The ever-present threat of out-of-control wildfires was a focus of Latika Malkani’s year as Orinda’s mayor, but that was far from the only issue she and the city council had to deal with.
As Mayor Latika Malkani prepares to hand over the gavel at the end of the year, she concludes a term shaped by wildfire readiness, infrastructure planning and a renewed push for regional partnerships designed to strengthen Orinda’s long-term safety.
Looking back on 2025, Malkani said the city made significant strides on wildfire prevention, a topic that took on new urgency for many Californians after devastating wildfires burned through Los Angeles communities earlier this year.
“In 2025, I think we significantly moved the needle forward on wildfire prevention efforts,” she said. “The wildfires that ravaged the Palisades, Pasadena and other L.A. communities provided a horrible reminder of this threat to all of California.”
Malkani said Orinda’s years of groundwork positioned the city to accelerate major wildfire-prevention initiatives once statewide attention sharpened. That progress included expanded collaboration with neighboring cities, deeper coordination with the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD) and the creation of a new regional working group focused on long-term East Bay-wide wildfire strategy.
“Within Orinda, while we have so much more to do, we have done a lot to make our community safer,” she said. ““A significant amount of the work we did in 2025 was to build regional efforts, including continued collaboration with our neighboring communities, and supporting our local MOFD in the incredibly important prevention work that they do.”
This year, the city continued programs such as the free chipper service, incentives for home hardening and defensible space, and ongoing wildfire-education events.
New efforts included two wildfire-prevention nights, expanded staff evacuation-preparedness training and the purchase of LADRIS wildfire-modeling software, which Malkani described as an important tool for planning future evacuation.
Beyond wildfire concerns, Malkani highlighted other accomplishments from the year, including piloting designated dog-park hours and approving a fenced-in dog park, launching DowntownOrinda.com to support local businesses, and advancing construction projects such as the Village District retail-office building.
She also pointed to the completion of detailed studies of privately maintained roads and drains, which she said will help guide future funding conversations.
But the year was not without challenges.
Malkani said one of the most difficult and unexpected issues involved the rezoning work tied to Orinda’s state-required Housing Element. Public feedback focused on density concerns, wildfire evacuation routes and neighborhood impacts.
“We were able to address those concerns through an extensive public participation process that was transparent and included additional mitigation measures that heard and responded to the concerns expressed by our residents,” she said.
She emphasized that while housing, wildfire safety and infrastructure remain long-term commitments, the city took meaningful steps forward in each area. That included forming a temporary Infrastructure subcommittee, led by Councilmember Darlene Gee, to evaluate the complex and politically sensitive issue of Orinda’s privately maintained roadways – 20% of all roads in the city.
“I admire and respect councilmember Gee for tackling this issue rather than running away from it,” Malkani said. “If we don’t address the concerns of residents living on privately maintained roads now, then in 15 years (when Measure R expires), we may face substantial challenges in convincing our community to continue to self-tax.”
Serving as mayor required difficult decision-making, she said, particularly on issues with strong opinions on both sides.
“There have been tough decisions – a few, actually,” she said. “Sometimes there are persuasive and reasonable arguments to be made for and against a proposal, but ultimately a choice must be made. What I try to do is read everything, listen to staff, the public comment, and my colleagues, and make a decision based on what I perceive to be the values and desires held by Orinda’s residents.”
The year also deepened her appreciation for how government functions – and how residents view the pace of civic progress.
“Government does not move as quickly as we’d sometimes like,” she said. “Those rules are often there for good reasons – to ensure transparency … or fair processes in selecting among vendors. Please assume good faith, be reasonably patient and be firm and passionate while still being civil and kind. Haters are going to hate, but it’s not a good way to exist in this world.”
With Brandyn Iverson stepping in as the new mayor, Malkani said she has full confidence in the city’s next leader.
“She has tremendous knowledge and experience with planning and development, is whip smart and cares deeply about creating the type of vibrant, welcoming spaces that residents want,” Malkani said. “She – working with Orinda’s truly stellar city manager, Linda Smith – is the perfect person to lead Orinda’s continued growth.”
Though her mayoral term is ending, Malkani is not stepping away from public service.
She will continue serving on the City Council and plans to seek re-election in 2026. Among her priorities for the coming term is improved community safety related to e-bikes, a topic she recently asked the council to begin addressing.
“I look forward to addressing specific solutions, including how we can partner with our schools,” she said.
Her focus on wildfire resilience is rooted in earlier experience on a city group focused on allocating sales tax funds, where she helped craft recommendations that the city later adopted. That work informed her efforts this year to partner with state legislators and bring the inaugural regional wildfire working group meeting to Orinda.
“I’m proud to have been able to collaborate to help turn vision into action,” she said.
Malkani, who has lived in Orinda since 2004 with her husband Ray Cardozo and their three children – Sadhana, Keshini and Leo – said the sense of community remains the city’s greatest asset.
“I love living in Orinda,” she said. “There are days I genuinely can’t believe how lucky we are to live in a community that is physically gorgeous … and what makes me want to stay here forever are the tight-knit friendships my family has made.”
As she steps back into her councilmember role, she offered one final message to Orinda’s future mayors.
“Be authentic, kind, empathetic, prepared and civil,” she said. “Disagree without being disagreeable. Respect your colleagues … listen to the public … and lead with grace, compassion and gratitude.”
