Ward 7

About Austin N. Davis

Austin Davis was elected in 2025 to represent the new Ward 7, which includes Detroit Shoreway, Ohio City, Tremont, the Flats, and the downtown lakefront. A lawyer, lifelong Clevelander, father, and committed public servant, Austin prioritizes walkability and traffic calming, diverse and attainable housing options, and high-quality city services for every resident.

Austin comes from a blue-collar, middle-class, union family. A graduate of St. Ignatius High School in Ohio City, he attended college with the support of a Pell Grant. At age 20, his life changed dramatically when a train accident resulted in the loss of both legs above the knee. Despite this life-altering challenge, he relearned how to walk while completing his college degree on time. He later earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and became an attorney.

After gaining experience at a major Cleveland law firm, Austin joined Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration as a lawyer and advisor in Cleveland City Hall. There, he helped lead initiatives that secured resources to remove illegal guns from the streets, expanded access to transit and housing, held out-of-state slumlords accountable, and advanced protections for workers’ rights.

He is especially proud of his work on the Residents First legislative package targeting slumlords and out-of-state speculators; championing Ohio’s most progressive initiatives to close the gender and racial wage gap; advancing the first major update to Cleveland’s zoning code in nearly a century; drafting the city’s first regulations for tobacco products and smoke shops; and creating systems to better hold companies accountable for wage theft.

One of the highlights of Austin’s service in City Hall was his successful effort to secure a Crime Gun Intelligence Center for Cleveland, bringing federal resources to track and remove illegal firearms.

Austin ran for Cleveland City Council to help build a Near West Side where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. As a Tremont resident raising a family—and as the former co-chair of his local block club—he understands firsthand how essential reliable public services and vibrant public spaces are for every neighborhood and every resident.