Hello Temecula friends,

I’m Laurel LaMont. I have been a Trader Joe’s crew member since 2008, I’m a single mom raising a son, and I’m the founder of Upward Community. I’m running for Temecula City Council because too many people feel the decisions shaping their daily lives are being made without them in the room.

Temecula is changing, and too many families are being left behind by choices that do not reflect how people actually live. Housing is becoming unattainable for the workforce that keeps this city running. Parents are stretched thin by long commutes, rising costs, and systems that take time but rarely give it back. Too often, local government feels distant from the people most affected by its decisions.

Housing in Temecula is not just a challenge for young families. Our population is aging, yet there are few realistic options for longtime residents to downsize and stay connected to the community they helped build. Too often, the expectation is to leave Temecula altogether, moving away from family, neighbors, and care networks. That is not community.

Right now, many people cannot downsize even if they want to. Smaller homes are scarce, and apartments often cost more than an existing mortgage. A healthy housing system makes room for people at every stage of life so families, workers, and seniors can stay rooted here together.

I’m not running to climb a political ladder. I’m running because local decisions shape our housing costs, our schedules, our safety, and the amount of time we have for family and community. Real leadership means showing up, listening, and making choices grounded in lived experience and long term responsibility.

This campaign is for working families, longtime homeowners who want their kids and parents to stay close, and neighbors who believe Temecula should be a place where people can stay, grow, and belong across generations.