José Huizar

José Huizar was elected to the Los Angeles City Council’s 14th District in 2005.

Jose is at the forefront of several key improvement projects in the 14th Council District, including the light rail Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, and numerous improvements to parks and public spaces.

Jose's priorities include improving public safety and youth programs, implementing sustainable planning for the City, and revitalizing the commercial corridors in the 14th Council District. Key amongst those corridors is downtown's Broadway, where Jose has initiated an ambitious 10-year plan to improve the streetscapes of the corridor, restore 12 historic theaters and return the beloved streetcar back to downtown’s historic core.

Prior to his election to City Council, Jose served as a member and President of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education. He led the successful effort to reform the district’s high school curriculum by ensuring that all students, regardless of their background, had access to the A-G courses required for admission to California’s public universities. As Board President, Jose also oversaw planning and implementation of the largest school construction program in U.S. history, which included 160 new schools.

In addition to his responsibilities on City Council, Jose serves on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board of Directors, which oversees transportation planning and operations for the County of Los Angeles. He has also chaired the Education Coordinating Council for the past five years. ECC is a multi-jurisdictional organization composed of school districts, cities, county departments, and the courts, which seeks to improve the educational outcomes for foster and probationary youth.

Jose has been awarded numerous awards and distinctions, including profiles by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the 25 figures in the Los Angeles Area that “stand out for their potential to shape lives” and by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the “100 most influential Hispanics” in the United States. In 2004, he became the first Latino to serve on the Princeton University Board of Trustees.

Jose received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master’s degree in Public Affairs and Urban Planning from Princeton University and a Juris Doctorate from UCLA School of Law.

Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, Jose is the first Latino immigrant elected to the Los Angeles City Council. He resides in Boyle Heights with his wife Richelle Rios, their son Simón Luis and three daughters, Emilia, Isabella, and Aviana.