Brian Maienschein


Brian Maienschein is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly, representing the 77th district, encompassing parts of northeastern San Diego since 2012. Prior to serving in the state assembly, he was a member of the San Diego City Council, and the city’s first Commissioner on Homelessness. He is most known for his response to two wildfires in his district, the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, as well as for the completion of State Route 56 and the preservation from development of 10,000 acres in the San Pasqual Valley.

Early life and education

Maienschein is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara and California Western School of Law. He served as the executive director of Youth Court, a nonprofit organization that works with first-time juvenile offenders. Maienschein also teaches a course on Election Law at USD School of Law.

San Diego City Council

Maienschein ran for city council in November 2000 and was elected with 63% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2004, and retired in 2008 due to term limits. In 2008, he ran for San Diego City Attorney but lost in the primary. The United Way of San Diego then appointed him San Diego's first Commissioner on Homelessness.

California State Assembly

Maienschein was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2012, where he now serves on the following committees:
In 2019-20 Manienschein passed AB 960 which aids in resolving the housing crisis by allowing CalWORKS recipients to use housing assistance vouchers on a shared housing setting-such as staying with family and friends- rather than solely at motels and hotels.
He sponsored AB 465, which allows youth sports groups to require background checks on coaches and other volunteers. The bill passed and was signed into law in August 2013; it becomes effective January 1, 2014. Maienschein himself is a volunteer coach.
Maienschein was also one of two incumbent Republican legislators to earn an endorsement from Equality California, the state's largest LGBT organization.
In 2018, he was reelected by 607 votes out of 199,153 cast.
On January 24, 2019, Maienschein switched his political party affiliation from Republican to Democratic.

2014 California State Assembly

2016 California State Assembly

2018 California State Assembly

2020 California State Assembly

Other activities

He teaches a course on election law at California Western School of Law and University of San Diego School of Law. He lives in Carmel Mountain Ranch, San Diego.