Key Issues & Priorities

Costa Mesa is widely recognized for its comprehensive approach and successful results tackling homelessness. Dr. Adam Ereth has played an important role in this effort, including in the City’s Network for Homeless Solutions. The Bridge Shelter on Airway is a key component of the city’s strategy, providing not just a bed, but comprehensive services that address the root causes of homelessness, including mental health and addiction treatment.

Through his involvement with the Network for Homeless Solutions, Adam has seen firsthand the impact that coordinated, community-based efforts can have. The shelter’s wrap-around services—including job training, resume building, and reconnecting individuals with their families—are making a real difference. Programs like these are essential to keeping the streets safe and ensuring that everyone in the city has the opportunity to succeed.

Adam is also proud of the role that local organizations like Lighthouse Church on 19th Street play in this effort, offering a supportive, faith-based approach to helping people rebuild their lives. As a City Council member, Adam will continue to champion these programs and work to expand the city’s capacity to address homelessness in a way that is compassionate, effective, and sustainable.

As our City Council Member, Adam will work to ensure that Costa Mesa is among the safest cities in America. Adam is the only candidate for District 1 endorsed by Costa Mesa Firefighters and Police Officers for his proven record working to protect our neighborhoods. He supports voting to deny applications for sober living homes that do not comply with City regulations, and creating additional separation requirements for retail cannabis storefronts so they do not affect neighborhood compatibility and other sensitive uses.

Adam also supports increasing Police and Fire Department staffing levels, and providing our first responders with new equipment, facilities, and technology. Along with increasing staffing levels, he supports enforcement of retail theft and the restoration and support for special units, such as: canine, narcotics, gang, and community policing units.

Adam will ensure our first responders and public safety professionals have the resources and training to maintain a high level of service for all neighborhoods in Costa Mesa.

With prior experience serving on Costa Mesa’s Finance and Pension Advisory Committee, Adam has a proven record of working to ensure the city remains fiscally strong. He believes that Costa Mesa deserves a city government that not only meets its financial obligations, but does so in a way that supports and enhances the services that make it a great place to live.

Thanks to a forward-thinking City Council, Costa Mesa has maintained a balanced budget, met its obligations, and supported small businesses while making smart, strategic investments in the city’s future. Under Adam's leadership, the focus will be on maintaining a well-rounded economy, a solid tax base, and attracting companies that invest in the city and its residents, such as Northgate Market (Mercado) and Anduril.

Adam believes there is no need to raise property or sales taxes. Instead, he will work to ensure that upcoming budget reviews identify opportunities to streamline operations further, make additional contributions to employee pensions, and invest in the public infrastructure that keeps the city vibrant, safe, and sustainable. From parks to roads to public safety programs, Adam is committed to ensuring Costa Mesa’s financial health is not just maintained but strengthened for the future.

Housing costs in Costa Mesa have skyrocketed, pricing out too many young professionals and families. Adam believes in addressing this challenge head-on by making more thoughtful, strategic decisions about how and where to build. As an experienced Planning Commissioner, he understands the importance of balancing the need for more housing with the preservation of the community’s unique character, history, and quality of life.

Adam is a strong advocate for more thoughtfully planning our commercial corridors, particularly creating space for middle-class starter homes that are desperately needed. He believes that homeownership shouldn’t be out of reach for the next generation of Costa Mesans, and his goal is to ensure that new developments prioritize homeownership opportunities, giving more people the chance to put down roots in the city.

During his time on the Planning Commission, Adam played a key role in meeting state housing mandates through the 6th cycle Housing Element while ensuring that Costa Mesa's unique character will be preserved and that developers will be required to contribute to the public infrastructure improvements necessary to support growth. He believes that smart-growth planning is about making decisions today that will benefit the community for years to come.

Addressing climate change isn’t just a priority for Adam—it’s his professional background. He has spent his career working on environmental health issues, and he is committed to bringing that expertise to his role as a City Council member. Adam believes Costa Mesa must be a leader in climate resilience, and he is determined to help guide the city toward a greener, more sustainable future.

Adam will focus on implementing a new Climate Action Plan in Costa Mesa with practical, win-win solutions that benefit both the environment and the community. This includes working closely with residents and local businesses to promote energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and develop climate-resilient projects that will protect the city from the impacts of climate change. Adam is committed to ensuring that Costa Mesa remains a beautiful, healthy, and thriving place to live for generations to come.

Adam’s experience in the field includes managing EPA programs on emissions reductions, co-authoring and securing a $2 million grant for emissions reduction in Charleston Harbor, and advising on the County Climate Action Plan as Sustainability and Transportation Policy Advisor for the O.C. Board of Supervisors. He has also led efforts in sustainable practices across various industries, including film, TV, music, and sports. As a business owner, Adam co-developed the national environmental training standards for the entertainment industry to ensure the workforce is prepared for a sustainable future.