Aventura Mayor Weinberg seeks re-election Nov. 3

Howard S. Weinberg, the incumbent mayor of Aventura, is running for re-election in the Nov. 3 municipal election. The nonpartisan race pits Weinberg against Alberto Zaltzberg, a real estate broker and online marketing specialist who lost a 2022 bid for Commission Seat 6, according to Florida Politics.

Weinberg was sworn into office on Nov. 15, 2022, after running unopposed.

The mayor seat is an at-large position with no residential area requirement, according to the city's election page. He is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

Office sought: Aventura city mayor

Party: Nonpartisan

Education: Bachelor's degree in business, University of Miami; master's degree in government, Georgetown University; juris doctor, Boston University School of Law, according to a press release from Association Law Group.

Legal credentials: Florida Bar No. 766150, more than 30 years of legal experience focusing on government affairs work, according to the same release.

Experience and public service

Weinberg served as an Aventura city commissioner from 2010 to 2018. During that time, he introduced a 2018 charter amendment allowing former city commissioners to run for mayor directly after their last term. Voters approved the measure with 70% support, according to the Biscayne Times.

Weinberg was the first to use it. He ran for mayor in 2022, the Biscayne Times reported.

In the private sector, Weinberg served as corporate counsel and senior vice president of business and development at Hotwire Communications, according to a separate Florida Politics report on the 2022 race. He rejoined Association Law Group as of-counsel in October 2024, according to the firm's press release. The firm focuses on condominium and homeowners association law, according to Community Newspapers.

On the issues

Affordable housing: Weinberg said he proposed a "Hero Housing" concept requiring a public-private partnership. The plan would set aside 20% of units in luxury residential high-rise rentals for Aventura's workforce, including teachers, police officers and service workers employed by the city, according to the South Florida Sun Times.

Antisemitism and inclusivity: Weinberg said he represented Aventura at the international Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in Athens, Greece. "Building bridges, both nationally and internationally, is the goal here," Weinberg said in the South Florida Sun Times interview. He was named to the inaugural Mayors Advisory Board of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, a leadership body of local officials committed to combating antisemitism.