Ariel Mendez

OR · Bend City Councilor

Bend city councilor. Priorities include housing affordability and safer walking, biking and transit.

Environment and Public Health (2 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Housing Affordability (6 records)

Government Spending Reduction (1 record)

Track record

View

Environment and Public Health · 2 support

Voted yes to adopt Bend's Climate Pollution Fee law in city code. It passed 4-1.
June 17, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: bend.granicus.com
Voted yes to pursue a fee on natural gas appliances, set at 20% of the highest fee based on the cost of carbon pollution. He first raised worries about affordability. It passed 5-1.
February 18, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: bend.granicus.com

Government Spending Reduction · 1 oppose

Voted yes to start city developer help for four multi-unit housing projects. Some units must stay affordable for households earning up to 90% of area median wages. It passed 6-1.
February 19, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bend.granicus.com

Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support

Moved to adopt wildfire safety building rules for homes in Bend (section R327). The council approved the ordinance.
April 15, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: bend.granicus.com

Housing Affordability · 6 support

Voted yes on property tax breaks for two rental projects, Cascade Landing and Verde Pines, rented only to income-qualified households. Each passed 6-1.
October 15, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bend.granicus.com
Voted yes to start city developer help for four multi-unit housing projects. Some units must stay affordable for households earning up to 90% of area median wages. It passed 6-1.
February 19, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bend.granicus.com
Voted yes to pick the Caldera Ranch site for a 100-acre housing expansion of Bend. At his suggestion, the council required wildfire safety steps. It passed 4-2.
December 4, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: ktvz.com
Voted yes on a 10-year property tax break for a multi-unit housing project at 310 and 350 SW Industrial Way. It passed 5-1.
January 3, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bend.granicus.com
Called for a roll call vote and voted yes on Bend code changes to make housing easier to build. The changes passed 6-1.
November 15, 2023Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bend.granicus.com
Voted yes to change Bend's parking code to follow new state climate rules. Supporters at the hearing said removing parking minimums frees land for housing. It passed 4-2.
January 18, 2023Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bend.granicus.com

General · 6 records

Received endorsements from State Senator Anthony Broadman and Mayor Melanie Kebler for his 2026 re-election to Bend City Council.
June 29, 2026
Source: ktvz.com
Voted against a city tax rebate for Emblem, a housing project in southeast Bend. He said the city was using a special tool for land that should develop on its own.
June 23, 2025
Source: bendbulletin.com
Voted yes on new Bend rules for camping on streets and city property. He backed a 24-hour time limit after going on ride-alongs. The rules passed 6-1.
October 16, 2024
Source: bend.granicus.com
Voted no on selling about 3.4 acres of city land on SE 9th Street, with money going to housing. He said housing zoning could not bring the land's best use. It passed 6-1.
September 18, 2024
Source: bend.granicus.com
Moved to keep a ban on drive-through windows, except small coffee huts, in the Wildflower planned neighborhood. His amendment failed 2-5.
April 5, 2023
Source: bend.granicus.com
Voted against a motion to refuse to hear appeals of a disputed gas station in southeast Bend. The motion passed 5-2, so the approval stood.
February 1, 2023
Source: ktvz.com