Martín Arias: From Family Roots to Community Results—Leadership for San Ysidro’s Future

🌟 Family & Personal Story

• Born and raised in San Diego, Martín is a proud first-generation Mexican American and the son of immigrants who came to the United States seeking a better future.

• The first person in his family to graduate from college, Martín understands how education can change the direction of a family for generations.

• His experiences growing up in a working-class immigrant family inspired a lifelong commitment to public service and advocacy for communities too often overlooked.

• Martín and his wife, Maritza, are raising two young sons. As parents, they understand the hopes families place in their neighborhood schools and the importance of safe campuses, excellent teachers, and strong academic opportunities.

• Bilingual in English and Spanish, Martín works to ensure families can be heard, informed, and included in the language they understand and trust.

  

  🎓 Education

  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, San Diego State University, 2015

  • First-generation college graduate

🏫 Leadership for San Ysidro Students

• School Board Clerk, San Ysidro School District

• Helped deliver a balanced district budget and restore financial reserves

• Supported programs that earned statewide recognition, including a 2025 California Golden Bell Award

• Advocates for academic achievement, safe and supportive schools, responsible budgeting, and meaningful family engagement

• Brings professional experience addressing homelessness and housing instability—an issue affecting approximately one in five San Ysidro students during the 2024–25 school year

🌐 Community and Volunteer Leadership

• Board Member, Border View YMCA—supporting youth development and family resources

• President, Imperial Beach Neighborhood Center—advancing community-based support for children and families

• Community Engagement Committee Member, USS Midway Museum

• Former Board Member, San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce—supporting Latino entrepreneurship and community advocacy

  
  

  
  

💼 A Career of Public Service

• Taxpayer Advocate, San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk’s Office

  • Helped thousands of residents navigate the property-tax system and secure available relief

  • Helped expand tax relief benefiting more than 20,000 disabled veterans

  • Contributed to approximately $35 million in property-tax savings for veterans and their families

• Director of Prevention and Intervention Programs, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

  • Created and led Homeless Court Resource Fairs

  • Connected more than 2,000 people with shelter, essential documents, supportive services, and pathways toward stability

  • Collaborated with judges, prosecutors, public defenders, service providers, and community organizations to remove legal and administrative barriers

  • Helped establish a successful service model that continues assisting people throughout San Diego County

• Assistant Director and Crime Prevention Specialist, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

  • Led community programs, prevention initiatives, outreach efforts, and staff development

• Legislative Aide, California State Senate

  • Conducted policy research and legislative analysis while helping residents navigate government services

✨ Recognition & Skills

• Named one of the San Diego Business Journal’s 50 Latino Leaders of Influence

• Featured by La Revista Binacional for Latino excellence and public service

• Recognized by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office during Hispanic Heritage Month for public-service leadership

• Member of the San Ysidro School Board when the district’s community-schools model earned a 2025 California Golden Bell Award

County Assessor Jordan Marks and Taxpayer Advocate Martín Arias celebrate at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human Dignity Award Event

Martín Arias with legendary labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. 'It was an incredible honor to meet someone who has long been a personal hero—Dolores’s unwavering courage and lifelong activism have inspired generations and opened doors for so many, including me.'"

Martín Arias and Rev. Dan Koeshall, Senior Pastor of MCC, the Metropolitan Community Church, gather for Light Up the Cathedral, the 10th annual San Diego Pride interfaith service uplifting LGBTQ+ voices across San Diego's religious communities.