Meet Christian
Christian Shaughnessy is a housing specialist, homelessness expert, and educator who works full time in Ward 2 to end homelessness, reduce street violence, and protect victims of crime. After one of his close friends was tragically murdered by gangs just three blocks from the home he grew up in, Christian knew that San Bernardino needed change—and he committed his life to being part of that change.
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He serves as Chair of the San Bernardino County Youth Coordinated Entry System, helping address some of the most difficult cases of youth homelessness. As Staff Liaison for the County’s Youth Advisory Board on Homelessness and Substance Abuse, he mentors young advocates fighting for affordable housing, good jobs with living wages, public safety, and recovery support.
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Christian also leads the homeless youth motel voucher program in collaboration with the City of San Bernardino, providing emergency shelter and stability for vulnerable youth. He was appointed as an Alternate Member of the Central Valley Homeless Provider Network and as a City Commissioner on the General Plan Advisory Committee, helping shape the city’s future for working families and small businesses. He is a member of the San Bernardino County Human Rights Coalition where he fights for victims of crime and community public safety. Christian also serves as a member of ChICCCAA (Chicano Indigenous Community for Culturally Conscious Advocacy & Action) where he builds community power.
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An educator in the United States and formerly overseas, Christian now runs a small tutoring and mentoring business serving local students.
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A proud graduate of Pacific High School, San Bernardino Valley College (where he served as Co-Chair of MEChA, the Chicano Student Movement of Aztlán), and the University of California, Santa Barbara, Christian has worked on campaigns for good governance, high-quality job creation, and safer communities across the nation. Christian also had the honor of being a volunteer union organizer for the first Starbucks union in the Inland Empire at La Quinta.
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With your help, we can make Ward 2—and our entire city—a better, safer, and fairer place to live.
Endorsements
• San Bernardino Democratic Luncheon Club (Unanimously Endorsed)
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36
• (Ret) Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown
• (Ret) San Bernardino County Assessor Don Williamson
• (Ret) San Bernardino Councilwoman Kimberly Calvin
• (Ret) San Bernardino Councilman Jim Mulvihill
• (Ret) San Bernardino Councilman Rikke Van Johnson
• San Bernardino School Board Member Mary Ellen Abilez Grande
• Moreno Valley School Board President Sammie Luna
• Riverside Councilwoman Clarissa Cervantes
• Adelanto Councilwoman Steveonna Evans
• Jurupa Area Recreation and Park District Trustee Edgar Castelan
• Chair of the Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses Frank Montes
• Ward 2 Non-Profit Executive Director and VV Marine Corps League Commandant Darryl Evey
• Chief Coordinator 909 Tacolandia Brandon Mejia
• Ward 2 Small Businessman David Friedman
• Ward 2 Small Businessman and Affordable Housing Builder Robert Carrillo
• Ward 2 Small Businessman and SB County Commissioner Mark Alvarez
• Ward 2 Community Leader and President of the City of San Bernardino Young Democrats Maelena Enriquez
• San Bernardino Citizen of the Month and Youth Organizer Andy Fuentes
• San Bernardino Community Leader Ulysses Mora-Rodriguez
• San Bernardino Community Leader Angela Wilkinson
• San Bernardino Community Leader James Albert
• San Bernardino Community Leader Ruben Mendoza
• Former San Bernardino County Assessor Candidate Dara Smith
Issues
Homelessness:
Too many lives have been lost in our city’s growing homelessness crisis—from dog attacks in unsafe encampments to drug overdoses that claim both the young and the old. Homeowners, renters, and business owners alike no longer feel safe in their own neighborhoods.
We must tackle the root causes of chronic homelessness—not just apply band-aid solutions when election time comes. That means investing in mental health care, expanding affordable housing, creating better jobs, and holding negligent slumlords accountable so that every resident has a safe place to live and thrive.
Public Safety:
​Like too many families in San Bernardino, I know firsthand the pain caused by crime and gang violence. We must strengthen and expand innovative efforts like the Violence Intervention Program, while hiring more detectives to solve crimes quickly and bring justice to victims. We must also support and grow Victim Services and Domestic Violence Programs—and take decisive action to stop the human trafficking crisis in our city once and for all. The safety of our animals and their guardians is also important to me, and we must save abandoned animals and reduce the kill rate at our animal shelter instead of overloading our staff and volunteers.
Blight:
Rundown and neglected buildings drag down property values for hardworking families and honest small businesses. Too many tenants living paycheck to paycheck are being exploited by slumlords who ignore safety and decency. We must hire more code enforcement officers and strengthen enforcement of our housing laws to protect our neighborhoods, support responsible landlords, and make San Bernardino a safe and livable place to raise a family.
Fixing Our Streets:
Like you, I know the frustration and cost of our city’s potholes. I once hit a San Bernardino pothole that caused more than $3,000 in damage to my only car. No one working hard to support their family should have to pay that price for simply driving to work or school. We need an ambitious, accountable program to repair our streets, improve traffic intersections, and make driving in San Bernardino safe for our working families—and for our wallets.
