Austin seeking public input on whether to rename Cesar Chavez Street, with community meetings scheduled

Three meetings are scheduled for August to seek feedback on a name change, plus share the street’s history, the renaming process and possible impact to businesses.

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin residents will soon have a chance to weigh in on whether Cesar Chavez Street should be renamed.

The city of Austin has announced three public meetings in August to gather community feedback on the future of the street’s name following allegations against the late labor leader earlier this year. Officials are also asking residents to suggest potential new names if the city decides to move forward with a change.

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The discussion comes months after a New York Times report published allegations of sexual abuse involving the late labor leader. In March, several Austin City Council members publicly supported renaming the street and directed the city manager to develop a public engagement process.

Deep roots in East Austin history

Cesar Chavez Street was renamed from East First Street in 1993 following Chavez’s death. The roadway runs through the historic heart of Austin’s Hispanic community.

Gavino Fernandez Jr., a spokesperson for El Concilio Mexican American Land Owners de East Austin, a group that helped lead the effort to rename the street, said he’s glad the city is finally moving forward with a decision.

“For us, it’s like, ‘Oh my God. Here we go again,'” Fernandez said, later adding that while the process has taken time, “They’re finally going to make a decision.”

The city’s two questions

The city says it wants residents to weigh in on two issues:

Should Cesar Chavez Street be renamed?If so, what should the new name be?

City leaders also plan to discuss the history of the street, explain the renaming process, and lay out and potential impacts to nearby people and businesses.

District 9 Council Member Zo Qadri, whose district includes downtown along Cesar Chavez Street, said he’s pleased the process is moving forward.

He said feedback his office has received has largely supported renaming the street, with suggestions ranging from honoring another labor leader to recognizing a prominent Hispanic community leader in Austin.

“Much like any other sort of community meeting, I really hope folks come out to it,” Qadri said. “I hope on the city’s end, they do the proper outreach, that we’re hearing from everyone in the community, not just certain pockets of folks.”

District 3 Council Member José Velásquez, whose district includes the East Austin portion of the street, released a statement to KVUE:

“I’m glad to see that City staff has now released community meeting dates for the potential renaming of Cesar Chavez St. Constituents are eager to begin this process, to voice their opinions on renaming options, and to learn more about possible impacts.

Once community input is gathered and analyzed by City staff, I expect results to be shared with the public by October 2026.

I’m excited about this next step. It provides a necessary path forward toward seeking justice and healing for survivors and their families.”

Some want return to East First Street

Fernandez said many people have told his organization they would like to see the street return to its original name, East First Street — or “La Primera,” as it has long been known in the Latino community.

At the same time, he said many residents still want to honor Chavez’s role in the labor movement. He suggested preserving references to Chavez’s legacy through signage highlighting the United Farm Workers movement and the slogan “Sí se puede.”

Fernandez said he’s expecting passionate public discussions.

“I’m pretty sure Austin being Austin, it’s going to be a lively one,” he said.

When are the public meetings?

The city has scheduled three opportunities for residents to participate:

Aug. 11: 5-7 p.m. Austin Public Library, Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St.Aug. 15: 2-4 p.m. Sanchez Elementary School, 73 San Marcos St.Aug. 18: 6-8 p.m. Virtual Zoom webinar

Residents who cannot attend a meeting will also be able to submit feedback through an online survey.