AJeffrey Koji Maloney has been elected the longest-serving Alhambra City Council member. He is now seeking to continue his work as an environmental advocate and mayor of Gateway to San Gabriel Valley.
Maloney was raised in Pasadena. He spent his childhood in Alhambra, before moving to Pasadena over two decades ago.
He is married with two children and represents the city on Clean Power Alliance, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, and League of California Cities. He is vice president of Asian Pacific Islander Caucus and a member of Transportation, Communication, and Public Works Committee.
Maloney stated that we have made a lot of improvements over the past few years and are really trying to be a model community in this part of the San Gabriel Valley.
Maloney served on the council for a number of issues including transport, housing, and environmental sustainability. This is a cause Maloney has been passionate about ever since he was a kid hiking in the Arroyo Seco.
Maloney recalls feeling a pain in his chest while hiking in the mountains one day with his father. His father explained to Maloney that it was a smog-filled day. Maloney felt the loss of the joy that he had in nature.
There would be days when you had to walk outside, but you couldn’t see the mountains because of too much smog. Maloney explained that school wouldn’t allow you to play outside during school because it was too dangerous. It is our responsibility to ensure that our children have something to inherit. That the environment and planet they live on is healthy. This is also being taken care of by the current generation. This is for the next generation of people, who will either look at us and say we made great decisions or made poor decisions about our future. I hope to be on the great side of that ledger.
Maloney’s San Gabriel Valley childhood inspired and informed his commitment towards conservation and environmental stewardship. Maloney is now an environmental lawyer with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. His advocacy for the preservation of natural spaces that he enjoyed as his childhood playground is what he does today.
Although Maloney has a long list of plans to address climate change in Alhambra, which he will outline in a new initiative that awaits congressional approval, it involves the transition of the city’s fleet to zero-emission vehicles, giving people ample opportunities to use alternate modes of transportation to their automobiles, encouraging people to use single-use plastics, increasing the city’s tree canopy, and expanding park space. However, he insists that the community is essential for any achievement.
Maloney stated that he doesn’t want it to be just one person on the city council who is imposing his views. It needs to come from all levels. We need to go out into the community to talk to people and ensure that we are engaging with them in a positive way. I want to know what people think about sustainability in our community. Also, how we will mitigate the impacts of climate changes locally so that we can still be healthy and have a safe place to live. Because it really must start with the people in our community, I want to hear their opinions.
Maloney believes in sustainability and strongly believes in housing as a human rights. Cities have a responsibility and obligation to provide affordable and stable housing to those who need it, especially during the current housing crisis.
It’s not a unique problem for Alhambra. Maloney stated that we didn’t cause the crisis and that we are not going to solve it ourselves. We have this interaction where all cities must come up with a new plan for zoning that allows for a certain amount of housing units. We are striving to meet that goal, but we also need to find ways to provide affordable housing. It is a moral obligation to assist members of our community that have contributed a lot to our community, but are now being priced out. We have to take care of them.
The city is currently developing two affordable housing projects on city land to provide permanent housing for people who are in dire need or have incomes below the median. Maloney insists on housing being at the center of his plans for the city.
Maloney will be working as mayor to address traffic and regional transportation issues. He will examine how the highway system encourages drivers through Alhambra, and work to reduce traffic through the city.
Maloney stated that while I understand the need to get people to where they want to go, our community has dealt successfully with this problem for decades. I believe there are ways to make traffic flow better in the area. But also to provide opportunities for people who might be looking to find alternative modes of transport and to help us create a community where people don’t have to depend on their car constantly.
Maloney is looking for ways to promote progress and innovation in Alhambra. However, he also recognizes the economic and emotional impact that the pandemic has had over the community the past two years.
Maloney stated that the pandemic has had a devastating effect on families that lost loved ones or suffered other losses. It has made people reevaluate the way they were before. I believe we are trying to be positive and recognize the tragedy that has occurred.
One of the biggest changes Maloney witnessed during the pandemic was the creative ways that people have been able work together and engage in public debate. From a time when speaking at city council meetings required that you schedule a date, wait in the chamber, fill in a card, then speak, virtual meetings have made it much easier for the public to access the chambers. Members of the Alhambra community can now make use of this opportunity to make their voices heard.
Maloney stated that Alhambra can expect a greater public engagement. We have a great diversity of opinions, viewpoints, and are very diverse demographically. It is a good thing that we have public discussions about where we should go. Our residents have a lot of things to offer and can bring a lot to this table.
Maloney, along with his fellow councilmembers, will continue to look forward to the future as Alhambra emerges from the pandemic. They will continue to envision a prosperous, safe, and healthy city.
