Scott Hughes never imagined he’d step into the limelight after serving as San Jose Vice Mayor Pam Foley’s chief of staff for the past seven-and-a-half years. Now, he’s running to replace his boss.
Hughes, 58, has entered the race for the District 9 City Council seat, which covers southwest San Jose and meets the borders of Willow Glen, Almaden Valley and Campbell. Foley terms out in 2026 after eight years in office, and Hughes is the first to announce his candidacy for the district.
As someone who’s lived in District 9 for more than a decade, Hughes said he wants to continue projects he and Foley have worked on together so they don’t fall to the wayside. He said he has connections to get the job done from his experience with Foley and former District 9 Councilmember Don Rocha, who he worked under as a policy aide for five years.
“The relationships we’ve built… have put me so far ahead of the game,” he told San José Spotlight. “It’s just literally going to be an extension of what I’ve already been doing for the last 12 years.”
Hughes has three priorities if elected: addressing the homelessness crisis, improving housing and boosting public safety. He said he mostly agrees with Mayor Matt Mahan’s policies to handle those issues.
In his time as chief of staff, Hughes has worked on the Bristol Hotel, which recently became a transitional housing site for single women and families. The project, part of a larger citywide effort to house former Columbus Park homeless residents in hotels, drew significant backlash from San Jose and Campbell residents.
Hughes has spoken with four women living at the Bristol Hotel and wants the project to succeed. He said he also helped clear about 200 residents from waterways and furthered an emergency housing site near Cherry Avenue. He wants to focus on shifting dollars toward affordable housing.
“We’ve done a tremendous amount in terms of building up our shelter system, but now we need to figure out what our next step is there,” he said “We need to start to look at the cost of our shelter system and how we can reduce those costs.”
One of Hughes’ favorite projects he’s worked on is the Cambrian Park Plaza redevelopment. Project plans include demolishing the existing shopping center and replacing it with hundreds of homes. The project has taken years and Hughes wants it finished, aiming to break ground before Foley terms out.
He also wants to ensure San Jose police officers and firefighters have the proper tools to protect residents and themselves, and continue making streets safe and walkable for pedestrians.
Hughes grew up in Colorado Springs and moved to the Bay Area to study kinesiology at Foothill College and Sonoma State University. Before working in local government, he previously worked in sales and marketing for Voter Contact Services and served as a Campbell parks and recreation commissioner. He has two grandchildren and two daughters, one of whom teaches at an elementary school in the district.
Foley endorsed Hughes because she said he’s the most qualified person for the job. She said in the time she’s worked with him, his compassion for the community is apparent as the staff member that’s responded to residents’ concerns in person at the drop of a hat.
“That legacy of collaboration is vital. It shows residents they’re not being left behind and that their representative remains responsive and available to help their community thrive,” Foley told San José Spotlight. “This work doesn’t end when a councilmember terms out. Our residents deserve continuity, care, and effectiveness, and I truly believe Scott is the right person to provide that.”
Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X.