JOSE UGARTE

Why Thrive LA endorses JOSE

Jose Ugarte is a longtime community organizer and former deputy chief of staff to termed-out Councilmember Curren Price in City Council District 9. An immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico, he holds a bachelor's degree from California State University, Northridge and has spent over a decade working in CD9, first as a field deputy and later as a senior staffer. He finished first in the June 2026 primary and faces Estuardo Mazariegos in the November runoff. District 9, which stretches across South LA from University Park to Green Meadows, needs a councilmember who can deliver tangible improvements in public safety, housing production, and economic opportunity. Ugarte has assembled the coalition most likely to get things done at City Hall: the LA Area Chamber of Commerce's LA Jobs PAC, Central City Association, Abundant Housing LA, YIMBY Los Angeles, and UFLAC (United Firefighters of Los Angeles City). That combination of business, pro-housing, and first-responder support signals someone who understands that South LA's future depends on investment, construction, and safety, not ideological posturing. On public safety, Ugarte supports proactive policing, more foot and bike patrols, recruitment, and banning homeless encampments near schools, parks, and places of worship. His UFLAC endorsement confirms that the firefighters who serve this district trust him to prioritize emergency response. On housing, his backing from Abundant Housing LA and YIMBY Los Angeles distinguishes him as a pro-supply candidate in a district that desperately needs more units built, not more barriers to development. On economic development, Ugarte has focused on local hiring for major construction projects and ensuring the 2028 Olympics and World Cup generate real jobs for South LA residents, an approach endorsed by the Chamber and Central City Association. Ugarte does carry baggage. He agreed to pay a $17,500 fine to the LA City Ethics Commission for repeatedly failing to disclose outside income while working as a council staffer. That is a serious lapse in transparency, and voters should expect a higher standard from him going forward. His language around "affordability-centered measures" also warrants scrutiny; South LA needs more housing supply, not price controls that discourage construction. But in a two-candidate runoff, Ugarte's endorsement coalition, district knowledge, and stated commitment to enforcement-backed homelessness policy make him the stronger choice for CD9. Jose Ugarte is the results-oriented leader District 9 needs.