DOWNEY — Councilman Horacio Ortiz announced Wednesday his intention to run for re-election this November.

Ortiz was elected in a special election last year to fill Downey’s District 1 seat vacated by then Councilwoman Blanca Pacheco, who is now in the state Assembly.

Below is a press announcement from Ortiz’s campaign, published in full:

Councilman Horacio Ortiz remains committed to improving the quality of life for Downey residents through a series of impactful initiatives aimed at enhancing public safety, improving the quality of life, supporting small businesses, and addressing homelessness/transient activity. Councilman Ortiz continues to be dedicated to providing a better place for families to live and small businesses to thrive in Downey.

Public Safety - Since his election in November 2023, Councilman Ortiz has prioritized enhancing law enforcement and public safety. He made it a priority to support Neighborhood Watch programs and promote discussions on Fentanyl risks and Narcan availability. Councilman Ortiz created 12 new neighborhood watch groups in less than 5 months and visited existing groups in South Downey to better understand the needs of each neighborhood. He initiated a pilot program of $50,000 to fund more lights in dark residential areas making it safer for neighbors to go out at night fostering community engagement. Councilman Ortiz will continue to fight to make Downey a safer community.

Quality of life - Councilman Ortiz initiated a comprehensive traffic study focusing on accident-prone areas. New traffic control measures were implemented to enhance safety and improve quality of life for all residents. Councilman Ortiz started a series of improvement programs aimed to enhance beauty and safety: more street lights, repaired sidewalks, improvements to vacant property and facade enhancing for small businesses. In addition, he initiated plans for the construction of a dog park at Golden Park. Councilman Ortiz authorized a beautification plan for Woodruff Avenue set to be completed this December. It will consist of new median landscaping, a monument sign, and a maintenance program. He made sure to remove old RVs from Woodruff Avenue that were parked for long periods of time. Councilman Ortiz is continually advocating for beautification projects in South Downey.

Support Small Businesses - Councilman Ortiz has a track record of collaborating with property owners and the community to attract new businesses. Most recently he approved the opening of a Sprouts groceries store and a Shake Shack burgers coming soon to Downey. Drawing from his experience as a business owner, he launched a facade improvement program to support the small businesses in making necessary upgrades to enhance their establishments. By fostering communication and understanding between all parties, Councilman Ortiz has been able to attract more family-friendly businesses to Downey. To expedite processes and reduce costs for businesses and residents, Councilman Ortiz implemented cutting-edge technology citywide, enhancing operations across all departments. He will continue to promote a business friendly environment at City Hall.

Addressing Homelessness/Transient Activity - Councilman Ortiz directed staff to hire a homeless coordinator and additional code enforcement personnel to manage the homeless crisis affecting Downey. He is considering practical solutions and policy to prevent homeless from setting up camp in public or private property putting community safety and well-being first. Relevant agencies that can provide genuine assistance at the county and state level will be used as references to homeless individuals and transients that choose to occupy space. Councilman Ortiz’s objective is to ensure that seeking help is the only option available to this group. If they choose not to seek help, they must consider other communities to live in. A recent area of focus is Firestone Boulevard where more transient activity has been observed in the past months. Councilman Ortiz will continue to prioritize families’ health, safety and the beautification of Downey before allowing dangerous individuals from using drugs and illegally occupying our streets and parks.

Councilman Horcio Ortiz advocates for a unifying force in Downey. For more information on Councilman Horacio Ortiz, including his bio, endorsements, and positions please visit his website at www.HoracioOrtizforDowney.com. You can also reach him on his personal cell phone (562) 445-7572.