Al Austin II has been a regional leader for working families, delivering results on transportation, economic development, and sustainable planning.
As Long Beach City Councilmember, he worked to protect renters by pushing for more than $5 million in emergency rental assistance during the pandemic. Al’s fought to increase access to housing, facilitating the development of more than 200 new homes and ensuring affordable units. Al addressed homelessness throughout Long Beach with $27 million in funding to provide prevention services, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, homeless veteran specific services, and a new year-round 125-bed shelter. In the State Assembly, he will continue bring state and local governments together to prioritize a comprehensive solution to our housing and homelessness crises.
As Long Beach City Councilmember, Al has brought together community members, unions, and local small businesses to get things done that improve quality of life for residents while protecting tax dollars. He’s led on economic revitalization, investing in commercial corridors including Bixby Knolls, Virginia Village, and the Uptown corridor. Al will make it a priority in the State Assembly to create quality, high-paying jobs and increase accessibility to job training and vocational programs to train the next generation of workers and business leaders.
A champion for working families, Al understands the need to expand access to healthcare for all Californians. No one should be forced to choose between paying for groceries or paying for a medical bill to receive the treatment they deserve. In the State Assembly, Al will stand up for quality care, investing in community clinics for communities in need and prioritizing access to preventative care and routine check-ups.
Al has worked tirelessly to keep our community safe, securing funding for the entire Long Beach Police Department to utilize body-worn cameras and taking guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals by seizing hundreds of illegally owned firearms through the prohibited possessor task force. In the State Assembly, Al will ensure public safety officials have the resources they need to combat crime while holding those who commit misconduct accountable.
As Long Beach City Councilmember, Al Austin has fought to deliver more than 40 acres of new parks and open space, including the DeForest Wetlands, Molina Park, and the Davenport Park expansion, as well as great new playgrounds at Los Cerritos and Jackson Parks, and he’s invested in protection of the environment, including 38 acres of wetlands restoration and open walking trails along the LA River. In the State Assembly, he will continue his commitment to expanding open space for families by prioritizing a clean and accessible environment and ensuring a healthy, livable communities.