Misael led union fights as a state employee for increased wages and workplace safety, serves as a Board Member of Rethink35 advocating for safe, accessible transit, and is a leading voice on East Austin policy issues.

Misael Ramos for Austin District 1

Misael Ramos previously worked as a state employee.

2026 Texas General Election

Misael will require performance reporting for every major contract brought before Council and use his budget committee assignments to redirect funding toward proven government service providers, while strengthening coordination with Travis County, AISD, and other local partners to maximize impact. By strategically and transparently investing in evidence-backed solutions that are proven to work, rather than spending millions on consultants and contracts, Misael will make sure your tax money is working for you.

The Platform | Join the Movement Today — Misael Ramos for Austin City Council District 1

Protect legacy small businesses. East Austin’s culture lives in its restaurants, music venues, art spaces, and neighborhood businesses. In this district, Misael regularly experiences world-class musicians, eats at some of the best restaurants in the city, and supports the small businesses that make D1 the heart of Austin. Yet these artists and business owners are consistently under-supported by City officials. We must offer stabilization funds for legacy businesses facing rising rents., create financial tools and technical assistance for long-standing community businesses, ensure HOT tax dollars go toward local arts and music programming, and more.

Plans to require performance reporting on major council contracts and redirect funding toward proven government service providers.

Calls for stabilization funds, financial tools, and technical assistance for long-standing community businesses facing rising rents.

Advocated for increased wages and workplace safety as a state employee.

- Plans to require performance reporting on major council contracts and redirect funding toward proven government service providers.
- Calls for stabilization funds, financial tools, and technical assistance for long-standing community businesses facing rising rents.
- Advocated for increased wages and workplace safety as a state employee.

Economy

Expand access to healthy food. Invest in urban agriculture, food co-ops, and community-led food distribution programs so working families can access healthy, affordable food.

Build and protect neighborhood parks in District 1. Protect and expand neighborhood parks in District 1 so every family has safe access to green space.

Support arts, youth programming, and public gathering spaces. Culture needs places to grow. We must cultivate a Black revival of East Austin rooted in ownership, dignity, and opportunity. Let’s update and expand the Millennium Youth Complex into a modernized space for families and kids in East Austin. We have the opportunity to nurture and invest in community events, music, and cultural festivals in D1.

Calls for investment in urban agriculture, food cooperatives, and community-led food-distribution programs.

Calls for protecting and expanding District 1 neighborhood parks.

Plans to modernize and expand the Millennium Youth Complex for East Austin families and children.

- Calls for investment in urban agriculture, food cooperatives, and community-led food-distribution programs.
- Calls for protecting and expanding District 1 neighborhood parks.
- Plans to modernize and expand the Millennium Youth Complex for East Austin families and children.

Public Services

Misael will bring his experience as an affordable developer to City Hall, championing the strategies that make homeownership accessible for working people, including collaboration and investment to scale up the successes of Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and Community Land Trusts. These strategies work for District 1 due to a special tax status and innovative land trust model that addresses the primary barriers to affordable homeownership. Misael will direct increased City funding to CDCs already doing this effective work on the ground in District 1, like the Blackland Community Development Corporation.

Misael will direct increased City funding to CDCs already doing this effective work on the ground in District 1, like the Blackland Community Development Corporation. Finally, by expanding access to technical assistance and training for trusted community-based partners, Misael willscale-up community land trusts throughout District 1 neighborhoodsso that non-profits and neighbors can keep their communities affordable by preserving and building truly affordable homes.

With his background in affordable housing development, Misael knows that intentional development decisions can stabilize property taxes while , triggering rising costs for surrounding homeowners, renters, and local business owners. Misael will put community engagement and affordability first to ensure that development decisions prioritize affordability and stabilize property taxes, rather than causing sudden tax spikes and traumatic displacement for East Austin residents and businesses.

We must require meaningful community engagement before major developments are approved. Development should reflect the will of the community, not just the interests of developers.

Protect historic neighborhoods from speculative development. We can preserve historic homes and expand protections for Black historic districts. Offer funding for longtime East Austin residents to support repairs, stabilization, small business loans, and generational wealth retention.

Misael also knows from experience that affordable developers in Austin face fees and costly time constraints that come along with the permitting process. Misael will streamline permitting for affordable developers producing truly affordable homes for middle to low income families looking to rent or own and work to ensure that development projects receiving public funds or incentives include truly affordable homeownership opportunities.

Having personally supported elders in his neighborhood to navigate exemptions and existing assistance programs, Misael understands the impact of high property taxes on low- & middle- income Austinites. Misael will prioritize property tax relief by bringing together public and philanthropic partners to scale-up funding for local organizations that provide tax assistance to homeowners burdened with high property taxes that put their generational wealth at risk, and the District 1 office will spearhead public outreach to ensure that District 1 residents are informed of all existing public and non-profit resources to navigate tax exemptions and assistance.

Misael will fight to fix housing development programs that give incentives to private developers while offering little affordability and protect Austin’s most affordable apartments by requiring that private developers replace any affordable units impacted at the same rental rate.

