Frank Figueroa Looks to Oust Mayor Hernandez

Frank Figueroa to Challenge Incumbent Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez

COACHELLA — At 31, Frank Figueroa, the first openly gay elected official in the city of Coachella, is looking to wrestle the reins of leadership from incumbent Mayor Steven Hernandez on Nov. 5.

Hernandez has been a fixture on the Coachella City Council for 18 years, serving as a councilmember until he first became mayor in 2014.

Figueroa, a university financial manager, has earned the coveted endorsement of Democratic Congressman Raul Ruiz.

This year, Figueroa emerged as a trailblazer and advocate for inclusivity, making a profound impact in the eastern Coachella Valley. Previously having served on the Borrego Health board of trustees, Figueroa is a current DAP Health board member with a decade of experience in higher education administration. His history of prioritizing equal access to educational opportunities embodies values of integrity and compassion as he strives for positive change and serves as a beacon of hope in building an inclusive community. He was honored with the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards

The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards not only pay tribute to DAP Health’s long legacy of protecting and expanding health care access for the most vulnerable among us but recognize nine honorees who represent every community member who has helped fulfill DAP Health’s mission since it was founded as Desert AIDS Project by Palm Springs volunteers in 1984.

To give readers and voters a closer look at Figueroa, we asked him a few questions.

Uken Report (UR): What specifically motivated you to challenge longtime incumbent Mayor Steven Hernandez?

Frank Figueroa: As a council member, I am constantly speaking with residents, listening to their needs, and working with them to improve our city. In having those conversations, it’s become clear that Coachella residents want new leadership. I’m running with a fresh, bold vision for our city: Improving public safety by hiring more police officers, adding vehicle license plate readers, and increasing firefighter funding. Expanding our first time home buyer program, so that owning a home is achievable for all Coachella working families. And developing Coachella as a top tourist destination, so that we create good paying jobs and the opportunity to succeed for all Coachella residents.

UR: What sets you apart from him?

Frank Figueroa: I am a proud son and grandson of farmworkers who raised me to have a strong work ethic and to love Coachella. I am passionate about giving back to a community that has given so much to me. That was the reason I ran for office in the first place. Now, as a council member, I’ve fought for affordable housing for seniors and low-income families, youth engagement opportunities, and to support our small businesses. I am proud of the work and progress we have made. However, there is still a lot of work to be done. I understand that we are facing challenges that need bold leadership.

With my experience as a councilmember and as a financial manager, I understand that we need to generate new revenue and also better allocate funds to areas that our community really needs. We need to hire more police officers and increase firefighter funding. We need to expand our first time homebuyer program to help Coachella families own their first home. And we need to make sure Coachella gets a piece of the tourist market. I am passionate and ready to work with my fellow council members and community to put the needs of our residents first.

UR: How would your leadership differ from that of Hernandez?

Frank Figueroa: Look, we need to be productive and efficient in order to build the best Coachella we can for our families. That means working in collaboration with our community members, local businesses, schools, and every stakeholder here. We also need to be able to work with each other and other cities in the region, as well as our state and federal partners. I plan to do just that and to prioritize the needs of our residents above politics, and that’s why Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz and many other service-oriented leaders have endorsed me in this race.

UR: You are openly gay. I just w ant to give you an opportunity to address that head on. Do you think it will become an issue in the election? Why or why not?

Frank Figueroa: I don’t think who anyone loves should be an issue in any election. I’m proud of who I am, and to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but that has little to do with my commitment to serving the city of Coachella and all of its residents. Our strength as a community comes from the excellence of each of us. We value the work and talent of every neighbor. We just need to make sure our community is safe and that everyone has an opportunity to succeed, and that’s what I’ll do as mayor.