2025 Wrapped + Looking ahead!
Friends & neighbors,
Happy New Year!
I hope you’ve had a restful holiday season.
I had a blast celebrating Hanukkah with so many of you at our annual menorah lighting. A huge thank you to Industry Cafe & Jazz for being such gracious hosts.
2025 is a year that many of us are relieved to see in the rearview mirror.
Homes destroyed by climate-fueled fires. Families torn apart by masked police. The Big Ugly Bill ripping healthcare and food assistance away from those who need it most.
And yet, in the face of a dark and depraved federal government, Culver City didn’t cower—we stepped up, relentlessly pushing forward toward a brighter, more inclusive future.
We stood up for immigrant families, directing city funds to mutual aid and legal defense, and endorsing state legislation to prevent law enforcement from masking their identities.
We took bold steps to make our city more affordable—endorsing landmark legislation like SB-79, which will legalize millions of new homes statewide; funding the largest 100% affordable housing project in our city’s history, Jubilo Village; and becoming the first city in California to legalize single-stair residential buildings, unlocking more naturally affordable housing across Culver City.
We protected our environment by passing new restrictions on common pollutants, joining the Plant-Based Treaty, and banning cruel animal traps citywide.
We made our city more responsive to you by bringing more community voices into the process that shapes our city’s most impactful document: it’s $375 million annual budget.
We protected our schools with a $2.5 million grant to avoid harmful layoffs. And we invested in our local economy—supporting small businesses and helping bring film and TV production back to the Heart of Screenland.
We also appointed our first openly LGBTQ+ Mayor in the city’s 108-year history, Freddy Puza—signaling our city’s continued progress toward leadership that truly reflects the community we serve.
The world can feel heavy. The challenges ahead can feel overwhelming. But even in the darkness, we keep going.
None of what we accomplished this year would have been possible without you.
You are the neighbors who show up, the advocates who speak out, the organizers who refuse to give up, and the community members who take care of one another.
You are the light that makes our city shine brighter.
And I am so grateful to stand beside you in this moment as Vice Mayor.
I ran for a seat on City Council because I saw firsthand how our city was becoming harder for working people to afford.
As your Vice Mayor, I look forward to continuing our work to ensure Culver City remains a safe, welcoming place for everyone—no matter who you are or how much money you make.
Real change doesn’t happen from the top down—it’s built by neighbors working shoulder to shoulder, showing up again and again for the city we love.
So as always, I invite you to deepen your impact in the year ahead. Below you’ll find a list of fantastic local organizations you can get involved with in 2026 to help double down on the progress we’ve made.
I can’t wait to see what we create together.
Onward,
Bubba
Local advocacy group that has advocated for more resources for parks, playgrounds, and street safety. Our Culver continues to bring new voices into civic life and advocate for a city budget that better serves the community.
CCDC is the oldest progressive Democratic club in the County and the only Democratic club in Culver City that is entirely funded by its members. Becoming a member is a great way to help grassroots candidates and causes.
BCC fights for more than just bike lanes; better sidewalks and safe pedestrian crossings, fast and frequent public transit, safe streets, and cleaner air. This is where I got my start in local organizing.
Our housing crisis is out of control, and it will take all of us to push for a more affordable city. CC4MH is a great place to get involved. Allowing for more housing in Culver City is one of the most impactful things we can do to stop the rising cost of living and ensure that Culver City is welcoming to people of all incomes and backgrounds.
BCR organizes for impactful environmental policies like shutting down our oil wells, phasing out single use plastics, and stopping waste from flowing into Ballona Creek. BCR also hosts several cleanups of Ballona Creek each year which have removed thousands of pounds of trash from the creek.
Culver City Pride is a volunteer-led organization that puts on Culver City’s annual Pride celebration each year. Organizing will begin soon. As Trump and the Republicans continue waging war against queer and trans people, we need inclusive spaces like Culver City Pride.
There are many more organizations and ways to get involved than those I listed here (i.e. Culver City Historical Society, Culver City Rotary Club, Culver City Sister City Committee to name a few), so feel free to find the ones that speak to you.
However you deepen your impact, you are making your community a better place.