Questions we hear.
Straight answers.
Local government can get complicated fast. I want to make it easier to understand.
Neighbor Chats breaks down questions I hear from Anaheim residents through
short text-message conversations.
Watch the chat. Check the sources. Ask questions. Make up your own mind.
These are illustrative conversations based on questions and concerns we hear from residents. They are not screenshots of private conversations.
Public Safety: Police AND Prevention
Does supporting prevention mean supporting our police less? I don’t think it does.
If somebody breaks into your home, you want an officer to show up. If there’s a fire or medical emergency, you want first responders there fast.
I support making sure our police and firefighters have the staffing, training and tools they need to do their jobs.
But public safety can’t only start after something goes wrong.
A kid having somewhere safe to go after school matters.
A mentor matters.
Better lighting matters.
Safer crosswalks matter.
Officers knowing the neighborhoods they serve matters.
Those things don’t replace police.
They work together.
My approach is pretty simple:
Support our first responders. Hold everyone accountable. Invest in prevention.
Respond when something happens.
And do what we can to make it less likely to happen in the first place.
What do you think?
What would make you feel safer in your neighborhood?
More consistent police presence? Better lighting? Safer streets? Youth programs? Stronger community policing?
Why should we have to choose?
Why Doesn’t Anaheim Have a Stand-Alone Senior Center?
This one is personal for me.
My mom had what I like to call a second glow-up when she started going to a senior center.
Friends. Activities. A routine. Somewhere she belonged.
Then COVID closed everything, and I watched that isolation really affect her.
I never forgot it.
Anaheim has 62,598 residents age 60 and older, the largest older-adult population of any city in Orange County.
We have senior programs, and I’m glad we do.
But Anaheim still does not have a stand-alone senior center dedicated to older adults. In April 2026, Anaheim’s Older Adults Commission was still receiving updates on the city’s search for one.
Nearby Santa Ana operates two senior centers.
For me, this isn't just about a building.
It’s about giving our parents a home base for community, activities, rides, meals and connections to services.
And it's about the sons and daughters caring for aging parents while working and taking care of their own families.
A senior center doesn't replace family. It gives families support.
Question for residents
Should Anaheim finally have a dedicated stand-alone senior center? What would you want it to offer?
