Copyright Los Angeles Times
The executive director of an Orange County United Way service program has announced her candidacy for a seat on the Fountain Valley City Council. Elizabeth Andrade launched her campaign to run for one of what will be three council seats up for grabs in the November 2026 election. Andrade was named the executive director of 2-1-1 Orange County in October 2023. The United Way service connects residents in need to food and rental assistance, healthcare, transportation, utilities and other resources provided by government agencies and local nonprofit organizations. In Fountain Valley, councilmembers can serve three consecutive four-year terms before having to sit out one election cycle. Councilmembers Kim Constantine and Patrick Harper are both currently in their second consecutive terms, while Vice Mayor Jim Cunneen is in his initial term. This will be the first time Andrade has run for a city council seat. Her priorities would include improving community engagement and balancing the city’s growth with responsible infrastructure. “The goal that continues to be expressed is we want more voices …,” Andrade said. “We want more people at city council meetings. We want more people at town halls. How do we do that? “People are really smart. They can make their own decisions, and they can have forums to express themselves in an appropriate, civil way. I just think we need to open those strings up a bit more. That’s what I’ve seen in my professional career — give people a platform, usually they will inspire and impress you once you do that. It’s a matter of setting up that framework.” Fountain Valley is planning for additional housing units in order to meet its state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment. That target has led to multiple high-density housing projects coming to town. Andrade said the question is how to achieve needed growth. “How do we best make use of our existing parcels and support that growth without overextending ourselves or putting ourselves in an infrastructure crisis?” she posed. “I really do think there is a balance to the growth that is necessary. … There is a tolerance level from the residents that is very clear, especially when it comes to the point of housing.” Andrade, who grew up on the west side of Santa Ana, graduated from Los Amigos High in 2005. She and her husband, Freddy, have two children — Nathan, a senior, and Noah, a freshman — who attend Fountain Valley High. Andrade holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cal State Fullerton. She earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arizona, and a second master’s, with an emphasis in healthcare leadership, from California Intercontinental University. The nomination period for City Council does not open until early July, according to City Clerk Rick Miller. Fountain Valley residents had four candidates to choose from in the 2024 election. Incumbents Ted Bui, currently mayor, and Glenn Grandis returned to the dais over challengers Alicia “Rudy” Huebner and Katy Wright in that contest. Andrade was asked if she saw a need for more civic engagement and if she would like to see residents have more candidates to consider. Fountain Valley had 13 candidates enter the race in 2022.
