Meet Paco.

Born and raised in the Inland Empire, Paco Licea is a small business owner and the son of hardworking Mexican immigrants. He learned about hard work at a young age watching his father work in the Vineyards and as a restaurant chef to make ends meet for his family. Paco started working at a young age, picking grapes, painting homes, and flipping burgers at McDonald’s to help his family. Through Pell Grants and relentless determination, he became the first in his family to attend college, working multiple jobs to pay his way. 

Motivated by the housing struggles he had witnessed his entire life; Paco took a risk and became a realtor. In 2008, shortly after his daughter was born, Paco lost his home during The Great Recession, forcing him to start over. Through hard work, Paco was able to get back on his feet and grow his small business.

A proud dad and dedicated community member, Paco always shows up for his family and community. He has served the Inland Empire in various leadership roles, including as President of the Inland Valley Association of Realtors (IVAR), a member of the Riverside County D.A. fraud task force, and board member for the City of Riverside Library Foundation. When he’s not working, you can find Paco volunteering his time coaching soccer, track and field and transporting his daughter and her mariachi band across Southern California.

Paco is running for State Assembly because he believes that Inland Empire families today are being left behind due to California’s affordability crisis. In Sacramento, he’ll fight every day to build more affordable housing, address the homelessness crisis, improve public safety, and create better-paying jobs so that every family has a fair shot at success.