Austin City Council District 9 incumbent Zo Qadri faces four challengers in a race shaped by disagreements over housing affordability, economic development and how the city should grow. Qadri, who represents much of Downtown and some of Austin’s oldest neighborhoods, says his priorities remain affordable housing, mobility and support for people experiencing homelessness. He cited lower rents and a five-year low in homelessness, while noting that evictions remain high and an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in the city are still unhoused. He described the repeal of city parking minimums — rules requiring new developments to provide parking spaces — as his proudest Council accomplishment. Qadri argues the change can reduce construction costs that are often passed on to renters and homeowners. He also backs other recent housing reforms, calling them one part of the effort to bring housing costs down. Challenger Rich Heyman, a neighborhood organizer and longtime university instructor, disputes that approach. He says the reforms have not meaningfully lowered housing costs and risk accelerating displacement. Heyman, who taught at the University of Texas for 18 years before being fired after participating in 2024 pro-Palestinian demonstrations, said the Council’s approval of redevelopment at Acacia Cliffs helped prompt his run. The West Austin complex has 290 one- and two-bedroom apartments averaging about $1,000 a month. Under a rezoning approved by Council last June, the site can be redeveloped as a seven-story complex with 700 units, including 80 reserved for people earning 50% to 60% of the area’s median family income. Supporters said redevelopment would happen regardless of the zoning vote; critics argued the deal could replace hundreds of comparatively affordable homes with fewer units affordable to lower-income residents. Heyman said tenants, including veterans, disabled residents and service workers, were forced from their homes. Heyman attributes Austin’s recent housing-price declines to broader forces, including a construction boom, reduced in-migration and tech layoffs, rather than Council’s zoning changes. He also argues that city economic policy has favored technology companies over workers and locally owned businesses. His campaign calls for stronger support for businesses that provide good pay, benefits, paid sick leave and predictable schedules. Heyman has criticized the proposed Dog’s Head development, which he says would receive more than $1 billion in public support and include an Amazon robotics factory. He points to Qadri’s vote for the deal when it first came before Council in May. Qadri later joined two other council members in voting against sending taxpayer money to the project’s developers in July. Katie Kam, a civil engineer and former Austin schoolteacher who has lived in the city since 1983, also opposes the Dog’s Head deal. She said the project’s scale and proximity to an environmentally sensitive area warranted more review by boards and commissions and greater public involvement before Council acted. Kam’s proposals diverge from Qadri’s on other major city projects. She wants to abandon Project Connect in favor of a monorail and small electric vehicles in dedicated lanes, particularly downtown. She also opposes rebuilding the convention center and has proposed selling two of the six downtown blocks slated for the project and creating a venue devoted to Austin’s creative history. Dave Thadani and Kai Huang are also seeking the District 9 seat. They were not available for interviews. The contest puts Qadri’s case for continued housing and mobility reforms against challengers’ calls for different development priorities and stronger protections for existing residents.