Biography
Al Austin II
Councilmember Austin represents the Eighth District on the Long Beach City Council. First elected in 2012, he is currently serving his final Council term, set to conclude in 2024.
Councilmember Austin moved to Long Beach as an aerospace worker at McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing), where he worked for over a decade, while also studying organizational and public administration as a college student. He later began his public service career as a field representative for a State Senator.
A leader on transportation, economic development, air quality, housing, and sustainability, Councilmember Austin contributes to the Gateway Cities Council of Governments on behalf of Long Beach, working on initiatives like the I-710 Corridor Project, the Climate Action Planning Framework, and serving on the Committee for Homelessness. Austin also serves on the Board of Directors for the League of California Cities, and was appointed by the California Secretary for Natural Resources to serve on the 2-year Working Group to develop the Lower Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan.
Councilmember Austin is dedicated to making the Greater Long Beach area a vibrant, inclusive, and livable community. He currently chairs the city’s Budget Oversight Committee, vice-chairs the State Legislation Committee, and is a member of the Government and Elections, I-710 Oversight, Charter Amendment, and Housing Authority committees. Austin has authored policy initiatives and government reforms aimed at improving residents’ involvement with the government and increasing accountability for authoritative bodies, including: establishing an Ethics Commission and an Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission, working to remove firearms from “prohibited possessors”, securing funding for a parks and open space drought response plan, acquiring resources to address the homelessness crisis, and partnering the city with USC to utilize the LEWIS Registry, a tool to improve police accountability.
From fund acquisition to project execution, Councilmember Austin’s community improvement projects have been pivotal in revitalizing and elevating the 8th District, creating a healthier quality of life for his constituents. His recent projects include the Market St. Improvement Project, the relocation of Fire Station 9, the Little American Business (LAB) housing, retail and entertainment development, creation of C. David Molina Park, and the Davenport Park expansion. Councilmember Austin helped shape the uptown business district, stood at the forefront of the Bixby Knolls economic renaissance, worked to bring homeownership opportunities to North Long Beach, and was instrumental in securing funds to build the Michelle Obama Library and rename the Dee Andrews Sports Complex.
While investments in infrastructure remain important, Councilmember Austin’s passion for the community is led by his heart for service. Among the social service programs initiated by Councilmember Austin include an annual Back to School Summer Blast, which providing free school supplies to more than 15,000 local kids, a free annual college fair that highlights over 50 HBCUs and draws more than 2,000 students , and the “Share Your Heart, Share Your Home” event, which raises awareness and provides information about the need for foster and adoptive parents. Councilmember Austin’s commitment to servicing all members of his community led him to establish a Senior Advisory Committee in 2014, working to provide free activities for hundreds of seniors at the Expo Arts Center.
As a professional staff representative for the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, he is an experienced workforce leader who advocates for quality public services throughout California. Austin’s work keeps him engaged with labor and economic issues and in tune with the needs of working families in the communities he serves.
Councilmember Austin, his wife, Daysha, and their two sons have been proud, active residents of the Uptown Long Beach community for over 20 years.
