VINCE ROCHA

Vince is a native of Silicon Valley, with roots in Santa Clara and San José. He brings over sixteen years of policy experience to his current role as the Senior Advisor to the Mayor on Economic Development, Housing, and Land Use.

After graduating from the University of California, Riverside, with B.A. degrees in Political Science and U.S. History, he moved to Washington D.C. to work in the House of Representatives. There, he focused on public policy issues ranging from immigration reform to the farm bill.

Following four years in Washington, he returned to San José to focus on pressing local issues, including housing and transportation. As the Director of Government Affairs for the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS®, Vince focused on creating first-time homebuyer policies, such as the homebuyer downpayment assistance program, which was part of Santa Clara County’s Measure A.

Prior to joining the Mayor’s office, Vince served as the Vice President of Housing and Community Development at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. In this role, he led the successful Measure RR campaign with the Committee to Save Caltrain and authored state laws aimed at streamlining housing approvals.

His personal passions include baking, hiking, fun runs, and advocating for complete streets.