I have lived in Austin’s District 5 for 17 years. I am the Democratic Precinct Chair for Travis County Precinct 307 in Barton Hills. My two children are students in Austin public schools. Eliza attends Austin High School, and Max attends O. Henry Middle School.

Both are graduates of Barton Hills Elementary School.

Meet David — David Weinberg

David Weinberg has two children who are students in Austin public schools.

I have spent my adult career working to protect the environment, preserve voting rights, and for other progressive causes.

For six years I led the Texas League of Conservation Voters, where I spearheaded successful campaigns to preserve state parks funding and stop bills that would have given a free passes to polluters. I spent four years working for the Brennan Center for Justice to defend the voting rights of Texans.

For six years I led the Texas League of Conservation Voters, where I spearheaded successful campaigns to preserve state parks funding and stop bills that would have given a free passes to polluters. I spent four years working for the Brennan Center for Justice to defend the voting rights of Texans. This includes stopping bills that would have placed onerous identification burdens on voters and allowed individuals to bring firearms into polling places.

In 2023, I helped lead a grassroots campaign to stop the Zilker Park Vision Plan, a costly boondoggle that would have significantly overdeveloped our beloved main metropolitan park.

My background in government includes serving as Chief of Staff for New York State Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal, who represents Manhattan's West Side.

<a href="https://davidforatx.com/">David Weinberg</a> Weinberg raised $5,250 from Jan. 1 to June 30, but reported $240,471 cash on hand, largely due to a Dec.
30 personal loan of $250,000 to his campaign. Prior to this campaign, Weinberg worked as a consultant for his company, Weinberg Strategies.

Who’s winning the money race? See how every Austin City Council candidate stacks up

David Weinberg most recently worked as a consultant for Weinberg Strategies, his company. He previously led the Texas League of Conservation Voters, worked for the Brennan Center for Justice, and served as chief of staff for New York State Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal.

David most recently worked as a consultant for Weinberg Strategies, his company. He previously led the Texas League of Conservation Voters, worked for the Brennan Center for Justice, and served as chief of staff for New York State Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal.

2026 Texas General Election

Affordability

Austin has become an expensive place to live, and many longtime residents are struggling to keep up with rising housing costs, property taxes, and everyday expenses. The city must be extremely mindful of how its decisions affect affordability.

I will engage closely with District 5 residents on major financial decisions, including tax-rate elections, bond packages, and major budget priorities. Residents should have a meaningful voice before the city takes actions that affect their cost of living.

Issues — David Weinberg

This isn’t the way city government should work. This isn’t the way Austin should work. Representative government fails when council members show up to work to do the bidding of special interests instead of the voters who elected them.

I pledge not to accept any campaign contributions from large special interests seeking massive tax subsidies from the city and its taxpayers. My interest is representing the people of District 5 and I remain steadfast in that commitment.

Follow the money: Dog’s Head deal is a giveaway to Endeavor and Amazon | Austin Free Press

Pledges to seek District 5 residents’ input before tax-rate elections, bond packages, and major budget decisions.

Pledges not to accept campaign contributions from large special interests seeking major city tax subsidies.

- Pledges to seek District 5 residents’ input before tax-rate elections, bond packages, and major budget decisions.
- Pledges not to accept campaign contributions from large special interests seeking major city tax subsidies.

Economy

Parks and the Environment

I believe parks like Zilker Park should primarily function as accessible, everyday green space for all Austinites. While festivals and major events are part of the city’s identity, they should not dictate long-term design decisions or restrict regular community access to these public spaces.

I was strong opposed to the Zilker Park Vision Plan and will strongly oppose future efforts to over-develop and commercialize Zilker and other parks in Austin.

I support ecological restoration and preservation efforts that protect natural areas, maintain native habitats, and strengthen the overall environmental health of our park system. I also believe in investing in key community assets like Garrison Park Pool, which provides important recreation and relief during Austin’s increasingly hot summers, and in preserving historic infrastructure such as the Barton Springs Bridge through repair and rehabilitation rather than demolition.

