The race for Waco City Council District 1 is a head-to-head contest between four-term incumbent Andrea Barefield and opponent Rachel E. Pate.
The East Waco district is at the center of a debate between the candidates about how the city’s redevelopment efforts help or harm longtime district residents, many of whom struggle with poverty and housing costs.
Pate is calling those high-dollar projects into question while advocating for more thorough community engagement from the city, as The Waco Bridge reported in an in-depth profile of both candidates.
Barefield has defended the district’s most visible redevelopment project on Elm Avenue, her commitment to keeping East Waco affordable and the council’s vision for revitalizing downtown with a park and mixed-use development.
She was also the driving force behind the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center that recently opened in East Waco.
Because of the deep experience and support enjoyed by both candidates, the race could be Waco’s most competitive come May 2, when voters will decide who represents them in local governments and school districts. Early voting for local city and school board elections runs April 20-28, with April 21 off due to a state holiday.
The four early voting sites can be found at the McLennan County Elections website. The Waco Bridge sent questionnaires to both candidates and received responses from each. In their answers, they identified many of the same problems facing District 1 and Waco, including housing pressures on residents.
Here are the responses from the two candidates for Waco’s District 1 City Council seat.
Rachel E. Pate
Age: 45
Occupation: Vice president of economic development at Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce
Civic experience: Lemonade Day Director, Rapoport Academy Public School board member, host of KWBU program “Downtown Depot,” founding board member of Startup Waco, Waco Police Academy Advisory board member.
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
As a lifelong Wacoan, I empathize with our community’s concerns and hopes, from rapid growth and rising costs to the need for stronger opportunities for our students and fair economic outcomes for all. As a community advocate, I’ve supported small businesses, strengthened our workforce, empowered youth entrepreneurs, and built meaningful community relationships. My leadership is rooted in grassroots work, side by side with neighbors. Despite our city’s growth, my district faces high poverty, stagnant wages, and slow small business growth. These realities drive my commitment to champion policies that deliver real, tangible benefits to families at home.
What are the main challenges for Waco and how do you plan to address them?
Poverty and affordability are urgent concerns. Prosper Waco’s 2024 Snapshot shows a 25% poverty rate, with sharp increases among Black residents (41%) and children (57%). Rates remain high across groups and exceed state and peer cities, with the largest increases in District 1 neighborhoods like Timbercrest, Alta Vista and Carver. Meanwhile, home prices are now 5.2 times the median income of $47,421, with Black and Hispanic households earning the least. As a council member, I will prioritize policies that expand living-wage jobs, strengthen small businesses and nonprofits, promote financial literacy, and drive inclusive development through strong community partnerships.
What would be your top three priorities as District 1’s representative on the council?
My top three priorities are increasing civic engagement, expanding economic opportunity, and empowering youth. Fostering transparency and encouraging community participation will ensure residents’ voices are heard. Supporting policies that grow small businesses, create living-wage jobs, and strengthen our local economy remains central to this vision. Investing in youth through education, mentorship, and entrepreneurship opportunities will help build the next generation of leaders.
What should the city do to ensure development in East Waco does not displace existing residents?
To help ensure development in East Waco does not displace existing residents, possible approaches include public-private partnerships, intentional district-level planning, and community development strategies that actively include residents and small businesses. Another option is the use of community benefits agreements, which can help align development projects with local needs. Additional considerations include city planning models that incorporate protective measures, such as controlled property tax mechanisms, to help reduce displacement and support families in building generational wealth.
Andrea Barefield
Age: 49
Occupation: Communications consultant, founder of Barefield Impact Strategies
Civic experience: Waco City Council member and mayor pro tem, nonprofit roles at City Center Waco and Texas Brazos Trail Region.
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
Waco is my home. I was raised here, and I grew up in service — learning early what it means to show up and take responsibility for your community.
That’s how I approach this role. I’m a problem solver.
When I walk down Elm Avenue, I don’t see projects — I see people. I see the grandmother who can finally walk safely along JJ Hines, and families moving through neighborhoods that feel cared for again.
Those changes didn’t happen by accident. I listened, pushed the work forward, and stayed on it until it was done.
Re-election is about continuing that progress and making sure our community keeps moving forward.
What are the main challenges for Waco and how do you plan to address them?
Waco is at a point where growth, infrastructure, and housing must work together for the people who live here.
We’ve already taken that on.
When construction along Elm Avenue put pressure on local businesses, we stepped in with barrier-to-construction grants — helping dozens of small businesses stay open and make it through. That’s how I lead — seeing the impact on real people and responding with solutions.
Next, we must expand housing options, strengthen key corridors and stay focused on how growth shows up in people’s everyday lives.
We don’t have to choose between progress and people. The goal is to move forward together.
What would be your top three priorities as District 1’s representative on the council?
My top priorities are infrastructure, opportunity, and neighborhood stability.
That means continuing the work already underway — improving streets, drainage, and core systems across District 1 so residents see consistent progress in their daily lives.
It also means expanding opportunity by building on investments like the STEAM Center and supporting small businesses along our corridors, creating pathways for residents to grow and succeed.
And just as important, we must protect neighborhood stability — supporting homeowners and making sure longtime residents can remain and benefit as the area grows.
My focus is making sure progress continues — and reaches the people it’s meant to serve.
What should the city do to ensure development in East Waco does not displace existing residents?
Growth in East Waco should benefit the people who already live here — not push them out.
That requires clear, consistent action. We have to expand affordable housing options, support home repair programs, and protect longtime homeowners so they can remain rooted as the area grows.
This is work we’ve already prioritized — making sure investment reaches existing residents, not just new development.
The next step is ensuring people are not just included in growth, but positioned to benefit from it.
The goal is simple: not just to stay — but to truly thrive.
