Todd Gloria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Todd Gloria
37th Mayor of San Diego
Incumbent
Assumed office December 10, 2020
Preceded by	Kevin Faulconer
Acting August 30, 2013 – March 3, 2014
Preceded by	Bob Filner
Succeeded by	Kevin Faulconer
Member of the California State Assembly from the 78th district
In office December 5, 2016 – November 30, 2020
Preceded by	Toni Atkins
Succeeded by	Chris Ward
President of the San Diego City Council
In office December 3, 2012 – December 10, 2014
Preceded by	Tony Young
Succeeded by	Sherri Lightner
Member of the San Diego City Council from the 3rd district
In office December 8, 2008 – December 5, 2016
Preceded by	Toni Atkins
Succeeded by	Chris Ward
Personal details
Born	Todd Rex Gloria (1978-05-10) May 10, 1978 (age 47) San Diego, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Residences	San Diego, California
Education	University of San Diego (BA)

Todd Rex Gloria (born May 10, 1978) is an American politician who became the 37th mayor of San Diego in 2020. As mayor, he is in charge of running the city of San Diego. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Gloria made history as the first person of color and the first openly gay person to be elected as San Diego's mayor. Before becoming mayor, he held several other important jobs in government. He was a member of the San Diego City Council and later became its president. For a short time, he was the interim mayor (a temporary mayor) in 2013. He also served in the California State Assembly, where he helped make state laws.

Early Life and Education

Todd Gloria grew up in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego. As a kid, he was interested in how the city was run. In 1989, he was a finalist in a "Mayor for a Day" program. He attended James Madison High School, where he was a leader in the JROTC program.

Gloria's family has a diverse background, including Filipino, Dutch, Puerto Rican, and Native American heritage. He is a member of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. After high school, he went to the University of San Diego, where he was elected student body president.

Political Career

Gloria has spent most of his career working in public service. He started by working for the County of San Diego. Later, he worked for U.S. Congresswoman Susan Davis, who became his mentor. He started as a community representative and eventually became her district director.

From 2005 to 2008, Gloria served as a San Diego Housing Commissioner, where he worked on issues related to housing for the city's residents.

San Diego City Council

Council Member Todd Gloria speaking to the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

In 2008, Gloria was elected to the San Diego City Council, representing District 3. This district includes neighborhoods like Hillcrest, North Park, and Downtown San Diego. He was re-elected in 2012.

In December 2012, the other council members chose him to be the City Council President. As president, he led the council's meetings and helped make important decisions for the city. One of his goals was to combine different groups that help the homeless. This was done to use the city's resources more effectively to help people find homes.

Interim Mayor

Gloria and then-San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer at a San Diego Comic-Con event in 2014.

When Mayor Bob Filner resigned in August 2013, Gloria stepped in as the interim mayor. This meant he was the temporary leader of the city until a new mayor was elected. He served in this role for about six months.

During his time as interim mayor, Gloria focused on making the city government more open and efficient. He also helped create the first draft of San Diego's San Diego Climate Action Plan. This is a plan to fight global warming and protect the environment.

California State Assembly

Gloria at Balboa Park's 100th anniversary in 2015.

In 2016, Gloria was elected to the California State Assembly. The Assembly is part of the state government that creates laws for all of California. He represented the 78th Assembly District, which includes many San Diego neighborhoods.

In the Assembly, he was chosen to be the Majority Whip. This is a leadership role where he helped organize his fellow Democratic Party members. He worked on laws to address important issues like the lack of affordable housing, homelessness, and climate change.

Mayor of San Diego

Gloria (front left) meets with Vice President Kamala Harris (front right) in 2021.

In 2020, Todd Gloria ran for mayor of San Diego and won. He was sworn in on December 10, 2020. As mayor, he has focused on several key areas to improve the city.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure means the basic systems a city needs, like roads, parks, and public buildings. Gloria's "Ready to Rebuild" budget in 2023 aimed to fix and improve San Diego's infrastructure. The plan put more money toward repairing streets and improving parks and libraries.

Public Safety

Gloria proposed changes to improve policing and public safety. One of his goals was to support the Commission on Police Practices (CPP). This is an independent group that reviews the actions of the San Diego Police Department. The plan also called for police to avoid using military-style equipment unless it is absolutely necessary.

Homelessness and Housing

Finding affordable housing is a major challenge in San Diego. Mayor Gloria has called homelessness one of his top priorities. His administration has worked to increase the number of shelter beds available for people without homes.

In 2023, he signed the "Unsafe Camping Ordinance." This law bans tent camps in public spaces like parks and near schools, especially when shelter beds are open. Gloria said the law was needed to keep public spaces safe and clean.

His office also worked on a plan to turn a large building into the city's biggest permanent homeless shelter. The goal is to provide a safe place for people while they get help finding permanent homes.

Personal Life

Todd Gloria lives in downtown San Diego with his partner, Adam Smith, and their dog, Diego.

Electoral History

Here is a summary of the results from Todd Gloria's mayoral elections.

2020 Mayor of San Diego Election

2024 Mayor of San Diego Election