Downey is a family first community. Horacio will fight to ensure this stays the same. Families come first.
Meet Horacio Ortiz
Horacio Ortiz has lived in Downey for over 30 years. His parents immigrated from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in the 1980’s to pursue the American dream. Soon after their arrival to California, they opened their very first El Pescador Restaurant and have since worked tirelessly to achieve their goals. Horacio and his family now own and operate over 15 El Pescador Restaurant locations in Southern California, including one within Downey Landing.
In 2014, after graduating from UC San Diego with a degree in Political Science, Horacio Ortiz and his father opened a new restaurant location, which Horacio manages and fully operates. His experience as a small business owner, and his education in political science, makes him uniquely qualified to serve our community. He understands the need to expedite the permit process at city hall, and he eliminates unnecessary red tape to spur business growth. His know-how in political science gives him a key advantage on finding resources at all levels of government that will benefit everyone in Downey.
For his active role in the community and advocacy for small businesses, Horacio was appointed to the Downey Planning Commission in 2021, which he now serves as Chair. He has spent countless hours cutting unnecessary red tape to promote a business-friendly and family-friendly community. Most recently, he instructed staff to improve an outdated system, ensuring the popular restaurant chain Shake Shack Burgers was expedited to Downey. While he is business friendly, Horacio will always put family values first. He was the only Planning Commissioner to vote against permitting Ojos Locos Cantina from opening across the street from Downey High school.
Horacio Ortiz is a neighborhood watch captain and an active member of Gangs Out of Downey (GOOD). He encourages residents to look out for one another and to report suspicious activity to the Downey Police Department. Maintaining safe communities in Downey is priority number one.
His family taught him to be humble and to always give back to the community. He now serves as board member of several local non-profits, including Gangs Out of Downey, the Downey Rose Float Association, and Downey Kiwanis. This inspired Horacio to establish a non-profit with his family called Proyecto Esperanza Foundation, in wherethey have funded over 26 cleft palate surgeries for low income children, raised over $10,000 for St. Jude’s hospital, provided 20 beds for two orphanges in Tijuana, Mexico, and worked alongside MOLA (The Museum of Latin Art Institute) to charter a bus for children to visit the museum.
As a member of the Downey Kiwanis in partnership with Rancho Los Amigos, CalFresh, and the Department of Public Health, Horacio has dedicated many hours serving fresh food and vegetables to low income families in the efforts to prevent more homelessness.
District 1 (Southeast Downey) has the highest number of homeless encampments in the city. Horacio will direct city staff to communicate the available resources to the homeless encampments in the community. Homeless encampments will not be accepted as the new norm in Downey. The use of illegal drugs in public areas will not be tolerated. Horacio will fight for our families’ quality of life first.
All corners of Downey should look equally beautiful. Horacio’s vision is to bring a higher quality of life back into the city. As your new Council Member, Horacio Ortiz will beautify streets, parks (including the skate park), sidewalks, and alleys in District 1 (Southeast Downey).
