EDS: Cronkite School students profiled candidates for Phoenix City Council and the Maricopa County sheriff race. You can find all the profiles here. 

By Eve Wodarcyk
Special for Cronkite News

• Candidate name: Ann O’Brien
• Political affiliation: Republican, nonpartisan race
• Position sought: Phoenix City Council member in District 1
• Career: Realtor

Although she never expected to be a Phoenix City Council member, Ann O’Brien now sits in her 11th floor office at Phoenix City Hall. Running unopposed in the Nov. 5 election, the District 1 incumbent said she is grateful that she was elected in November 2020.

Born and raised in Arizona, O’Brien graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in business. From working consulting jobs to obtaining her real estate license to running for the school board of her children’s school district, O’Brien said her various experiences bring value to the council.

Throughout each of her positions, O’Brien has found a passion in helping her community. However, it was becoming a stay-at-home mom to raise her two children, Amanda and Thomas, that opened new doors.

“That allowed me the opportunity to start advocating for not just my kids, but other kids,” O’Brien said.

In 2014, O’Brien ran for the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board. After her election, she became even more involved in the community. She met the late Thelda Williams, District 1’s previous councilwoman, while doing advocacy work in the community. Williams appointed O’Brien to the Deer Valley Village Planning Committee.

Andrew Hernandez, District 1’s external affairs coordinator, said O’Brien has been a supportive and understanding boss. Hernandez moved to Arizona from Los Angeles to attend ASU. This is his first job in politics.

“I came out here from Los Angeles. I don’t have family out here, just me, and she’s pretty understanding with that. So, she has a big heart,” Hernandez said. “She wants to take care
of people. She’s a mom first.”

After Williams was termed out and following major events of 2020, O’Brien felt called to run for City Council.

“The Memorial Day weekend when George Floyd was murdered and our nation erupted in chaos … I just felt really called that it was important for me to try to get elected,” O’Brien said.

Police support

One of O’Brien’s biggest accomplishments is increasing support for the Phoenix Police Department. Prior to O’Brien’s term as councilwoman, Phoenix had to borrow drones if faced with a Priority 1 situation, or an emergency call that requires an immediate response. Now, drones are available to the police, fire and parks departments.

O’Brien was also involved in the implementation of the Real Time Operations Center, which went into full effect in January 2024. O’Brien said technology plays a critical role in keeping citizens safe, especially considering the current shortage of police officers in Phoenix.

According to documents from the City of Phoenix, the Police Department’s budget affords the agency 3,125 officers. But, O’Brien said, the force falls short of that cap by more than 550 officers. During the hiring freeze spurred by the Great Recession of 2008, Phoenix did not hire any new officers for six years. The pandemic quickly followed, as did a widespread backlash against police.

The Department of Justice recently released a report that found patterns of excessive force and discrimination by Phoenix police. In a statement on the findings, O’Brien talked about the City of Phoenix’s compliance and transparency throughout the investigation. As a member of the Public Safety and Justice subcommittee, O’Brien said she is committed to moving forward with these and other issues.

“I also think that you can acknowledge that there are things we need to fix or do differently without degrading employees, and certainly I don’t think it’s ever right to use a broad brush and paint an entire department because of a few actions,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said she is grateful for every police officer in the department.

Economic development

O’Brien is also passionate about economic development. She said that Phoenix’s issues are all connected.

“It all is like a giant puzzle and has to work together. And if one piece is missing, it just doesn’t work right. And we need it all to work together,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said she is committed to developing the city with intention, balancing District 1’s growth with economic development. By ensuring that a variety of housing options are available, including apartments and high-end homes, she wants everyone in Phoenix to have a place to call home.

O’Brien is currently working on developing Metrocenter, which was previously a shopping mall. By developing this area with retail and commercial spaces, including housing options, and with the light rail easily accessible, she supports creating a walkable living environment.

With the cost of housing a growing concern in Phoenix, O’Brien is looking to reduce obstacles for homeowners and developers. The Construction Defect Law has led to an increase in insurance rates for condos and townhomes, making it more expensive to build these in Arizona, according to O’Brien.

“We’re working with stakeholders to see what we can do about making some adjustments to that law so that we’re still protecting the buyer, the owner of the product, but we’re making it more affordable for them to build and have here in Arizona,” O’Brien said.

The Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance was recently updated to essentially help developers build with fewer restrictions.

Addressing homelessness

O’Brien led the development of the proposed Homeless Solutions Plan. Based on numbers from 2019 to 2023, nearly three-quarters of the homeless population in the region is in Phoenix.

The plan is intended to help unhoused people get back on their feet. If an unhoused person is arrested on suspicion of a nonviolent offense, the court will determine if they qualify for the Community Court program. From there, a plan is in place to get them what they need to move forward.

“There was a woman, one of the first graduates, who talked about [how] she was thankful to the police officers who arrested her for her drug use. So, when she did some time, it allowed her to get clean,” O’Brien said. “And then the court program allowed her to get housing and help so that she could return back to being a mom to her children.”

The plan also recommends banning camping within 500 feet of parks and schools. This law went into effect in September 2024, with the goal of creating drug-free zones and ensuring students and children feel safe in their neighborhoods.

O’Brien’s plan recognizes that homelessness is an ongoing issue.

“We lead with services. What we want is for people to get help and get off the streets. We also have to hold people accountable for their actions when they’re breaking laws and ordinances,” O’Brien said.

Community

Spanning northwest Phoenix from Northern Avenue to New River Road, District 1 includes Metrocenter, ASU’s West Valley Campus, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and the Deer Valley Airport. O’Brien said she is committed to serving her constituents across the district.

“I enjoy making my community a better place for them, and I want it to be that way,” O’Brien said. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I was born and raised here. I went to high school here, except for a couple of years up in NAU. … I came home and went to ASU and graduated from there. I want this to continue to be a great place for people to raise their families, like my husband and I did, and like my daughter and her husband are doing.”

Williams started monthly community breakfasts and dinners for District 1 residents. O’Brien has continued this tradition, alternating breakfasts and dinners in different areas to ensure as many people can attend as possible. O’Brien puts out newsletters and asks for community input. The annual budget process includes several meetings to inform the community of the city’s budget and ask for feedback. There is also an online option to submit feedback or comments to the city.

George Donaldson, a community advocate who frequently attends the monthly meetings, said that O’Brien has provided solid support as a council member.

“I think a good example is that at the last meeting they had downtown with the council, she brought up the fact that we have a problem with 911 and the crime stop calls,” Donaldson said. “And she made that an amendment to the issue they were presenting there. So, I think that’s great.”

O’Brien said she is a problem solver.

“It’s important to bring people together and find where we agree so we can move forward,” she said. “Because inaction just isn’t a good answer.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.