Candidate Close Up 2024: Lee Sun
Lee Sun, who was appointed to the city’s Finance Commission by current Mayor Farrah Khan, is running to replace her as Irvine's next Mayor. Photo credit Lee Sun
Lee Sun, a 22-year resident of Irvine and long-time community advocate, is making his bid for the mayor’s seat in the 2024 election. With a background in the medical device industry and experience on two city committees, Sun feels prepared to tackle some of Irvine’s biggest challenges.
Sun’s involvement in Irvine’s civic landscape began with an appointment to Irvine’s Investment Advisory Committee by Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan in 2018. He served on the Investment Advisory Committee until 2023, and served as chair of the committee for two years. This July, he received another appointment by Khan, this time to the city’s Finance Commission.
As Irvine continues its rapid expansion, Sun believes the city needs a leader who is committed to listening to residents. He wants decisions based primarily on the community's needs.
“Irvine is entering a new phase of growth and transformation, confronting challenges in public safety, affordable housing, traffic, and climate change,” said Sun. “The city needs a leader who listens to the voices of residents and upholds the highest standard of integrity, responsibility, and transparency.”
Public Safety
One of Sun’s main areas of concern is public safety, particularly property crimes. Although residential burglaries have decreased for the past three years, Lee points out that it is still an issue for many who feel that Irvine’s safe reputation is in peril.
"Even though Irvine is ranked as the safest mid-sized city in America, residents have observed rising crimes like theft,” Sun said. “We need to address this by strengthening our police force, providing them with the best training, and making use of the latest technology.”
He also expressed interest in expanding the city’s Neighborhood Watch program. While Irvine already has a system in place, Sun suggested that more could be done to engage residents in crime prevention efforts.
“If elected, I would establish a neighborhood watch fund, giving residents financial resources to help organize these programs,” he said.
When asked about existing resources, like the free neighborhood watch signs currently provided by the Irvine Police Department, Sun acknowledged that more research was needed to fine-tune his proposal.
Traffic and Transportation
Sun also addressed Irvine’s ever worsening traffic. He pointed to the city’s Irvine Connect project, which provides shuttle services in certain areas of the city, as a good step.
“Irvine Connect is a great initiative, but it needs to be expanded, especially with the 2028 Olympics coming up,” Sun said. “We need better public transportation options connecting communities to key locations like train stations and public venues.”
For Sun, addressing traffic isn’t just about transportation but also about long-term city planning. He believes any efforts to solve Irvine’s housing needs must take traffic, safety, and education into account.
"We can’t just build housing without thinking about the impact on our schools, police force, and overall quality of life," he explained.
Tackling Partisan Influence
While Sun recognizes that the position of mayor is technically nonpartisan, he is wary of the role political parties have played in Irvine politics.
"Even though it’s a nonpartisan position, political parties are heavily involved behind the scenes with endorsements and other forms of support,” Sun said.
Sun positions himself as an advocate for Irvine residents who is free from outside influence.
“I’m running to represent Irvine residents only,” emphasized Sun. “No partisan politics, no special interests, no big corporations. Every vote I cast will be with the best interest of our community in mind.”
When asked why Irvine residents should vote for him, Sun framed his candidacy around meeting voters’ needs.
“Irvine residents deserve a mayor who will truly listen to their voices, uphold the highest standard of integrity, and make decisions that benefit residents while enhancing our community,” he said.
As Irvine faces challenges ranging from public safety to housing, Sun hopes his emphasis on integrity, transparency, and putting residents first will resonate with voters in the upcoming election.
Irvinite Questions
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Irvinite Questions 〰️
Read Sun’s answers to some questions posted by members of the Irvine subreddit.
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I feel like I've been seeing more reckless driving lately, and fewer police on the roads. It’s just an observation, but it feels like traffic enforcement isn’t as visible as it used to be. Strengthening our police force and enforcing traffic laws should be a priority. Recently, I saw a tragic accident on the freeway—two motorcyclists were killed. We need to make sure we have more police presence on the roads to prevent things like that. It's something I would address immediately if elected.
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A year ago, there was talk about building a sports complex for the 2028 Olympics, but the City Council voted it down, which was unfortunate. I hope we can still increase resident participation in events, perhaps by expanding Irvine Connect or offering shuttles to key locations.
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About January 6, 2021—if you’re referring to the Capitol events, I was at work that day and was shocked by what happened. It was concerning, but thankfully, the situation was resolved, and we can’t allow anything like that to happen again.
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