Jobs, Town Center and homelessness shape city council debate

Two candidates with deep roots in Simi Valley are competing for the District 2 City Council seat in the Nov. 3 election, and an Oct. 6 candidate forum at City Hall made clear that economic development, the long-planned Town Center redevelopment and homelessness are the issues defining the race.

Sam Cohen, 43, an engineer, and Richard Perini, 56, who owns the Simi Valley security and low-voltage systems company Absolute Security and Technologies, appeared at a League of Women Voters forum covered by the Simi Valley Acorn. The winner will represent a district covering much of southeastern Simi Valley, including Corriganville Park, Simi Valley High School, the Metrolink station and Sequoia Park. The seat is open because incumbent Mike Judge is running for mayor.

Two candidates, two emphases

Cohen brings more than 25 years of experience managing multimillion-dollar projects and budgets, along with city-side credentials: service on city committees and a stint chairing Neighborhood Council 2. He told forum attendees he wants to preserve Simi Valley's quality of life for future generations — including his own child — and argued his professional and civic background would let him contribute from day one.

His read of the district is grounded in door-knocking. Conversations with residents, he said, show that everyday concerns — parking, recreational vehicles and speeding — often outrank big-picture policy questions. If elected, he pledged to hold more informal town halls so residents can raise issues that don't fit within formal council agendas, and he described the city's Neighborhood Councils as an underused bridge between residents and City Hall that would work better if the groups received complete information.

Perini, a state-certified electrician and 25-plus-year resident, framed his candidacy around family: he said he's running to ensure his granddaughters can grow up in the community he loves. His central argument is that Simi Valley needs stronger economic development to create opportunities for young people and keep families from moving away.

He said he has connections with a light-aircraft company he hopes could bring manufacturing jobs to the city, and argued his business experience positions him to attract employers and improve infrastructure.

Power reliability emerges as a flashpoint

Both candidates addressed the electricity reliability concerns that have dogged Simi Valley and the wider 805 region during Public Safety Power Shutoff events — a practical worry for households and a costly one for local employers.

Cohen pointed to neighboring cities as models, saying Simi Valley could learn from Moorpark's engagement with state regulators and Thousand Oaks' use of microgrids. He called undergrounding power lines a longer-term solution, the Acorn reported.

Perini took a business-first angle. Power outages hurt local employers, he said, and the city should streamline permits for backup generators. He cited spending by AeroVironment — the defense contractor with a major Simi Valley presence — on generators as an example of the costs businesses absorb when the grid is unreliable. "We have to start doing things to help our businesses," Perini said, adding that battery storage and other infrastructure investments may be necessary.

Town Center: support, with strings attached

Both candidates support the mixed-use redevelopment of Simi Valley's Town Center, the long-stalled effort to transform the aging mall area into a walkable hub of housing, retail and dining — but with different priorities.

Cohen backs the plans but wants clear construction milestones and timelines, a nod to residents wary of drawn-out building phases and disruption.

Perini wants the project to lean into entertainment attractions that would draw visitors and boost local spending. He also proposed a first-time homebuyer program to help residents afford the townhomes and condos planned as part of the redevelopment — a pitch aimed directly at the affordability squeeze pushing some families out of the region.

Homelessness approaches diverge

On homelessness, Cohen noted that the number of unhoused individuals in the city has been decreasing and praised Simi Valley's homeless liaison officers for the relationships they've built. He also suggested transitional housing programs in similarly sized cities could offer models for Simi Valley to consider.

Perini said he favors balancing enforcement with services. After visiting the Samaritan Center, the city's longstanding service hub for the unhoused, he proposed a practical addition: a kennel where women could safely leave their dogs while they access services — a recognition that pet ownership is often a barrier that keeps people from seeking shelter or aid.

What's next

Ballots for the Nov. 3 election go to Ventura County voters by mail, and District 2 residents will choose between a candidate selling engineering discipline and neighborhood-level engagement, and one promising business-savvy job creation and deregulation. Either way, the next council member will help steer two of the most consequential items on Simi Valley's agenda: whether Town Center redevelopment finally delivers, and how the city balances economic growth with the quality-of-life concerns — parking, speeding, RVs — that residents raise most often.

The forum, held at City Hall and moderated by the League of Women Voters, offered District 2 voters one of their fullest side-by-side comparisons of the candidates before Election Day.