Plans to increase city funding for Community Development Corporations, including the Blackland Community Development Corporation.

Plans to expand community land trusts in District 1 to preserve and build affordable homes.

Plans to require meaningful community engagement before major developments and prioritize affordability in development decisions.

Plans to protect historic neighborhoods from speculative development.

Plans to streamline permitting for affordable-housing developers and require projects receiving public incentives to include affordable homeownership opportunities.

Plans to expand funding and outreach for property-tax assistance and exemptions for District 1 homeowners.

Plans to reform development incentives and require replacement of affected affordable apartments at the same rental rate.

- Plans to increase city funding for Community Development Corporations, including the Blackland Community Development Corporation.
- Plans to expand community land trusts in District 1 to preserve and build affordable homes.
- Plans to require meaningful community engagement before major developments and prioritize affordability in development decisions.
- Plans to protect historic neighborhoods from speculative development.
- Plans to streamline permitting for affordable-housing developers and require projects receiving public incentives to include affordable homeownership opportunities.
- Plans to expand funding and outreach for property-tax assistance and exemptions for District 1 homeowners.
- Plans to reform development incentives and require replacement of affected affordable apartments at the same rental rate.

Housing & Urban Development

In the name of fiscal responsibility and a commitment to real public safety outcomes, the City must put the brakes on the ever-increasing police budget, and instead creatively divert funds to evidence-based solutions that are proven to prevent violence, including community violence interventions, harm reduction, and equipped alternative responders in cases of emergency.

Defend Our Immigrant Neighbors & Kick ICE Out of Austin. In this critical time for our City to show leadership in the face of escalating attacks on our immigrant neighbors’ livelihoods and rights, Misael will ensure the City uses its power to safeguard and support our neighbors, our right to protest, and our dignity. Our communities deserve supportive services, transparency regarding collaboration with ICE, and leaders that stand up to state overreach.

Calls for limiting police-budget growth and redirecting funds to violence-prevention, programs that reduce harm, and alternative emergency responders.

Plans to use city authority to safeguard immigrant residents and the right to protest.

- Calls for limiting police-budget growth and redirecting funds to violence-prevention, programs that reduce harm, and alternative emergency responders.
- Plans to use city authority to safeguard immigrant residents and the right to protest.

Public Safety

Make District 1 a Hub for Safe, Fast Bus & Bike. We have the opportunity to expand rapid bus service, improve frequency and reliability, invest in safer sidewalks, shade, and protected bike lanes so D1 becomes a true hub for accessible, reliable transit.

Support alternatives to highway expansion that harms East Austin communities. Let’s invest in community-informed transportation options that connect neighborhoods, rather than dividing them.

Plans to expand rapid bus service and invest in safer sidewalks, shade, and protected bike lanes.

Supports transportation alternatives to highway expansion that connect neighborhoods rather than divide them.

- Plans to expand rapid bus service and invest in safer sidewalks, shade, and protected bike lanes.
- Supports transportation alternatives to highway expansion that connect neighborhoods rather than divide them.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Build Community-Owned Resilience. Fund community-operated cooling centers and resilience hubs that keep residents safe during extreme heat and climate emergencies. East Austin has fewer trees, more heat, and aging infrastructure. Climate change is already here and frontline communities feel it first. We must plan effectively and collaborate authentically with community partners for a healthy, green, and climate resilient District 1.

Expand the tree canopy and invest in flood mitigation. Prioritize tree planting, stormwater upgrades, and green infrastructure in heat-vulnerable and historically underserved neighborhoods.

Calls for funding community-operated cooling centers and resilience hubs for extreme heat and climate emergencies.

Calls for tree planting, stormwater upgrades, and green infrastructure in heat-vulnerable and historically underserved neighborhoods.

- Calls for funding community-operated cooling centers and resilience hubs for extreme heat and climate emergencies.
- Calls for tree planting, stormwater upgrades, and green infrastructure in heat-vulnerable and historically underserved neighborhoods.

Energy & the Environment

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Misael Ramos

- Advocated for increased wages and workplace safety as a state employee.

- Plans to streamline permitting for affordable-housing developers and require projects receiving public incentives to include affordable homeownership opportunities.
- Plans to expand funding and outreach for property-tax assistance and exemptions for District 1 homeowners.
- Plans to reform development incentives and require replacement of affected affordable apartments at the same rental rate.

- Plans to use city authority to safeguard immigrant residents and the right to protest.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Alexandria Anderson

Amber K. Goodwin

Michael Nahas

Portia Riggins

Steven Brown

- City council members collaborate to create and enforce city policies, including legislation on essential services like police, fire, parks, libraries, and utilities.
- They work alongside the mayor to manage city departments, including transportation and parks and recreation.
- Council members can be elected to represent specific districts or the entire city at-large.
- The structure of city councils, including the number of members, their terms, term limits, and partisanship, differs by county.

Passes laws and regulations for your city.