The incumbent and challenger vying for the District 8 council seat spared over issues such as housing density and economic support during a community led forum Wednesday night.
Councilman Al Austin, who is seeking his third term on the council, challenged Tunua Thrash-Ntuk’s ambitious housing plans; she has proposed, among other things, creating a chief of housing, similar to the fire or police chief.
Austin said the actual work of governance requires more than just idealistic plans, and he sarcastically said that his challenger appears to be an expert in everything.
Thrash-Ntuk responded: “I’m surprised the councilman pointed out he’s running against a very smart woman. You know me, and you know me well enough to know my work speaks for itself.”
On the topic of housing, Thrash-Ntuk said her “Prioritizing Housing” plan would prevent homelessness, increase the number of housing options and preserve existing dwelling units. She also referenced the recent housing advocacy she’s led with a Los Angeles based organization called the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
In Austin’s reply to the question, he said that all the vacant lots in the district were accounted for and were in the process of becoming housing options or businesses. He also referenced the zoning changes brought forth in the city’s Land Use Element and added that he opposed failed legislation that would eliminate low-density zoning laws that are in place near transit. Austin said Senate Bill 50 “had undue restrictions and impacts on our communities.”
When the conversation shifted to the budget and economic recovery, Thrash-Ntuk said the city is far too dependent on “boom and bust” industries, such as oil and tourism industries, which she pointed out had been hardest hit by COVID-19. Her focus would be to shift dependance away from those industries.
“I’ve been able to help shape, for our entire county, what relief looks like,” Thrash-Ntuk said and stressed the importance of creating more opportunities for business owners.
This year, the council approved a $2.6 billion budget in which it’s roughly $554-million general fund—money that the city can spend on public services—faced a $30 million deficit in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Austin banked on using the development in business corridors such as Bixby Knolls and Virginia Village as the driver in economic growth in the wake of the pandemic.
“We have turned around things here in this community,” Austin said.
In their closing remarks, the two council candidates sat on different ends of the spectrum in regards to why voters should elect them. Thrash-Ntuk said she believed residents are looking for new leadership, while Austin, whose sat on the council since 2012, leaned on his experience in the district.
Residents interested in learning more about the issues District 8 candidates stand on can visit the Long Beach Post’s Compare your Candidate page.