Darin Masao Mano was appointed by the Salt Lake City Council on Jan. 21, 2020, to serve as the District 5 Council Member, replacing Mayor Erin Mendenhall. He was later elected by District 5 voters to serve a full term beginning in January 2022. Darin’s Council peers appointed him to several leadership positions, including Council Vice Chair in 2022, Council Chair in 2023, and Community Reinvestment Agency (C.R.A.) (Formerly the Redevelopment Agency) Board Vice Chair in 2024. He is currently serving as the 2025 C.R.A. Board Chair. Darin’s experience on the City Council has fueled his passion for affordable housing. He is eager to dedicate the next phase of his career to designing, developing, and shaping policies that ensure every resident in our community has access to safe and stable housing.

Outside of his public service, Darin is a practicing architect, small business owner, and urban design enthusiast. He is fascinated by buildings, transportation, architecture, urban spaces, and the built environment. He loves to travel and experience new cities, spaces, foods, and cultures.

Darin received a Master’s of Architecture from Harvard University and Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture and Psychology from the University of Utah. He taught Architecture and Urban Design courses for six years at the University of Utah’s College of Architecture + Planning. Before joining the Council, he served on the Ballpark Community Council Board and on Salt Lake City’s Redevelopment Advisory Committee and Planning Commission. In 2024, Utah Business Magazine recognized Darin as a “40 Under 40” honoree.

Darin speaks Japanese and stays involved with and connected to the Asian American and LGBTQ+ communities in Salt Lake City. Darin was raised in Sandy, Utah, and is the sixth of seven children. He lives with his husband, Kevin, their four kids, and their dog, Bucky.