Alonso Gonzalez began his role as Chula Vista City Councilman Wednesday, following multiple meetings to determine who would fill the council seat resigned by Stephen Padilla when he was elected to the state Senate in November 2022.
Following a public interview and comment process, the council voted 3- 1 on Tuesday night to appoint Gonzalez to the seat and he was sworn in immediately. Mayor John McCann was the only no vote.
“I am an advocate for healthy, vibrant communities that favor inclusion over single-family zoning,” Gonzalez said. “My expertise with land use and experience in local government administration are the tools that will allow me to serve the Chula Vista City Council District 3 and its residents well.”
District 3 comprises the southeast — and geographically, the largest – – portion of the city.
Gonzalez is a seven-year resident of Chula Vista and is a real estate broker with “extensive land-use knowledge” including eight years of local government service in land use and policy development, according to a city statement.
He previously served as deputy chief of staff for the San Diego City Council. A current member of the Urban Land Institute and the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors, Gonzalez received his masters degree in public administration with an emphasis on financial management from San Diego State University.
He was selected from a shortlist of 10. The other candidates were Nimpa Akana, Devonna Almagro, Griselda Delgado, David Diaz, Gian Ghio, Victor Lopez, Daniel Rice (Vazquez), Sophia Rodriguez and Tanya Williams.
If the council had been unable to make an appointment by Friday, a special election would have been held to fill the seat, likely paired with an election to fill the vacant city attorney position.