Costa Mesa voters will elect a new mayor in November, with councilmembers Mike Buley and Loren Gameros vying for the city’s top elected post. The incumbent, Mayor John Stephens, is termed out and cannot run again, leaving the office open as the city faces a slate of consequential decisions on housing and fiscal priorities.
High-stakes housing issues loom
The next mayor will take office amid a complicated housing landscape for Costa Mesa. Officials and residents are preparing for litigation involving sober living homes, oversight of the expansive Fairview Developmental Center project and the implementation of a regional housing plan that calls for the construction of 11,760 new homes by 2029.
That housing target has already produced friction between the city and state. In July, California filed suit against Costa Mesa, alleging the city failed to meet its share of regional housing needs — a legal backdrop that shapes campaign debate and the policy choices the next mayor will make.
Positions offered by a challenger
Councilmember Mike Buley, who represents District 1 and was elected to the council in 2024, has centered his campaign on local control. He has criticized state housing mandates as unreasonable and argued that municipalities should have more authority to determine the quantity and type of housing built in their communities.
“Local officials have very limited independence in navigating the myriad of mandates and dictates imposed by Sacramento,”
“A better policy would allow cities to plan the number, location, and types of units. This would result in more building, more quickly.”
Buley has also framed the mayor’s primary responsibility as fiscal stewardship. In his responses to a candidate questionnaire, he described the “number one job” of elected leaders as directing funds to essential services, including infrastructure, streets and roads, water and wastewater, schools, parks, and public safety — police and fire.
He added that accelerating local economic activity and permitting could help generate tax revenue and fees that the city needs for ongoing services.
Incumbent council experience and election context
Loren Gameros, the other mayoral candidate, serves on the council representing District 2 and was first elected in 2020. The race will determine who leads the city through a period that includes complex land use debates, litigation and significant housing targets imposed by regional plans and state policy.
- Candidates: Mike Buley (District 1) and Loren Gameros (District 2)
- Outgoing mayor: John Stephens (termed out)
- Major issues: sober living home litigation, Fairview Developmental Center project, 11,760-unit housing plan (through 2029)
| Candidate | Council District | Year Elected |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Buley | 1 | 2024 |
| Loren Gameros | 2 | 2020 |
What’s at stake for residents
The mayor will play a central role in shaping how Costa Mesa responds to state pressure on housing production and in guiding the city’s approach to large redevelopment projects that could alter neighborhoods and public services. Voters will weigh candidates’ visions for balancing compliance with state mandates against preserving local priorities such as neighborhood character and city-funded services.
With a lawsuit already filed by the state and a tight timeline for meeting housing goals, the outcome of the November election could affect Costa Mesa’s legal strategy, relations with Sacramento and pace of housing development in the coming years. The winner will also face budgetary decisions that could influence everything from road repairs to public safety staffing.
As the campaign proceeds, Costa Mesa voters and stakeholders can expect debates and public forums to focus on these policy trade-offs and the practical steps the next mayor would take to address them.
