Full Name: Terry O’Day
Endorsements:Santa Monicans for Renters Rights; Santa Monica Democratic Club; Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters; Sierra Club, Angeles Chapter;
Santa Monica Police Officers Association; Santa Monica Firefighters
Association; Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS); Coalition of
Santa Monica Civic Employees; Los Angeles County Federation of Labor,
AFL-CIO; Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades
Council; HERE Local 11; Ironworkers, Local 433; United Auto Workers;
United Food and Commercial Workers; Sheila Kuehl, Former State Senator;
Fran Pavley, State Senator; Julia Brownley, State Assemblymember; Hector
de la Torre, State Assemblymember; Zev Yaroslavsky. LA County
Supervisor; Richard Bloom, Santa Monica City Council Member;
Gleam Davis, Santa Monica City Council Member; Eric Garcetti, Los
Angeles City Council President; David Finkel, SMC Board of Trustees;
Nancy Greenstein, SMC Board of Trustees; Louise Jaffe, SMC Board of
Trustees; Rob Rader, SMC Board of Trustees; Ben Allen, School Board
Member, SMMUSD; Oscar De la Torre, School Board Member, SMMUSD; Ralph
Mechur, School Board Member, SMMUSD; Barry Snell, School Board
President, SMMUSD; Chris Braun, Member, Rent Control Board; Jennifer
Kennedy, Member, Rent Control Board
Current office/profession: Santa Monica Councilmember: February 2010-Present, Executive Director of Environment Now
Previous Experience: Santa Monica Planning Commission: June 2003 – January 2010
Education: Stanford University, B.A. Public Policy, Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, UCLA Anderson School of Management, M.B.A.
Date/place of birth:37 Years Old/Buffalo, New York
Biography: As a child growing up in Buffalo and then Philadelphia, I learned from my parents that strong families, good jobs, great schools, and safe and healthy neighborhoods, are the foundation of a strong community. Those values have guided my life and have led me to public service. They also led me to studying Public Policy at Stanford University, become involved in nonprofit organizations throughout the country, and go on to earn an M.B.A at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
My educational background has prepared me for the jobs I hold today – City Councilmember and Executive Director of Environment Now, an environmental foundation that spearheads efforts to protect water quality, air quality, forests, and water supply in California and Mexico.
At Stanford, I got involved in homeless and affordable housing issues. That led to work with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 1995 I moved to Los Angeles to complete graduate-level work in the Coro Public Affairs Fellows program.
Over the years, I became very involved in environmental policy, realizing that there is no going back on protecting the earth, and the air and water we breathe. I co-founded EV Rental Cars, the first company in the U.S. that rented only environmental cars, like electric and natural gas cars. My company received multiple awards from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and advocates like the Coalition for Clean Air. The work of the Coalition for Clean Air motivated me to join their board of directors, and I eventually became the board chair.
I moved to Santa Monica 12 years ago after marrying my wife Tiffany. This is where we wanted to establish our roots as family and become a part of the wonderful things this city has to offer. I wanted to be part of protecting the good we have here and making things even better. Prior to joining City Council, I was chair of the Planning Commission, which I served on for six years.
Ever since moving here, Tiffany and I have lived in the Pico Neighborhood. Our two daughters were born here. While Tiffany was pregnant with our first daughter, we witnessed a gang-related shooting in front of our home. This was a life changing experience. It reinforced the importance of strong, safe neighborhoods, as well as the need for good educational opportunities for every child. I am running for City Council to ensure that all our families can thrive here – whether they live below the 10 Freeway or off San Vicente.
Spouse/Children:Wife, Tiffany O’Day and we have two Daughters
Neighborhood of Residence: Pico Neighborhood
Community Activities: Public service is a deeply-held value for me. I have been involved in community service in many different ways ever since college, where I founded and led a group organizing the homeless community. I was a founding member of the Human Rights Watch Young Advocates and the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Environmental Entrepreneurs.
Over the years, I became more and more involved in Santa Monica. I joined the board of directors for the Coalition for Clean Air, ultimately serving as the board chair. I also joined the Santa Monica Planning Commission, and ultimately was named chair. I was a member of the Sustainable City Task Force, the Santa Monica College General Advisory Board, and the board of directors of the Santa Monica Junior Chamber of Commerce.
As Planning Commissioner and Chair, I was deeply involved in reworking our General Plan documents over six years, assuring that the top principles expressed in the plan were 1) Neighborhood Preservation and 2) Sustainability. I voted to restrict development standards, contributed to writing the noise ordinance, and focused our commission on pedestrian-friendly design and alternatives to driving like bikes and transit.
Early this year, I was appointed to the City Council and have applied my experience to protect the most underserved in our community, provide strong fiscal guidance, and develop innovative solutions to our community’s challenges. I have found a niche where I believe I make a difference and represent the values of the people in our community.
Candidate Statement:
I moved to Santa Monica 12 years ago because I wanted to live in a community that puts people first. As Councilmember, that is what guides every decision I make.
My background in community service, BA in Public Policy from Stanford and MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, help me make responsible, informed decisions and turn forward-thinking ideas into innovative policies.
As co-founder of successful environmental businesses, I know how to balance budgets and cut waste. That’s essential experience; as I am committed to protecting our police, fire protection and education partnerships.
Using my experience as Executive Director of Environment Now, an organization that fights for environmental justice, and cleaner air and water, I am helping our City raise the national standard for sustainability, human-scale neighborhoods, regional traffic solutions and green jobs.
My work with National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Low Income Housing Coalition has prepared me to tackle Santa Monica’s homeless and affordable housing problems in a compassionate, effective way.
As a parent, homeowner, and affordable housing activist, I will fight to keep Santa Monica a place where all of our children have the opportunities to fulfill their dreams.
I would be honored to have your vote for City Council.
