, especially when discussing the journey of his father, who received amnesty under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act. He credits this moment in history as not just what gave his family the opportunity for a new life in the United States but for what instilled in him a profound sense of hard work and value for education.
López, one of five candidates vying for the San Mateo County District 4 Board of Supervisors seat, said his lived experiences—from humble beginnings in East Palo Alto as a son of Mexican immigrants to the life of a public servant, who still lives with his mother and earns $600 a month on the city council, plus $50,000 a year through a Stanford graduate program—underscore his understanding of the economic struggles and affordability issues facing the residents of his district.
Upon returning from his time overseas, López, who also spent time as a district representative for State Sen. Josh Becker, had to make a choice on whether to stay in academia or pivot to invest in a life of public service.
“I’ve fallen in love with being a public servant; I feel battled tested. Not only gathered there four years, but they’re four tremendous years,” he said, reflecting on his time as an East Palo Alto council member. “I got on when people couldn’t literally face when the country and the world were trying to figure out when this lockdown would end, so you can imagine a more unconventional time to get into office and get the most necessary time.”
Housing & Homelessness
San Mateo County, López said, would benefit from continued investments into a “robust set of housing projects,” from Project Homekey to the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) initiative, a $10-20 billion bond measure being pushed by housing advocates for the November ballot, something that he said he would be committed to working on as a board supervisor.
“We need to work with the state attorney general and with other cities to build up the housing elements to make sure our cities can be compliant with the (Regional Housing Needs Allocation) numbers to create first-time homebuyer programs,” López said, adding that programs such as the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) have helped some homebuyers purchase homes with a 0% downpayment.
“We need to really work with the state to expand that pipeline,” he said.
López also highlighted the need to adjust income qualifications for social programs to more accurately reflect the high cost of living in the area to “make sure that they’re actually reflective of what it means to be low-income.” He emphasized the disparity between the current thresholds and the financial realities of low-income families in San Mateo County, pushing for a serious look into and change of these guidelines.
Addressing the recent introduction of the “Hopeful Horizons” ordinance, which targets unhoused individuals and allows the county to charge them with a misdemeanor should they decline to accept move into a shelter, López critiqued the punitive approaches to homelessness, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, compassionate strategies to address the complex issue.
“I just don’t logically see how the spectre of a misdemeanor citation or racking up fines is going to compel someone who is experiencing homelessness and is probably experiencing a whole slew of other issues like substance abuse, poverty, not having a roof over their head, trauma, to suddenly say, ‘I’m gonna move out now,’” López said.
“I just think it’s out of touch,” he added.
Public Safety
López said he’s proud that, during his time as a council member in East Palo Alto, the city reported zero homicides in 2023. This achievement, he said, is a testament to the effective community policing and public safety measures the city implemented, emphasizing the importance of building trust between law enforcement and the community. He said he views the milestone as a personal success and a collective victory for East Palo Alto.
Still, López said strengthening oversight of law enforcement is critical, specifically as it relates to the recent creation of the civilian oversight commission of the sheriff’s office. Oversight of the office would send a message about the need for proper checks and balances and ensure all departments are accountable to the communities they serve, he said.
Climate Change
López addressed the issue of sea level rise, adding that it is a significant concern for San Mateo County and emphasizing the need for proactive measures and technological solutions to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise.
“Scientists predict that by 2050, sea level can rise up to a foot, and so we also have to worry about that ticking time clock,” he said, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts. “
López joins Maggie Cornejo, director of government and community relations at Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula; Celeste Brevard, project manager at Stanford University; Lisa Gauthier, council member of East Palo Alto; and Paul Bocanegra, Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commissioner and legislative coordinator for San Mateo County in the race to replace current Board Supervisor Warren Slocum who has reached the end of his term limit.
The primary election is set for March 5, with a possible general election on November 5 if no candidate secures more than 50% of the primary vote.
His endorsements include State Attorney Rob Bonta, State Sen. Aisha Wahab, San Mateo County Board Supervisor Noelia Corzo, San Mateo County Board Supervisor David Canepa, Former Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale, San Mateo County Community College District Trustee John Pimentel, San Mateo County LatinX Democratic Club, AFSCME Local 829 and others.
