Biography

Sam Liccardo, born on April 16, 1970, in Saratoga, California, is a Democratic politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for California's 16th Congressional District. He was sworn into office on January 7, 2025, succeeding Anna Eshoo. Prior to his congressional tenure, Liccardo served two terms as the 65th Mayor of San José from 2015 to 2023, where he implemented innovative approaches to reduce homelessness, expand affordable housing, and improve public safety.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Government from Georgetown University, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
  • Juris Doctor and Master of Public Policy from Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School.

• Political Experience:

  • Served as a criminal prosecutor in the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, focusing on felony crimes of sexual assault and child exploitation.
  • Elected to the San José City Council in 2006, representing District 3 until 2014.
  • Elected as Mayor of San José in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 with 75.8% of the vote.
  • Led the California Big City Mayors coalition, advocating for statewide issues including homelessness and COVID-19 response.
  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024, representing California's 16th Congressional District.

Notable Achievements

• Homelessness and Housing:

  • Pioneered the conversion of motels into housing in 2016, a model later adopted statewide.
  • Developed quick-build prefabricated housing communities, providing rapid and cost-effective shelter solutions.

• Public Safety:

  • Implemented measures that led to San José achieving the lowest homicide rate among major U.S. cities during his tenure.
  • Crafted a first-in-the-nation ordinance requiring gun owners to pay annual fees to support violence-prevention programs and to purchase liability insurance.

• Environmental Initiatives:

  • Launched San José Clean Energy, procuring 95% of its electricity from renewable and greenhouse gas-free sources.
  • Led successful ballot measures to preserve open spaces and hillsides, and to rebuild city infrastructure.

• Economic Development:

  • Facilitated the expansion of major tech campuses in San José, including those of Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
  • Opposed public subsidies for tech companies, emphasizing investments in talent and infrastructure.

• Education and Youth Programs:

  • Launched "San José Works," providing over 5,000 East San José teens with their first jobs.
  • Expanded after-school and summer learning programs for children in underserved neighborhoods through "San José Learns."

Liccardo's tenure is marked by a solutions-oriented approach, focusing on pragmatic policies to address complex urban challenges.