Austin is a public servant, a lawyer, and a proud Cleveland native.
Austin and his wife Anna
Born in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, Austin moved to the suburbs as a child and graduated from St. Ignatius High School in Ohio City.
Austin comes from a working family. His mom worked as an artist designing wallpaper, and his dad worked as a crane operator. His uncle was also a crane operator, and so was his grandfather. While Austin had the chance to go to college on a Pell Grant, his family was middle class because of union jobs,
Life took an unexpected turn during Austin’s college years, when he lost both of his legs in a train accident. Austin had to learn how to recover from one of the biggest blows you can get—and he bounced back. He not only graduated on time but did so while learning to walk again, and is one of a very small number of people in the world who use two full prosthetics and have a career.
Austin, Anna, and friends
Austin graduated college into the Great Recession. Jobs were scarce, his family couldn’t help, and he spent years living below the poverty line as he cobbled together low-paying gigs. There were a thousand setbacks and a lot of dried beans for dinner. But he pushed through and found stability (and health insurance), eventually attending Harvard Law and becoming a lawyer. No matter where he went from there, he was the only person in the room like him—the only one from a working family, the only one with a disability, and the only one who knew just how rough the world can get.
After a successful stint at a major Cleveland law firm, Austin joined city hall as a lawyer and policy advisor. Austin was proud to join the movement to set Cleveland on the right track—and serving his community, his family, his neighbors, and the City that raised him has been the pride and privilege of his career.
Austin having a good hair day on Zoom
As a public servant, Austin was instrumental in major wins for everyday Clevelanders.
He helped pass the Residents First legislative crackdown on slumlords and out-of-state speculators, implemented the most progressive initiatives in Ohio to help close the gender and racial wage gap, brought to a close the first major update to the city’s zoning code in nearly a century, brought about Cleveland’s first-ever regulations for tobacco products and smoke shops, and set up systems to better hold companies accountable for stealing their employees’ wages.
The highlight of Austin’s time in City Hall was his successful work to secure a Crime Gun Intelligence Center for Cleveland, where federal resources are dedicated tracking illegal firearms and taking them off the streets.
Austin, Anna, and family
Austin and his wife, Anna, live in the historic Tremont neighborhood, where Austin co-chaired the South of Jefferson Block Club. Their home was built in 1870 and is a perfect reflection of Cleveland’s past and present: it overlooks the steel mill, but it also came with a room just for bathing dogs that more recent occupants installed.
You can usually find Austin and Anna enjoying sunset on Whiskey Island, unwinding at Porco, or launching a kayak near Merwin’s Wharf. Their community has so much heart. For them, there’s nothing better than being a Clevelander—rooted in community, pushing for change, and making a difference for the city we call home.
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Email: austin[at]austindavisward7.com
Phone: 216.302.4568
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