The city of Lemon Grove said Tuesday that Sitivi Faiai, a councilman elected to his first term last year, had passed away.
His wife and two sons survive him. Faiai, also known as Steve, was a football coach at Helix High School in La Mesa. He was a retail manager as well.
According to a statement from the city, Councilman Faiai brought a sense of honesty, teamwork, and sincere dedication to his time on the City Council. He prioritized combating homelessness, enhancing public safety, and advancing initiatives to assist families and young people. His top concerns were creating a cleaner, safer, and more cohesive Lemon Grove and fostering a strong feeling of community pride.
The city also acknowledged his leadership, which was based on serving neighbors, families, and Lemon Grove’s future rather than politics.
His age was not released, but online records indicate he was 50.
Get neighborhood news in your inbox. It’s free and enlightening.
Become one of the 20,000+ individuals who receive breaking news alerts and the Times of San Diego in their inbox every day at 8 a.m.
Weekly updates from San Diego communities have also been provided! You acknowledge and agree to the terms by clicking “Sign Up.” Choose from the options below.
Faiai stated in his November election candidacy statement that he thinks strong leadership is essential to helping working families in a town that is trying to rebuild itself after years of neglect.
He stated that safety was his first concern and that he would back any initiative that would make the city cleaner and more livable for its citizens.
“I’ll listen to you, be a leader you can trust, and together we can build the community we deserve,” he said in closing.
