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Hector Sosa Newsletter — May 17, 2026
📬 Councilmember Hector Sosa | District 2, Downey | May 18, 2026
Good afternoon, friends and neighbors,
I hope you’re having a great day in Downey. There are a handful of moments from the past week I think are worth sharing, and one announcement I want to lead with. The launch of Downey's first Men's Mental Health Awareness Fair. A seat at the table at the LA County Commission on Local Governmental Services, on behalf of cities across the region. A continued explanation of where I land on the council compensation measure. And a quick reminder that the small-business mix in this city is one of the reasons it works.
Here is what your week looks like.
🚨 Public Safety & Community Health
🔹 Launching Downey's First Men's Mental Health Awareness Fair: May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I am proud to announce the launch of Downey's first Men's Mental Health Awareness Fair, an initiative I have been pushing since my time as mayor. The fair will bring together first responders, mental health professionals, and resources designed to make it easier for men and their families to start the hard conversations and get connected to support.
→ 🎯 My take: There is a stigma around men asking for help that does not go away with a hashtag. It goes away when neighbors show up to events like this one, talk openly, and point each other toward the resources that already exist. Supporting our first responders and supporting men's mental health are not separate conversations to me. Both come back to taking care of the people who carry weight for the rest of us.
→ 💡 Why this matters: It is okay for men to have feelings. It is okay to ask for help. If we can normalize that in one community in this region, others will follow. Watch my Instagram and the city channels in the coming weeks for the official date, location, and full program.
👉 View the launch announcement (Instagram)
🔹 March 2026 Homeless Services Impact Report Released: On Monday, May 11, the City released its March 2026 Homeless Services Impact Report through our partnership with City Net. The numbers point in the right direction: 88 client interactions, 78 clients enrolled, and five "positive exits," meaning individuals who moved off the streets or out of shelter into more stable living situations during the month.
→ 📊 By the numbers: The report also documented two exits to shelter, two exits to temporary housing, and 118 total services delivered, including case management, transportation, documentation help, and medical or mental health referrals. STEP, the city's Strategic Team for Engagement and Prevention, coordinates the work across City Net, the Downey Police Department, our Mental Evaluation Team, Public Works, Code Enforcement, Parks and Recreation, and the City Manager's Office.
→ 🎯 Where I sit on this: Addressing homelessness with compassion and effectiveness was one of the initiatives I ran on, and these monthly reports are how residents can hold all of us accountable to that commitment. One person reconnected with family in North Carolina. Another connected to mental health services through Telecare. A third was referred to the Salvation Army Bell Shelter. That is what positive exits actually look like, story by story.
👉 View Downey's homeless services hub
💰 Budget & Finance
🔹 Continuing the Council Compensation Conversation: This week I posted a longer explanation of my no vote on the Council's 4-1 decision to send the compensation charter amendment to the November 3 ballot. The core of my objection: a motion to nearly double the figure came up before the body even worked through what reimbursement versus compensation actually means, and the math never got laid out plainly for residents.
→ 💡 What this is really about: Today, council members receive a monthly reimbursement of roughly $1,078 for expenses tied to official duties. The ballot measure would amend the city charter to allow a separate $1,000 monthly compensation on top of that. Those are two different things, and conflating them is how voters end up making decisions on incomplete information.
→ 🎯 My commitment: I said in my April 5 newsletter that I would keep doing my part over the coming months to make the numbers plain and easy-to-understand. That is what this post was about, and that is what I will keep doing as we get closer to November. As a financial services professional, I think you deserve clarity on the difference long before a ballot lands in your mailbox.
👉 Watch my full explanation (Instagram)
💼 Economic Development & Local Business
🔹 Mariachi Bakery: A Reminder That Local Matters: I stopped in at Mariachi Bakery on Imperial this past week and walked out reminded of why this city has the small-business mix it does. Great treats, great service, great vibes. The kind of corner spot that pulls a weekend morning together, and exactly the kind of place I want every resident in Downey to know about.
→ 💡 Why I keep flagging these: Economic development at the city level is a long game with permits, zoning, tax-sharing agreements, and corridor planning. But the fastest and most direct economic development play in this city is residents who choose local. A bakery, a restaurant, a service business, a side studio. Pick one this week, and then pick another the week after.
👉 View the Mariachi Bakery post (Instagram)
🤝 Around the Region
🔹 Representing Downey, and Cities Across the Region, at the LA County Commission on Local Governmental Services: On Friday, May 8, I attended the LA County Commission on Local Governmental Services meeting on behalf of the Independent Cities Association, a roughly 40-city coalition focused on public safety, education, infrastructure, and intergovernmental policy. The Commission advises the County Board of Supervisors on multi-jurisdictional service delivery, which is the unglamorous but important work of figuring out how cities and the county hand off responsibilities cleanly.
→ ⚡ Why this kind of seat matters: When a Downey councilmember shows up at a county commission representing dozens of cities, our perspective is in the room on issues that get decided well above us. That is how a midsize city like ours protects its share of regional resources and shapes the policies that will eventually shape our budget.
👉 Learn more about the Independent Cities Association
📅 Coming Up
🔹 🚒 Touch-A-Truck, Saturday, May 23: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This is the last reminder before the event. Kids climb on fire trucks, police vehicles, and public works equipment, and meet the people who operate them. If you have ever watched a five-year-old's eyes light up at a real-life fire engine, you already know why this one is on the city calendar.
👉 View the Touch-A-Truck event details
🔹 🇺🇸 Memorial Day, Monday, May 25: A national day of remembrance for the men and women who gave their lives in military service to this country. I will be sharing a tribute on Instagram next week, along with any local observance details. City Hall and most city offices will be closed.
🔹 🏛️ Next Regular City Council Meeting, Tuesday, May 26, 6:30 PM: Council Chambers, Downey City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Ave. This is the last regular session before the city's moratorium on Single Price Overstock and Discount Stores (SPODS) is set to expire on May 27, so I expect a substantive conversation on that item. Agendas post in advance on the city website, and the most direct way to put something on the Council's radar is to show up, write in, or both.
👉 View agendas and city documents
📱 Stay Connected
Got a pothole to report, graffiti to flag, or a service request to submit? The Downey Connect App is the fastest, most direct path to getting things done. Available for both Apple and Android.
👉 Download the Downey Connect App
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more real-time updates, event highlights, and a look at what I am working on between newsletters.
One personal beat from earlier this month before I wrap. Warren Baseball Senior Night, where I had the chance to present City certificates of appreciation to Josh's fellow senior ballplayers. A 2-0 Bears win. An inning of relief work from Josh. And the team moms running the whole night the way only team moms can. Watching that group of seniors play their last home games has been a privilege I will not forget.
The thread running through this week was simple. Show up. At the launch of a new community initiative. At the regional table where Downey's voice needs to be in the room. At the small business worth telling your neighbors about. At the public comment podium when a real budget conversation lands on the agenda. Showing up is how a city works, and it is how this seat earns its keep.
Thank you for reading, for the questions and ideas you send back week after week, and for trusting me with this work. Hit reply anytime. I read every message.