Opposes overdevelopment and commercialization of Zilker Park and wants parks to remain accessible everyday green space.

Supports investing in Garrison Park Pool and repairing and rehabilitating Barton Springs Bridge rather than demolishing it.

- Opposes overdevelopment and commercialization of Zilker Park and wants parks to remain accessible everyday green space.
- Supports investing in Garrison Park Pool and repairing and rehabilitating Barton Springs Bridge rather than demolishing it.

Public Services

Homelessness

I believe homelessness requires a multi-layered response because people have very different needs and circumstances. Austin must continue using a mix of emergency shelters, transitional options, and permanent supportive housing to address the full spectrum of need.

I believe addressing homelessness in Austin requires a coordinated system that includes immediate shelter and services through facilities like ARCH (the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless), lower-barrier options with on-site services and workforce training such as the Esperanza Community, and long-term housing solutions through programs like Caritas of Austin and Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ Community First! Village. No single program can solve homelessness on its own, which is why a full continuum of care—from crisis response to permanent supportive housing—is essential.

Development and Land Use

I support increasing Austin’s housing supply to address affordability and growth pressures, but I do not define myself as either YIMBY or NIMBY. Both perspectives make legitimate arguments and points. To me, the right approach is balancing the need for more housing with respect for existing neighborhoods and ensuring that residents have meaningful input into how their communities evolve.

I do not support unchecked development or blanket upzoning in established single-family neighborhoods. While I recognize the need for more housing options, I also believe people who have invested their lives in these communities deserve a real voice in decisions that affect the character, livability, and long-term stability of their neighborhoods.

The City should not grant density bonuses to projects that would destroy existing affordable housing and displace working class Austinites; the Council seriously erred when granting such a rezoning at Acacia Cliffs.

[11:41:20 AM]
>> Good morning, mayor and council. I am David Weinberg. I am from district five. I am supporting this item 39. I think it is a step in the right direction to sort of improving the thoughtfulness of process and communication, where we have existing affordable housing in the city, and making sure that the voices of the folks who are living there are being heard.

City Council Regular Meeting Transcript – 4/23/2026 (ATXN-1 (24hr))

Supports a range of homelessness services, including emergency shelters, transitional options, and permanent supportive housing.

Supports increasing housing supply while balancing neighborhood concerns and resident input on development.

Opposes blanket upzoning in established single-family neighborhoods and unchecked development.

Opposes additional development density for projects that would destroy existing affordable housing and displace working-class residents.

Supported City Council Item 39 to improve communication about rezoning and ensure residents of existing affordable housing are heard.

- Supports a range of homelessness services, including emergency shelters, transitional options, and permanent supportive housing.
- Supports increasing housing supply while balancing neighborhood concerns and resident input on development.
- Opposes blanket upzoning in established single-family neighborhoods and unchecked development.
- Opposes additional development density for projects that would destroy existing affordable housing and displace working-class residents.
- Supported City Council Item 39 to improve communication about rezoning and ensure residents of existing affordable housing are heard.

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety and Criminal Justice

I believe the Austin Police Department must be adequately staffed and deployed in a way that ensures consistent public safety across all neighborhoods, so every resident receives reliable coverage. I believe improving police response times in Austin is essential to ensuring residents can rely on timely help when they call for service. This will require data-driven strategies so that emergency and urgent calls are handled quickly and consistently across all parts of the city.

I support criminal justice reforms that reduce incarceration for low-level offenses, expand diversion and reentry programs, and improve accountability within law enforcement. At the same time, I believe public safety must also address root causes like poverty, housing instability, and lack of opportunity.

I believe gun violence is one of the most serious public safety and public health challenges we face. I support prevention-focused, evidence-based strategies and collaboration with organizations like Texas Gun Sense to reduce firearm-related tragedies while respecting constitutional rights.

