JOSE UGARTE: a FATHER, Public servant, and formerly undocumented angeleno.
Fighting for a Cleaner, Safer, and More Affordable South Central.
Jose Ugarte is running for Los Angeles City Council in South Los Angeles to fight for the communities that raised him. Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, Jose was brought to Los Angeles as a toddler by his hardworking immigrant parents, who moved from place to place in search of stability and opportunity. Raised in a working-class household and educated in LA’s public schools, Jose experienced firsthand the challenges that so many South Central families face—from housing insecurity to economic hardship, but also the strength, resilience, and hope that define the community.
His political journey began with the Los Angeles Federation of Labor, where he organized on behalf of working families to raise the wage to $15 an hour and helped on Jerry Brown’s gubernatorial campaign. Jose went on to fight for progressive values on the national stage—working on President Barack Obama’s campaign in Nevada and standing with labor unions during the high-stakes recall of Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin. Jose brought that same commitment to public service when he joined the office of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, serving as a Special Aide. There, he helped pass groundbreaking legislation to ban toxic lead ammunition in California, a major win for environmental justice that protected endangered species like the California condor and helped keep deadly ammunition out of the hands of criminals. He also played a role in passing a historic $7.5 billion water bond that invested in clean drinking water, green infrastructure, and ecosystem restoration—delivering critical environmental improvements to communities like South LA that have long suffered from pollution and neglect.
In 2013, Jose began working for the City of Los Angeles, where he led key initiatives to improve the lives of South Central families. He expanded access to fresh and affordable food through Good Food Zones and Healthy Neighborhood Markets, secured tens of millions of dollars for local parks, and helped establish LA’s first green alley network and South LA’s first dog park. He also played a key role in launching LAPD’s Community Safety Partnership Program at South Park—a model focused on community-based public safety built on trust and collaboration. Jose has been instrumental in bringing major investments to South LA, contributing to transformative projects like the renovation of the LA Memorial Coliseum, the construction of the Los Angeles Football Club stadium, and the development of the future George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
Today, Jose is running for office to bring bold, community-rooted leadership to South Central—grounded in lived experience and a proven record of results. He is proud to live in the heart of the district with his wife, their two-year-old daughter, and their Australian Shepherd, Phoenix.
