Luca Casciano
MEET YOUR CANDIDATE
SMA Board Candidate — Santaluz Maintenance Association
The following is a brief Q&A so you can get to know me before casting your vote. I believe you deserve more than a paragraph of credentials. You deserve to know who I am, what I stand for, and exactly why I'm asking for your trust.
Tell us about yourself and your family.
My name is Luca Casciano. Originally from Italy, my family made San Diego home fifteen years ago, and for the last six years Santaluz has been where we truly belong. I hold a degree in Business Administration, and together with my wife Ester we are raising six children here — all eight of us, plus Kiara our dog, and whichever young puppy we are currently fostering through Helen Woodward Animal Center.
Our oldest is a registered nurse at Scripps Hospital. Two of our children work at the Santaluz Club — Daniele as head lifeguard and swim instructor, and Rebecca leading the Athletics and Recreation Center. Our three youngest, ages 4, 9, and 12, go to school and grow up playing on these trails, parks, and playgrounds every day. Santaluz is not simply a neighborhood we moved into. It is the place where our family has put down real roots.
Why are you running for the SMA Board?
Honestly, because I have seen how much difference it makes when a governing board truly listens to the people it serves.
The SMA is responsible for the things that shape everyday life in Santaluz: the parks, playgrounds, trails, landscaping, gates, fire brush management, and the streets. These are the parts of the community every resident relies on every day, whether they are members of the Club or not.
I want to make sure these responsibilities are managed with care, fiscal responsibility, and a direct line of communication with the residents who fund and depend on them.
You previously served on the Santaluz Club Board. Tell us about that.
I did, and I am proud of the work we did.
I came in with a simple philosophy: every member deserves to be heard equally. No voice should carry more weight simply because it is louder or because someone has been around longer.
That sounds obvious, but in practice it takes discipline. In any community, people with louder voices or longer history can sometimes artificially reshape the reality around them. When that happens, the quieter majority stops feeling represented.
One of the things I pushed hardest for was making sure that did not happen. Some of the changes I am most proud of came from members who had never spoken up before, because for the first time they felt someone was actually listening.
That same philosophy of fairness and openness is what I would bring to the SMA Board.
That's a great story, but if things went so well, why are you no longer a Club member?
That is a fair question, and I respect anyone who asks it.
Yes, it is true that I am no longer a member of the Club. The reason is closely connected to what I just described. When you push for transparency and fairness inside an established organization, disagreements about governance can arise.
I will say this carefully but clearly: those disagreements did not end there. The matter eventually became the subject of a legal dispute that continues today. Because that matter is being addressed through the proper legal channels, I believe it is appropriate to allow that process to run its course rather than debate the details publicly. I trust that over time the full context will become clear to the community.
I want to be open about one aspect of this situation: in the legal matter referenced above, I am the plaintiff. This was not a step I took lightly. Pursuing the matter through the courts became necessary to protect my family and to address issues that I believe are important to resolve properly. The documents related to the case are part of the public record and available through the San Diego Superior Court. I share this not to relitigate the matter here, but because I believe honesty — even when uncomfortable — is part of maintaining trust within a community.I am not saying this to point fingers. I am saying it because it illustrates why governance philosophy matters. When we are entrusted to manage resources that belong to other people, the standard has to be higher than comfort or convenience.
I hold no personal resentment. I would make the same choices again. And the principles I stood for then — transparency, equal treatment, and fiscal responsibility — are exactly what I would bring to the SMA Board.
What is the most important thing the SMA Board should understand about its role?
That it serves all Santaluz homeowners.
The SMA is the regulatory and maintenance arm of this community, and its authority comes from the homeowners themselves, not from any affiliated organization. Every resident, regardless of membership status elsewhere, stands equal before this board.
That independence is not just a legal structure. It is the foundation of trust in a community. The moment residents begin to feel that some voices matter more than others, that trust begins to erode.
I also want to be clear about something equally important: independence does not mean isolation. The SMA, the SCC, and the Santaluz Club each play a distinct and valuable role in this community. While the Club serves its members, the SMA and SCC serve every homeowner. I believe these distinct missions can and should coexist with maximum cooperation and mutual respect. When all three organizations work well together, Santaluz thrives as a whole — for every resident, regardless of membership status.
I believe deeply that fairness, equal treatment, and a spirit of cooperation must remain at the center of the SMA's work.
What are the top issues you would focus on if elected?
First, I want to acknowledge that the current SMA Board deserves genuine credit. Santaluz looks and functions beautifully. The common areas are well maintained, the landscaping reflects real pride of ownership, and the community has a sense of order that does not happen by accident.
My goal is not to change what is working well. My goal is to build on it with clear objectives and full accountability to the residents we serve.
Three priorities stand out to me.Communication and transparency.
Residents should receive clear, plain-language updates about what the SMA is working on, what projects are planned, and how resources are being used. Homeowners should never feel uncertain about how their association is operating.Proactive maintenance.
Santaluz is a beautiful community and residents invest significantly to keep it that way. I believe in addressing issues early rather than reacting later. That includes continued care for our trail system, responsible brush management given San Diego's fire risk, and water-wise landscaping improvements that make long-term financial sense.Protecting and growing our property values.
Every decision the SMA makes either adds to or subtracts from the value of our homes. I would approach every vote on spending, maintenance, and community standards with that lens. A well-governed, well-maintained Santaluz is not just a better place to live — it is a better financial investment for every homeowner. That is an objective I will never lose sight of.
What do you hope residents take away from this letter?
That I am not a politician. I am a neighbor.
My family is part of this community in real ways. Our children go to school here. They work here. They grow up playing on these trails and in these parks with your children.I am simply asking for the opportunity to serve the community we are proud to call home. My door, and my phone, will always be open to any resident who wants to share ideas, concerns, or suggestions.
It would be an honor to earn your vote.
Luca Casciano
Santaluz Resident
The best governance starts with knowing your neighbors. Whether you have a question, a concern, an idea, or simply want to say hello — please reach out. I am a neighbor before I am a candidate.
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