Supports adequately staffing and deploying the Austin Police Department and using data-driven strategies to improve emergency and urgent-call response times.

Supports reducing incarceration for low-level offenses, expanding diversion and reentry programs, and improving law-enforcement accountability.

Supports prevention-focused, evidence-based strategies and collaboration to reduce gun violence while respecting constitutional rights.

- Supports adequately staffing and deploying the Austin Police Department and using data-driven strategies to improve emergency and urgent-call response times.
- Supports reducing incarceration for low-level offenses, expanding diversion and reentry programs, and improving law-enforcement accountability.
- Supports prevention-focused, evidence-based strategies and collaboration to reduce gun violence while respecting constitutional rights.

Public Safety

I will carefully evaluate large-scale spending decisions, including projects like the Interstate 35 Cap and Stitch initiative. While such projects may have merit, they must be weighed against rising property tax bills and other pressing needs like roads, parks, schools, and basic infrastructure that directly impact residents every day.

Public Transportation

I believe Austin must significantly improve its public transportation system, particularly by making CapMetro buses more reliable, safe, and user-friendly. I also support exploring microtransit options, such as curb-to-curb service models used in places like the DFW Metroplex.

While I strongly support public transit in principle, I have concerns about the current light rail portion of Project Connect. The plan delivers only a portion of what voters originally approved and will not provide broad city coverage at an extremely high cost per mile. Another huge shortcoming of the project is that that the current light rail plan does not connect to the airport.

I believe Austin needs a more integrated and practical transit network that better connects key destinations like the airport, downtown, and major employment centers in a way that actually serves daily needs.

Plans to weigh Interstate 35 Cap and Stitch spending against property-tax costs and needs, including roads, parks, schools, and basic infrastructure.

Supports improving Capital Metro buses and exploring on-demand, curb-to-curb transit service.

Has concerns that Project Connect’s current light-rail plan is costly, lacks broad coverage, and does not connect to the airport.

Supports an integrated transit network connecting the airport, downtown, and major employment centers.

- Plans to weigh Interstate 35 Cap and Stitch spending against property-tax costs and needs, including roads, parks, schools, and basic infrastructure.
- Supports improving Capital Metro buses and exploring on-demand, curb-to-curb transit service.
- Has concerns that Project Connect’s current light-rail plan is costly, lacks broad coverage, and does not connect to the airport.
- Supports an integrated transit network connecting the airport, downtown, and major employment centers.

Transportation & Infrastructure

More broadly, I support expanding and improving green space across Austin, with a focus on underserved areas like East Austin where access has historically been more limited. At the same time, I support efforts to improve climate and wildfire resilience, increase tree canopy coverage, and continue transitioning toward cleaner energy sources, including reducing reliance on the Fayette Power Project.

I am deeply concerned about the unchecked, rapid expansion of data centers. This swift, largely unregulated development threatens local power grids, drains water supplies, increases consumer utility bills, and by passes environmental and transparency safeguards. I support a moratorium on the construction of new data centers in Texas.

Supports ecological restoration and preservation to protect natural areas, native habitats, and environmental health in Austin’s park system.

Supports expanding green space, improving climate and wildfire resilience, increasing tree canopy, and reducing reliance on the Fayette Power Project.

Supports a Texas moratorium on new data-center construction.

- Supports ecological restoration and preservation to protect natural areas, native habitats, and environmental health in Austin’s park system.
- Supports expanding green space, improving climate and wildfire resilience, increasing tree canopy, and reducing reliance on the Fayette Power Project.
- Supports a Texas moratorium on new data-center construction.

Energy & the Environment

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

TikTok

Bluesky

David Weinberg

- Supports improving Capital Metro buses and exploring on-demand, curb-to-curb transit service.
- Has concerns that Project Connect’s current light-rail plan is costly, lacks broad coverage, and does not connect to the airport.
- Supports an integrated transit network connecting the airport, downtown, and major employment centers.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Farrah Abraham

Liz Brink

Ryan Alter

- 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.