Shen Po-yang Establishes U.S. West Support Association! Meets Irvine Mayor and Taiwanese-American Councilmember to Learn About 'Affordable Housing' Policies

Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang attended the establishment ceremony of the U.S. West Support Association on June 22 (Taiwan time), drawing around 300 overseas Taiwanese and supporters from cities across the western United States, including Seattle, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Jose, Portland, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Dallas, and Michigan. The event featured a flag presentation ceremony and was marked by enthusiastic support.

Shen expressed gratitude for the mentorship and encouragement he received during his time in the U.S. from 2011 to 2017, where he engaged with communities such as hometown associations, professor associations, and the Taiwan Student Research Association. He credited this support for giving him the courage to run for office and said the strong backing reaffirmed his determination to continue his campaign with full energy.

Shen criticized the current Taipei mayor, Chiang Wan-an, for failing to address critical urban issues such as the Baolintea food safety incident, multiple child abuse cases, rat infestations, aging infrastructure, and social fragmentation, despite maintaining a favorable public image. He emphasized that a capital city lacking resilience is detrimental to national development and reaffirmed his commitment to pushing forward despite personal attacks.

On the second day of his U.S. visit, Shen conducted municipal exchange activities, touring public and cultural facilities in downtown Los Angeles before visiting Irvine City Hall. He met with Mayor Larry Agran and the city’s first Taiwanese-American councilmember, Melinda Liu, along with city officials. Having lived in Irvine from 2011 to 2017, Shen described his return as feeling like coming home. He praised Irvine’s strong public safety record and abundant green spaces, citing them as models for future Taipei urban planning.

As a memento, Mayor Agran presented the delegation with gifts including a California-shaped cheese board, picnic mat, cups, and jacaranda flowers—the city’s official bloom.

The discussions focused on public safety and housing policies. Mayor Agran highlighted Irvine’s investment in professional police training, crime prevention, and de-escalation techniques. Councilmember Liu shared experiences in community policing, deploying social workers for non-violent incidents, and providing cultural competency training for diverse populations.

On housing and demographic challenges, Shen discussed affordable housing, first-time homebuyer assistance, and talent retention policies with Irvine’s team. He noted that Taipei faces similar issues of rising living costs and population decline, and expressed hope that innovative solutions from cities like Irvine could inspire new approaches to urban governance in Taipei, opening up new possibilities for the city’s future.