Gustavo Camacho Helping Improve Quality of Life in Pico Rivera

Los Angeles CA

01 April, 2021

2:23 AM

Description

Since his days at San Diego State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Urban Planning, Gustavo Camacho has had a strong desire to contribute to improving the quality of life for families in his community. He was heavily influenced by how other cities were addressing urban planning and applying public policy approaches that generated affordable housing, stimulated the local economy, attracted new businesses and provided innovative open space and parks for families. When first elected to the Pico Rivera city council in 2009, Camacho was primed to help his community by seeking unique and innovative ways to help improve the quality of life for all residents through creating and implementing public policy that improved the delivery of city services, created affordable housing and helped build the economic base of the city. However, it was not his first stint at public service. Prior to being elected in 2009, Camacho served as a planning commissioner for the city, where he gained firsthand exposure to urban planning and land use issues. Since serving the city on council, Camacho has served as Pico Rivera Mayor three times: in 2020, during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic; in 2018, during the 60th Anniversary of the City; and in 2013, during the opening of the new parks and state-of-the-art library. Camacho understands that a strong economy is needed to attract new businesses, create jobs and drive revenue to city coffers to be able to provide for critical city services for local residents, but that would not happen without programs and incentives to attract new businesses to the city. He is a strong advocate for workforce development and job creation programs to create good paying jobs for residents. He has worked tirelessly with city staff to design and implement business incentives and programs to recruit great companies and small businesses to the city. Also, Camacho has championed a partnership with the Los Angeles / Orange Counties Building Construction Trades Council to provide apprenticeships and generate union jobs which typically pay well and provide excellent benefits. In addition, open space for families was another obsession for Camacho. Understanding that the city has limited open space available, he was instrumental in the creation and opening of Pio Pico Park in January 2020. The park was created when one of the oldest school grounds in the city was renovated into one of the newest parks in the city's park system through a joint use agreement between the city and the El Rancho Unified School District. Groundbreaking took place in November 2018 to much fanfare and celebration by the community. Pio Pico Park is located at 4211 Columbia Street. Under his tenure as mayor, the city has thrived with innovative city programs and a healthy reserve to provide ample programs for its residents. However, last year, life was brought to a screeching halt as the city, like the rest of the world was struck with the largest pandemic since the Spanish Flu. City hall was shut down, and staff was relegated to working from home. Camacho and his city council colleagues were working with staff to ensure the delivery of the most critical services for residents, when as luck would have it, he would contract COVID-19 and was hospitalized with moderate to serious symptoms until he recovered at home a few weeks later. As he recovered at home, Camacho had an opportunity to observe the devastating toll the pandemic was having on families as many working members had their hours cut, were furloughed or lost their jobs outright due to shuttered businesses. Camacho was bothered by the lack of resources and basic necessities like groceries for residents and felt he had to do something to help put food on family tables to feed hungry family members and children. As soon as he recovered, he went to work immediately with a plan to feed hungry families. Camacho not only finessed and supported larger city-sponsored food distributions but brought together partners to go above and beyond the once a quarter food drives. With partners, such as City of Refuge, Hearts of Compassion, R.I.S.E and his colleague, Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Monica Sanchez, they provided over 30,000 boxes of food filled with produce, meats, diary and fruits, cooking oil, hand sanitizers and masks to Pico Rivera families. When asked why he does it despite the demand and long hours away from his family, Camacho reflected and said, "I think there's no higher calling in terms of a calling than public service because it provides an opportunity to make a difference in people's lives and improve the world. Thankfully, I have a family that understands that quest."