Anthony Bryson, Long Beach City Council District 1 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire – Press Telegram

Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

Name: Anthony Bryson

Current job title: Restaurant Manager

Age: 36

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: Community organizer and activist

City where you reside: District 1

Campaign website or social media: brysonforlongbeach.org

One of the main issues local leaders are grappling with is Long Beach’s current and long-term fiscal position. With major budgetary concerns on the horizon, explain your top priorities for Long Beach’s financial future and plans to achieve them. (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

As a constituent looking in, I have similar feelings around these topics. It’s a big concern for me.

In the updated proposed budget, we see City Council officials giving themselves $50,000 each for “personal security measures” to update their homes. Honestly, I don’t have all the answers, but I have questions as to why we are spending money on things that don’t make sense — and I know the citizens of Long Beach are with me on this.

If elected, I will make auditing these types of costs a priority and be transparent with constituents about my findings.

Take this library for example, we’re spending how much to build a fence around this library instead of putting that money toward solutions that would solve the problem??? It’s at least $790,000. This is absolutely outrageous, and the bureaucracy needs to end.

Long Beach residents have been sounding the alarm about the presence of federal immigration enforcement agents and operations in the city. Where do you stand on ICE/CBP actions, and how to plan to address residents’ concerns about this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

ICE is not an isolated issue but a reflection of broader patterns of policing in the U.S. In Long Beach, the community is calling for more than statements — we expect concrete, actionable policies that make the city a place where ICE cannot operate with impunity. The city must actively explore and implement methods to keep ICE out of our neighborhoods and public institutions.

A clear procedure is needed for the Long Beach Police Department to respond to unlawful detentions and warrantless arrests. Officers should intervene by requiring proper identification and valid warrants when they witness such actions. LBPD must also enforce SB 627, ensuring all law enforcement personnel display visible identification and comply with the prohibition on face coverings.

Transparency is critical. The city should establish consistent public alerts providing verified information about ICE activity, including arrests and general locations, through regular reports such as a weekly review. In addition, Long Beach must proactively inform residents in real time when raids occur.

Finally, the city should create an official system to document detentions, deportations and disappearances affecting community members. These steps are essential to protecting residents and making “ICE out of Long Beach” a reality.

Homelessness and affordable housing continue to be a top issue for Long Beach residents. What is your position on the city’s current efforts to reduce homelessness and increase affordable housing availability, and how do you plan to improve these efforts? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Real protections for renters: Lower the local rent increase cap from 8% to 3% to stop rent‑gouging and displacement.Halt all tenant forced evictions for “substantial remodel.” Close the “renovation loophole,” where landlords evict tenants for cosmetic repairs to increase property value and rents.

Human solutions for our unhoused neighbors and cleaner streets without homelessness.

Shelters should allow families to remain together. Partners should not have to separate based on gender. Solutions for people with pets who need shelter.

Expanding shelters’ hours of operation: In at 6 p.m., out at 6 a.m. does not keep District 1 safe. Dry shelters that turn people away because they use drugs/alcohol or are in active addiction don’t work – treatment and stability start with housing, not punishment.

Encampment spaces: Shelters don’t work for everybody, and “clean-up” sweeps don’t make District 1 safer. We will work to implement spaces where people can exist without constant harassment or sweeps, while connecting them to services, treatment and long‑term housing options. This will make everyone in District 1 safer.

Fewer vacant apartments and storefronts in District 1: End the system of landlords and speculators sitting on empty units while our neighbors sleep on sidewalks. Create a vacancy penalty for commercial and residential landlords with long-lasting vacancies and dedicate that revenue to local housing initiatives. Incentives to bring storefront spaces back to life with local businesses, pop-ups, co‑ops and community uses encourage landlords to fill vacancies.

What is the biggest issue your district specifically faces, and how do you plan to address it, if elected? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Living in Long Beach should not cost you everything. I’m running to build a District 1 that is safe, affordable and thriving for everyone — renters, workers, immigrants and students.

For too long, City Hall has answered to developers, police unions and corporations. We’ve seen the results: skyrocketing rents, rampant displacement, over-policing and vacant storefronts. That ends when we elect people who come from movements, not machine politics.

My platform puts people first:

• Housing justice: We must lower the rent increase cap from 8% to 3% to stop rent-gouging. We will halt “renovation” forced evictions and end the system of speculators sitting on empty units by creating a vacancy penalty.

• Real safety: We need community safety, not over-policing. We will shift funding from failed policing strategies to community-based solutions like mental health support, housing and youth programs. A crisis deserves a mental health response, not a badge and a gun.

•Better transportation: We will implement preferential parking for residents, invest in secure bike infrastructure and provide free bus fare on all Long Beach Transit.

This campaign is about us demanding the city we deserve. Vote Anthony Bryson, and let’s take back District 1—together.

What experience do you bring to the table for this role? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Anthony Bryson is the strongest candidate for District 1 in Long Beach because he brings a rare combination of grassroots leadership, professional management experience and a deep commitment to community-centered values.

As a longtime community organizer and activist, Anthony has worked across regions from San Diego County to Santa Barbara County, building broad, intersectional coalitions that unite diverse communities around shared goals.

This experience has equipped him with the ability to listen, collaborate and lead in ways that reflect the real needs of the people he serves.

In addition to his organizing work, Anthony has built a successful career as a restaurant manager, overseeing a variety of food service concepts and teams. This hands-on leadership has strengthened his skills in problem-solving, budgeting, team building and day-to-day operations — practical abilities that translate directly into effective public service. He understands how to manage complex systems while keeping people at the center of decision-making.

Anthony’s unique blend of activism and professional leadership makes him especially qualified to represent District 1. He knows how to bring people together, advocate for meaningful change and deliver results. With a proven track record of coalition-building and community engagement, Anthony Bryson is prepared to be a strong, responsive leader for Long Beach.