Qadri credits focus on housing in win for D9 seat

Political newcomer Zohaib “Zo” Qadri will represent City Council District 9 beginning in January, defeating challenger Linda Guerrero by 352 votes, according to unofficial totals reported Tuesday night. The final vote for the two-candidate runoff according to Travis County elections officials was 7,276 for Qadri to 6,924 for Guerrero.

Qadri’s win brings a marked change to the seat long held by Kathie Tovo, who was term limited and unable to run for reelection in the district that includes neighborhoods such as Hyde Park and Travis Heights, as well as downtown and the UT Austin campus.

Housing affordability was one of the primary differentiators for Qadri, who wants to move forward with revisions to the city’s Land Development Code to allow for more housing types and greater density. During her campaign, Guerrero also said housing is a concern – especially the threat of displacement for residents being priced out of the city – but she supported less aggressive moves to address the issue.

Qadri, who earned the most votes in the November election among a field of six candidates, said returning to voters with the message of targeting the city’s housing shortage seemed to have resonated.

“I think it was making sure that we stayed on message and talked about the issues, that there is a housing crisis in the city and making sure that we heard our neighbors and made sure that we were receptive and creative with what potential solutions could look like,” he said. “It was a campaign that cared about every constituency group and it was a campaign that reached out continuously to every single neighborhood, every single precinct.”

Beyond housing, Qadri said transportation and solutions to help those experiencing homelessness are other high-priority issues he wants to focus on once he is sworn in.

“Housing is obviously one of the reasons I think we did so well both in the general and in this runoff, but then also talking about things like transit, talking about things like I-35 expansion and Project Connect and how we help our advocates for our unhoused population,” he said. “So I think there’s so many things to be done. I’m honestly just looking forward to serving and having the opportunity to serve alongside some really amazing colleagues.”

With a number of city labor contracts coming up for renewal or currently being negotiated, Qadri said more attention needs to be paid to the earning power of public safety and other employees, while addressing accountability concerns for the Austin Police Department.

“It’s important to do right by the folks that protect the city and keep it going, whether it be our city workers who have so badly needed and deserved a raise, or whether it be our firefighters and EMS and police officers. And I think that’s how we fully get to the realization of public safety,” he said. “And one of the big things that will be coming up for the May ballot for props, will be the police accountability act, and I think that’s extremely important as well.”

In the lead-up to Tuesday’s election, The Austin Chronicle endorsed Guerrero, arguing that Qadri’s enthusiasm for housing reform may be dampened by his inexperience in political dealmaking and policy matters. Qadri, 32, said he plans to address those concerned about his youth by surrounding himself with experienced allies who can help him learn.

“I’m looking forward to talking to folks who have been in the position before. I’ve had several Council members, past and current, reach out to me and I’m looking forward to learning from them. I am very much someone who is open to growth and open to learning. So I respect what the Chronicle may have thought, but I’m someone who knows that I can get to a place through learning and surrounding myself with a lot of really great individuals.”

In a statement to the press, Guerrero said, “This was a grassroots campaign driven by people who worked and lived in District 9. I am very proud and grateful to every volunteer who talked to voters about the issues important to our community. We ran a respectable and thoughtful campaign based on the many concerns and issues brought forward from District 9 voters. I congratulate Zo and wish him all the best.”

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