Year: 2025

In December 2024, William Go joined the City Council as its first member to represent Irvine’s new District 2, encompassing the part of the City northeast of the 5 Freeway — from Jeffrey Road southward to the City limits that includes the Great Park.

Go was the first in his family to graduate college, getting a BS in computer engineering and then an MBA, both from UCI. He began his career as a software engineer but moved into business and grew a real estate and hospitality portfolio that includes more than 30 properties nationwide.

On December 10th, James Mai joined the Irvine City Council as the first member elected from the new Council District 3, which straddles the 5 Freeway along the City’s northwest border from Northwood down to Westpark.

Mai sat down with Irvine Community News & Views in his new Council office at City Hall to talk about his hopes for his Council term and first impressions of his new job.

Turning the page on 2024, we can finally put the seemingly endless elections in the rearview mirror and have a year ahead without overblown rhetoric, overstuffed mailboxes and garish signs everywhere, right? Well … not quite.

In accordance with Measure D — the City Charter Amendment, adopted by Irvine voters last March to expand the City Council and transition to district elections — special election ballots to fill the vacancy in District 5 will be sent only to registered voters in the district.

For most of us, the beginning of the year brings a renewed sense of optimism and hope. When it comes to the Irvine City Council, I am cautiously optimistic that many of the contentious items from last year may soon be overcome.

After backlash from the community, the new Council appears to be more receptive to listening to constituents (and the City’s commissioners) before pushing forward.