A New Vision of the Future of District 8
It’s Time for a New Leader… With Vision !!!
Letter to the Voters and Community Leaders of District 8
By Mike Ochoa — Candidate for San Diego City Council, District 8 (2026)
I have lived much of my life in the South Bay and in several of the neighborhoods that make up
District 8. The following communities — San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Nestor, Logan Heights, Barrio
Logan, Ocean View Hills, Egger Highlands, Sherman Heights, Grant Hill, Mountain View,
Stockton and the Tijuana River Valley— each carries their own identity, their history, and its
own unique needs.
What has become clear to me is this:
No single councilmember — no matter how dedicated — can effectively and fairly
represent 12 unique communities without an organized, consistent structure for direct
engagement.
For far too long, representation in District 8 has depended on a system where a councilmember
appoints staff or “community representatives” to determine what each neighborhood needs.
While staff can be helpful, this process creates unnecessary distance between the elected official
and the residents they are meant to serve. It also places key decisions in the hands of
intermediaries who may not fully understand the real experiences of each community.
This is not how I plan to lead.
A NEW APPROACH…
District 8 Community Leadership Cohort (D8-CLC)
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Direct Engagement. REAL COLLABORATION.
If elected, I will establish the:
District 8 Community Leadership Cohort (D8-CLC)
A structured, professional, community-centered council made up of the leaders who are already doing the work in our neighborhoods.
This cohort will not replace planning groups or existing community-based organizations.
It will connect them.
It will create a space where:
Neighborhood leaders meet directly with me — not just with staff.
Communities share ideas, challenges, and solutions with one another.
Strategies that work in one neighborhood can support others across the district.
Residents are heard in a respectful, organized environment — not only during crises or election seasons.
Most importantly:
It guarantees that every neighborhood has a direct and reliable line of communication with their councilmember.
My goal is to host quarterly or semiannual sessions with representatives from each community, where they can present their priorities, concerns, and needs before those issue s reach the City Council chambers.
This is how we build a government that listens first — and then acts with clarity, fairness, and respect.
WHY THIS MATTERS?
District 8 is one of the most diverse districts in San Diego — culturally, economically, and geographically.
San Ysidro faces different challenges than Logan Heights.
The priorities of Otay Mesa are not the same as those of Sherman Heights.
Ocean View Hills does not experience the same pressures as Barrio Logan.
And still, all 12 neighborhoods deserve:
Fair representation
Leadership that reflects their needs
A councilmember who genuinely understands them — not superficially
The D8-CLC model makes this possible.
This is not a political strategy.
It is a governance strategy.
It is a commitment to collaboration, transparency, and community empowerment — recognizing
that leadership is strongest when people are part of the process, not pushed outside of it.
District Governed by the People Who Live IN IT
This is my vision — a District 8 where:
Communities speak directly through their cohort representative, not only through staff
Leadership is shared, not centralized
Transparency is expected, not optional
Every neighborhood has fair access to be heard and supported
Solutions come from the people who live the challenges every day