April Chang is a nonprofit executive director who started a foundation in honor of her son, Mitchell, who drowned at age three. The group created an inclusive playground in Stone Oak called Mitchell’s Landing. Her background is in medical sales.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I am a native Texan who graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science and have called San Antonio home for 17 years, 14 of them in District 9. I have proven leadership and business experience as a previous medical distributorship owner whose territory spanned the State of Texas and worked with over 100 sales representatives.
I am executive director of the Mitchell Chang Foundation, a nonprofit that partnered with the City of San Antonio to build Mitchell’s Landing, a half-acre pirate-themed inclusive playground. Mitchell’s Landing is positively impacting our community, both socially and economically. I have also worked with state legislators pushing for swim school safety standards, testified before state committees, and participated in meetings with state governmental departments and their directors.
List any previous experience in government or participation on local boards, commissions, or neighborhood associations.
I was a neighborhood HOA board member for 7 years. I was also the Vice President of Community Outreach on the Bexar County Medical Society Board. I am a founding board member and executive director of the Mitchell Chang Foundation.
I have also worked with state legislators pushing for swim school safety standards. This includes testifying before state committees and participating in meetings with state governmental departments and their directors.
In the city’s 2024-2025 budget survey, residents ranked homelessness, streets, housing and animal care services among their top concerns for the city to address. Which issues do you consider a top concern for District 9 and how would you work to address them in your first 100 days?
Safety and police services are my top priorities for District 9. Families need to feel safe in their homes and be able to go out into their community to shop and eat. We need to support our police by fully funding the department, equipping them to properly and safely do their jobs, and providing attractive benefits packages to recruit and retain officers. I will push for increased patrols of our streets, neighborhoods, and parks to decrease police response times. I will initiate cost-effective crime deterrents for District 9 such as additional mobile camera units.
Panhandling and homeless encampments present risks for the individuals and the residents.
Encampments need to be aggressively addressed through consistent encampment removals that are compassionately administered with homeless organizations’ assistance.
Safety includes being able to drive on clean, quality roads that are free of debris and well-maintained. With knowledge gained from my seven years of experience working with the City and Public Works Department, I will introduce policies that will streamline the construction process for infrastructure improvements, reducing costs and timelines.
In a crowded field of council candidates, what differentiates you from the others?
I am the only candidate who is not a professional politician that is part of the existing bureaucratic machine. I have cut through the city’s red tape and produced substantial results for the community. This perspective allows me to see the everyday struggles people face working with the city and the gulf between what the public wants and what city departments deliver.
Being a councilperson is about having a vision, driving initiatives, and delivering results. I know how to get it done while providing the community more for less. Over the last seven years, I have dedicated myself to helping our community, not because it was my job or to earn a paycheck, but because I wanted to serve others. I am a leader who will take my business experience of managing employees and increasing growth and efficiency to City Hall, to be an effective councilwoman and better our community.
If elected, how do you plan to solicit input and feedback from residents in your district?
As city councilwoman, I will have an open-door field office policy and require that all constituent emails be documented and responded to within 24 business hours. I will hold quarterly district meetings for community updates and for residents and business owners to provide input and voice community concerns. I will host open office hours at district libraries to provide easy access opportunities. I will also have office representation at HOA or business association meetings upon request.
It is important that the city’s surveys used for budgeting and policies to be more transparent in the questioning and not written in a way such as to sway responses in a specific direction. We cannot fully serve and meet district needs without the public knowing the full, accurate picture.
I will also work to expand the reach and participation of the surveys to allow more voices to be heard.
Read more about April Chang
District 9 candidates debate reversing course on affordable housing, equity budgeting
WATCH: San Antonio Report’s District 9 debate
