Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken made history last year when she became the first woman elected to the office in Orange County’s largest city. Aitken was sworn in at a time when Anaheim had been without a mayor for several months, after former Mayor Harry Sidhu resigned amid news of a federal corruption probe.
On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae speaks with Aitken about regaining the public’s trust in city hall, the need for more affordable housing and increasing transparency in government.
“You don’t need to hire a lobbyist to get a meeting with me at City Hall,” Aitken said. “So we’ve opened up on our website, anyone can request a meeting with the mayor. We have made both our schedule public as well as been very transparent with the activities where I’m going, who I’m meeting with.”
Aitken made a commitment during her campaign to support an independent investigation into the previous administration. She stressed that she’s trying to set a less divisive tone as mayor.
“Especially at the municipal level, there is no Democratic or Republican way to get your park streetlights on, to fix a pothole, to make sure that you’re supporting public safety,” she said. “And so I think it’s, yes, leading with ethics, but it’s also making sure that you are setting that mantra that you can disagree agreeably and still be respectful of people that have different opinions than you.”
Aitken also shared Anaheim’s progress in addressing homelessness. The city has added new shelters and expanded existing ones, which Aitken says has contributed to a 30% reduction in homelessness since 2019.
“We obviously know there’s more work to do,” she said. “And so, I’ve been working really hard to tackle the most challenging cases, which are those of us that are those people that are living unhoused on the streets that suffer from severe mental health disorders and substance use disorders.”
Aitken noted that Anaheim has led the way in building both affordable and market-rate housing, adding that the city will continue to build various types of housing.
“I think this is one of the larger issues that Anaheim and cities across California are going to have to face,” she said.
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