Cision PR Newswire

City of East Palo Alto Councilmember Carlos Romero Elected ABAG Vice President

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Jan 31, 2025, 11:24 AM ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) this month elected City of East Palo Alto Councilmember Carlos Romero as vice president of the regional planning agency and council of governments. Romero will serve until Dec. 31, 2025, replacing former Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín as vice president after Arreguín's recent election to the California State Senate.

"I look forward to continuing to work with my ABAG colleagues in this leadership role as we navigate the coming months," said Romero. "It is critically important that we work together on collaborative approaches to the region's challenges and advance equitable solutions to address our housing, transportation and environmental needs."

After growing up in San Jose and Guadalajara, Mexico, Romero studied international relations and economics at Stanford University. While there, he tutored youth in East Palo Alto and eventually worked as a community organizer for the city's incorporation campaign. In 2005, Romero was selected as a Harvard Loeb Fellow at the Graduate School of Design.

Romero was first elected to the East Palo Alto City Council in 2008 and served as mayor in 2011 and 2021. In addition to his work with ABAG, Romero is a housing development and land use consultant for community organizations. Romero previously led the Mission Housing Development Corporation, a nonprofit dedicated to creating and preserving affordable housing and providing support services for low and moderate-income San Francisco residents. He currently serves as chair of the ABAG Housing Committee and chair of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority Board of Directors.

Founded in 1961, ABAG is the regional planning agency for the Bay Area's nine counties and 101 cities and towns and is recognized as the first council of governments in California.