Pomona, CA

Pomona’s political climate has shifted hard left over the past decade, and if you’ve lived here as long as I have, you’ve felt it in everything from city council meetings to how the local schools handle discipline. The Cook PVI sits at D+8, which means the city votes about 8 points more Democratic than the national average—but that number doesn’t tell the full story. In the 2020 presidential election, Pomona gave Joe Biden over 68% of the vote, while Donald Trump pulled in just under 29%. That’s a 39-point gap, and it’s been widening every cycle. Ten years ago, this was a working-class, union-heavy town where folks voted their pocketbooks and didn’t appreciate being told how to live. Now, the progressive wing of the local Democratic Party has taken over, and it shows in the policies being pushed through.

How it compares

Drive 15 minutes east to Claremont, and you’ll find a similar D+8 vibe—but with a much wealthier, more educated base that actually likes the progressive agenda. Head west to Walnut or Diamond Bar, and you’re in solidly purple territory, where voters still value property rights and push back on tax hikes. The real contrast is north in San Dimas and La Verne, where the Cook PVI flips to R+4 or R+6. Those towns have kept their city councils conservative, their police departments well-funded, and their zoning laws intact. Pomona, by contrast, has seen its city council move further left with each election. The current council majority has supported rent control expansions, a “sanctuary city” ordinance that limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and a push to defund the police—though that last one got walked back after a crime spike in 2022. The county Board of Supervisors, which oversees unincorporated areas near Pomona, is also solidly Democratic, meaning there’s no conservative buffer at the county level either.

What this means for residents

For the average homeowner or small business owner, the shift means more regulations and less say in how your property is used. The city’s rent control ordinance, passed in 2021, caps annual rent increases at 3% plus inflation—sounds good on paper, but it’s made landlords sell off units or stop maintaining them, shrinking the rental supply and driving up prices for everyone else. The sanctuary policy has also created tension: local police are barred from asking about immigration status, which some residents feel has made it harder to build trust with law enforcement. Meanwhile, the school board has embraced critical race theory training and gender identity policies that let students choose their pronouns and bathrooms without parental notification. If you’re a parent who wants to be involved in your kid’s education, you’re increasingly seen as a nuisance rather than a partner. The city’s tax base is also under pressure—Pomona relies heavily on sales tax from the Fairplex and auto dealers, but as more residents shop online or leave for lower-tax areas, the city keeps eyeing new fees and parcel taxes to close budget gaps.

Culturally, Pomona still has a strong sense of community—the weekly farmers market on Second Street and the art walks downtown draw a diverse crowd. But the political direction has created a quiet exodus of longtime families, especially those with kids, who are moving to Chino Hills or Eastvale for better schools and less government overreach. The city’s leadership seems to think more progressive policies will attract young creatives and tech workers, but so far, the main effect has been higher housing costs and a slower response to quality-of-life issues like graffiti and homeless encampments. If you’re considering moving here, keep an eye on the next city council election—if the current majority holds, expect more of the same. If it flips, you might see a return to the kind of common-sense governance that made Pomona a place people stayed for decades.