At the City Council meeting on the evening of Monday, December 9, then-Vice Mayor Freddy Puza was voted Culver City’s new Mayor by the council, just before Bubba Fish was voted in as the new Vice Mayor. Puza is Culver City’s first openly LGBTQ+ Mayor, and this is the first time that the city has a gay Mayor and Vice Mayor at the same time. With history made, Puza spoke to the News about the year past and the year ahead…
Having been Vice Mayor for the past year, how does it now feel to hold the title of Mayor?
You know, it’s largely a ceremonial role. But it’s a different position. It’s a symbolic leader of the city, to oversee the city meetings, set the agenda, work with the City Manager closely, and you just set the overall tone for the city.
It’s hard to ignore the history, not only yourself as the first openly LGBTQ+ Mayor, also with an openly LGBTQ+ Vice Mayor, Bubba Fish, alongside you, and then the first black City Manager (outside of interim appointments) coming a couple of years after the first female black Mayor. It feels like a lot of important stuff is happening. Is there a weight that comes with that?
I was the first openly LGBTQ Vice Mayor and now Mayor. We’re at a time with the federal government where LGBTQ rights are negotiable right now, and they’re still being debated. LGBTQ youth are still facing higher rates of oppression and suicide than their straight counterparts, and being LGBTQ+, across the world, is still punishable by death. In particular, the trans community is particularly targeted right now. So visibility matters, as I said in my speech when I was installed as Mayor. When leadership looks and feels like the people it serves, it really does change things. So, it sends a signal to the community at large. I’ve seen some comments that, you know, ‘I’d rather have a qualified person than a gay mayor.’ I don’t need to credential myself of my education, my resume, my experience in the community and on council. So this is just one aspect of my identity. But that just shows how much work there still is to go, that education needs to be done in the community, and so it is an opportunity to help educate
and enlighten people. And there’s so much more intersectional work that still needs to be done within the LGBTQ+ community, and in regards to race, gender, socioeconomic background.
Culver City and L.A. in general often sees itself as a blue bubble, but there have been some troubling speakers at the meeting. Does that kind of highlight the challenges that lay ahead?
Yes, absolutely. I think Culver City is 65 perfect registered Democrat. But yes, there’s still a full spectrum of beliefs and ideologies, and how people think about the world. So it is an opportunity. There are people who have disparaging views about the LGBTQ+ community, and just different views about different things. Culver City is a welcoming place and an inclusive place. We’re going to continue growing in that direction–everyone is welcome, and we’re going to fold everyone into that inclusive environment. But it takes time. You’ve got to meet people where they’re at.
On the council, there’s currently a progressive majority. Last time, there wasn’t and there may not be next time. It does tend to switch 3-2, 2-3, each election cycle. But you seem to work well with former Mayor O’Brien, and he, from the outside, seems to be a willing bridge. Do you enjoy working with people who have different views, especially when the views are moderate-to-left Democrat?
I am grounded in my values. I’m always going to vote in the ways that I think are the best for the city and for the people, and residents of Culver City. But I want something that’s going to stick, and if someone’s going to meet me in a certain way to make that happen, whatever, wherever they are on the political spectrum, I’m willing to move with that person. I think sometimes people want to ideologically pigeonhole me in one way or the other, or see me as some sort of swing vote at times, but I think I have shown that I have and will always vote and operate in the way that will move the city forward.
How do you think the last year as Vice Mayor went?
I think we made a lot of great movements forward. I’m very proud that the micro grant program and the fee waiver program for small businesses and entrepreneurs got passed. Something that I was really proud of and that I spearheaded. Also, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. This year, I hope to find a funding stream for it. I was excited that one of the things Culver City really leads in the region is our homeless services. And the solution to homelessness is permanent, supportive housing. The fact that the Jubilo project went through was a great accomplishment, and I know that was really challenging, but it was something that could be a solution for affordability in our city. So we’ve been able to do a lot of great things. We’re the first city and only city to do the single staircase ordinance, which is going to be huge for meeting our goals, increasing housing in the region, because that’s going to help with affordability or sustainability goals. So we’re just moving in the right direction and trying to make things stick, and bring as many people along as we can. That’s what I’ve been trying to do this whole year.
The Jubilee Village was obviously controversial…
Yes. Building housing shouldn’t be controversial. And when we have an opportunity to lift up people in need and give housing for those in need, I think that’s our job. This is an opportunity to do that. And it’s in order to meet our housing goals according to the state, so we don’t get penalized for not accomplishing those goals. This is going to help the city become more affordable and give opportunities for very low income housing recipients, which is so hard to come by on the West Side–that’s as far and few between. So when a project was this far along, to give it that boost was incredibly powerful.
What are your priorities for this year? What are you really going to focus on as Mayor?
I want to do a strategic planning retreat with the council. It’s a new day in Culver City. We have a new City Manager. So I just want to learn about him, and then also do a strategic planning retreat and a financial summit, bring revenue ideas, and then look at an analysis of all our programs. See if we can streamline things. I want to find a funding stream for the Affordable
Housing Trust Fund. I also want to do project labor agreements as the city grows, as we prepare for 10 to 20,000 people that are coming to the city as we build for the housing element, which is scheduled until 2045. So making sure that the people who are building those houses can afford to live here, and that they have good jobs, union jobs, project labor agreements.
Also, building our profile in the region. I’m working with an economic subcommittee, with Council member Albert Vera on the tourism website. Hopefully that will grow into a full department.
One last thing, the biggest thing that I want to do this year is the Capital Improvement Plan. We already have one, but this will be a more robust plan. So working with the council, working with all department heads, and then also the community. Because undoubtedly, wherever you are on the political spectrum, no matter who I talk to, they’ll point to the sidewalk, they’ll point to the road and say, ‘the sidewalk’s broken, the road needs to be paved,’ and on and on. Bridges and all the other infrastructure projects. So working on that, a robust, comprehensive CIP, is going to be one of the main things that I want to accomplish this year as well.
I think the biggest thing is that this is a new day in Culver City, with the new City Manager. I’m so grateful for the leadership that outgoing City Manager John Nachbar gave and left the city. This is a new opportunity for new systems and new structures to be created. So I’m really looking forward to the future and excited for what lies ahead for Culver City.